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Eco Bags
I fully support the notion of reusing the same shopping bags for groceries. Week in and week out people fill up their supermarket trolleys and then proceed to pack the items they have bought into plastic bags at the checkout, once they have been paid for. The majority of these plastic bags only make two trips in their lifetime. One is to the supermarket from the suppliers and the other is to the customer`s home where they tend to end their life prematurely in the bin. If Eco Bags were used instead they could make hundreds of trips in their lifetime. The bags could be left ion the boot of the car after they have been unpacked ready to be used at the next grocery shop. All it takes is a little thought and a slight change of routine and the Eco Bags could become regular features down at the supermarket. Concerns about the effect that plastic bags have on the planet should be enough to prick the conscious of people`s minds. If more and more people started to use the Eco Bags when they went shopping, at least this would be one way that the planet could be looked after.

To avoid the sticker shock of relocating, moving Americans can use the results of movecentral.com`s annual moving survey to plan their spending. The new survey finds that movers spend $9,400 on purchases during the three-month relocation period, while renters spend $3,700.

Conducted by movecentral.com and Boston-based Atlantic Marketing Research, the survey polled 22,000 relocating Americans and yielded an average response rate of 4.1% percent. movecentral.com president and CEO Rick Libby presents the results as spending guidelines for relocating Americans to follow throughout the 90 day relocation process.

"Most people don`t realize how much they`ll spend during the course of a move," says Libby. "Our survey reveals how and where people spend their money, making it easier for them to plan a budget that anticipates surprises."

The survey found the following:

# During 1998 and 1999, 42 million Americans moved, spending $102 billion on move-related goods.

# Homeowners spent an average of $9,400 on purchases; renters spent $3,700.

# 15% of homeowners and 12% of renters stated that they bought a computer within the 8 weeks surrounding their move; homeowners spent an average of $2,160, and renters spent $1,340.

# 12% of all moving homeowners bought a car; 66% of these carbuyers made the purchase within four weeks after moving.

# 57% of owners and 37% of renters bought furniture within the 12 weeks surrounding their move; owners spent an average of $3,500 and renters spent $1,220.

# 35% of owners and 40% of renters bought bedding; of these individuals, 72% did so within three after their move. Owners spent an average of $420 and renters $240.

# 55% of moving homeowners purchase at least one appliance when they move, and 57% of homeowners buy furniture.

# 12% of all respondents with Internet access researched moving companies on the web; 8% researched real estate sites, 7% researched appliances/furnishings and 2% researched electronics, computers and banking services.

# 6% of movers using the Internet for research actually made online purchases; those buying goods and services spent an average of $600.