There are some things you can’t live without. BUT you can pay less for them.

1. Revisit your plans

Are you paying too much for your cell phone or your credit card? Check out Billshrink.com. This free Web site lets you enter in some information about your usage and compares this against other offerings in the market.

You’ll get a personalized list of what other cell phone plans or credit cards would fit your needs and an estimate of how much you would save annually by switching.

2. Cut your auto insurance

If you’re still driving around in a rust bucket, you may want to consider dropping collision or comprehensive coverage. You may also want to consider raising your deductibles. This will lower your costs substantially. And what you do for a living can help you shave some dollars off your insurance. Some insurance companies give discounts for people in certain low-risk professions in a few states. If you’re an economist, an accountant or a teacher you may be able to reduce your bill.

3. Cut prescription drug cost

Health care can be a huge drain on your wallet. But you can save money by knowing where to go. Some big box stores like Kmart, Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s have discount pharmacy services. Membership is not required to use the pharmacy services. If you are uninsured or have no drug coverage, make sure to tell your doctor. You may be able to get a healthy dose of samples. And think about pharmacy assistance programs. You may qualify for free or low-cost medicines. These are run mostly by drug companies. Keep in mind that you many have stringent income cut-offs. For more information, check out RxAssist.com, Partnership for Prescription Assistance at pparx.org and needymeds.org.

A 3-year-old with a kitchen knife may seem like a nightmare scenario, but the other morning I had the pleasure of watching a group of 3- to 5-year-olds as they measured, carved and giggled their way through their first cooking lesson. Why teach little children to cook? We asked this of personal chef Carlin Breinig. She’s found that children who help out in the kitchen appear to grow up to be healthier eaters. She offers parents tips on how to make kitchen time with your little chef safe as well as fun.

1) Keep it simple. Chef Breinig suggests making meals that are somewhat familiar to your child. If your preschooler likes chicken fingers, for instance, make your own, but bake them instead of frying them.

2) Reading, writing and ‘rithmatic. Even though preschools generally can’t read, this doesn’t mean they can’t follow verbal directions from the recipe. You can introduce them to different measuring devices — like measuring spoons and cups — and slip in a mini math lesson.

3) Don’t be a cut up. It’s tricky, but you can teach a child how to safely wield a knife. For example: if you have boneless chicken breasts to cut, have a right-handed child curl up her left hand almost like a claw (so that the fingers and thumb are tucked away) then place this hand on the chicken. Next have her take the knife handle in her right hand and with her hand under yours, guide the knife to cut the chicken. Never leave a child with a knife unattended.

4) Hand washing. This is a great opportunity to talk to a child about hand washing and cross contamination of cooking surfaces and utensils. If you’re preparing meat and vegetables, you can explain the importance of keeping the raw meat away from the veggies, and that hands, knives and cutting surfaces must be washed after touching meat.

And as an added bonus, Chef Breinig has found that kids who learn to cook are less likely to be picky eaters. Their exposure to a variety of foods, spices and ingredients not only gives them more knowledge about food, but helps them develop a sense of mastery and pride as they create their meals. They might not like everything, but they seem to be more willing to try dishes if they’ve had a hand in creating them. Lots of praise by their adult cooking partner is also a key ingredient.

Health Minute airs daily on HLN from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET weekdays

Bank fees are running at their highest levels on record. But you may be able to save money by going online.

1) Online banks: a better deal

By most measures, online banks are a better deal than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. They have lower fees and smaller minimum balance requirements, according to Bankrate.com.

And interest rates can be a lot higher, especially on Internet-only banks. An average savings account at a traditional bank is 0.3 percent. At an internet bank, that rate can be as high as 2 percent.

Some banks even offer online specials not found in their branches. HSBC is offering a 2 percent yield on a one-year CD online. Get that CD at the branch and you’d earn about 0.50 percent.

2) Keep you money safe

Keeping your money safe is key. Make sure the bank you’re vetting has FDIC insurance coverage. You also want to sure that the bank’s Web site has a valid security certificate so you don’t have to worry about cyber-thieves.

ATM access and cashing checks with an Internet-only bank can also be challenging. But more and more internet only banks are joining ATM networks or reimbursing customers their fees when they go to other banks’ ATMs.

3) Get the ranking

Consumer Reports rated seven of the largest online banks. Here are their top four: ING Direct, HSBC Direct, Citibank and Capital One.

Compare interest rates on banks and their products at bankrate.com.

For more of Gerri’s Top Tips, watch CNN weekdays at 11:20 am Eastern Time.

Michael Jackson’s death has brought a great deal of attention to drug interactions. All drugs aren’t the same, and if you take medicines that are not compatible you may end up with serious and possibly life-threatening side effects. For example, mixing sleeping pills with allergy medicine can impair your ability to drive. Taking sleeping pills with too much chocolate can reduce the pills’ sedative effect.

In fact, a study last year found that over 2 million people over age 57 were taking potentially dangerous combinations of drugs.  So here are some things you can do to avoid the possible hazards of drug interactions:

1) Be organized

Keep a record of everything you’re taking, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, or even dietary supplements such as herbs and daily vitamins. It helps to write down the number of pills you take and how often you take them, too. Take this list with youwhen you go to the doctor or get a prescription filled. The FDA has a nifty tool called “My Medicine Record” that might help. (A simple notepad might work just as well!)

If you are going to transfer your medication to something other than the container or packaging that it comes in, make sure you have a proper labeling system to avoid confusion.

Also, try to use just one pharmacy for all your medications instead of getting different prescriptions filled at more than one location. That way you can partner with your pharmacist to spot potentially harmful interactions.

2) Read up  

Look for things such as active ingredients, uses, and warnings on drug labels. And, since drug information is constantly changing, be sure to keep yourself updated on the latest changes. If you have any concerns about whether something you see on the news means you might need to alter what drugs you’re taking, call your doctor first before you consider changing things up.

3) Ask questions

Your doctor might not always ask you about the other drugs you might be taking. So whenever your doctor tells you to take a new drug, ask him or her the following questions:
- Do I need to be concerned about side effects from any of the other medications I’m taking?
- Do I need to change my diet in any way?
- Does it need to be taken with food or between meals?
- Can I drink alcohol if I’m taking this drug?
- What if I accidentally forget to take a dose?
Your doctor is there to help make decisions about what medications are going to work best for you, but the more active and involved you are as a patient, the more likely you are to get the best results.

This Fourth of July weekend, make sure fireworks are the only thing that goes boom — not your diet. Here are some easy ways to keep your diet on track while not sacrificing taste:

Skip the wings. Just six ounces of BBQ chicken wings have nearly 500 calories and 20 milligrams of fat. If you think that’s bad, the amount of sodium in the wings is over 3/4 of your recommended daily amount, according to CBS News. Instead, go for a four ounce grilled skinless chicken breast that has only 120 calories and just 1.5 grams of fat, without BBQ sauce.

Give the cold shoulder to ice cream. While a serving of light ice cream averages around 120 calories, a serving of blueberry-lemon sorbet is just 77 calories, according to our partner Health.com. What’s even better is it’s packed with antioxidants and low in sugar.

All-beef hot dogs are all-right. One plain hot dog is a nutritionist’s nightmare with over 240 calories, 14.5 grams of fat, and 44 milligrams of cholesterol — and that’s not even including the bun or condiments. Go for a 100 percent all-beef hot dog from Hebrew National that has 90 fewer calories and has nearly half the amount of cholesterol.

Like the light beer. One can of original Budweiser beer has 145 calories or 870 calories in a six-pack. Go for Bud Light, which has 110 calories and nearly 7 grams of carbohydrates. For even less calories, try a Coors Light with 102 calories or a Miller Light that checks in with 96 calories.

About 4 million baby floats manufactured by Aqua Leisure Industries are getting recalled because of a drowning hazard. This, right before the July 4th holiday weekend.

The problem here is that the leg straps in the seat of the float can tear. This can cause kids to unexpectedly fall into the water — an obvious drowning risk. There have been 31 reports of float seats tearing, causing children to fall into or under the water. No injuries have been reported, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The floats come in a range of styles and colors. Some examples include the Baby & Me Combo, the Deluxe Toddler Racer, the Sunshade Buggy and the Quacker Float. for specific model numbers, go to the CPSC’s website at CPSC.gov.

They were sold at retailers nationwide, including Target, Toys “R” Us, Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Kmart, Walgreens, Ace Hardware and Bed, Bath & Beyond from December 2002 through June 2009.

Look for the names and model numbers that should be on the back of the float.

If you have one of these floats at home, stop using them. Call Aqua-Leisure for a full refund at (866) 807-3998. Or, go to their website at aqualeisure.com.

You may not have a bank account to match the King of Pop, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put together a will.

1) Who should draft a will

You may not think you own a lot, but you may own more than you think — especially if you own a home, car or even a baseball card collection. And that means you’re a good candidate for making a will.

Generally, if you have property or money that you want to direct to another person, you should make a will. If you don’t have one when you die, the state you live in will decide who gets what.

What typically happens if you don’t have a will, your spouse will get up to half of your assets and your kids will get the rest. Making out a will helps to ensure your property is transferred to the right person. And it might help you avoid some nasty family squabbles.

2) How to draft a will

If your estate plans aren’t too complicated, let’s say you have a modest home, don’t have stepchildren, and don’t own a business, you can generally make out your will through an online program. It will cost you about $70.

But, if your situation is more complicated, say you have a vacation home or you’ve remarried, you may consider looking for a lawyer who specializes in estate planning. Keep in mind, going to a lawyer can be expensive. Generally it costs about $600 to $1000 per will, sometimes more.

3) Update your will

Anytime you have a life-changing event, you should consider revisiting your will. If you get divorced, remarry, have children, buy a vacation home — all these are indicators you should have your will updated. And don’t keep your will secret. Make sure your family knows where to find the latest copy. And keep your will in a fireproof lock box.

For more of Gerri’s Top Tips watch CNN weekdays at 11:20 am Eastern Time.

Tired of all the credit card fees? Swamped in debt from your plastic habit? Maybe you can’t even qualify for a credit card. More and more folks are turning to alternatives. Here are some options.

1) Credit union credit cards

Two Harvard doctoral students found that credit cards from credit unions were less likely to charge fees and penalties that big banks do. And when fees are involved, those fees are less. To join a credit union, you typically need to be a member of some kind of organization. Ask your employer or your college alumni organization if there’s a credit union you can sign up with. To find a credit union near you, go to creditunion.coop or call (800) 358-5710.

2) Prepaid credit cards

If you’re having trouble qualifying for a credit card, you may consider opting for a prepaid credit card. Basically you deposit money onto this card and use it until the money runs out. There are no bills and no interest charges. But there are some things you should be aware of.

First, there are a lot of fees associated with prepaid cards including activation fees, transaction fees and fees when you put money on your card. In addition, these prepaid cards aren’t covered by the federal statutes that protect credit-card holders from fraud or limit their losses when cards are lost or stolen, says Curtis Arnold of Cardratings.com.

But some companies will offer some fraud protection. These cards may be a good option for younger people who are just getting introduced to the world of revolving credit since it’s a safer option than a secured card.

3) Secured credit cards

Secured credit cards operate just like regular credit cards except they are secured by a deposit held by the issuing bank. In general you have to have $500 to $1000 to get one of these secured cards. And your credit limit generally depends on the amount of your deposit. You will have to make interest payments if you don’t pay in full. But if you want to improve your credit, using a secured credit card wisely can help you do that.

Watch Gerri’s Top Tips weekdays at 11:20 am Eastern Time.

Like fireworks, grilling seems to be synonomous with the fourth of July. But you need to plan ahead in order to make your sizzling event a success. Georgia State University nutritionist Chris Rosenbloom shares these tips to keep your celebration tasty AND healthy.

1) Soak it in. Marinating meat not only adds flavor, it offers a layer of protection from chemicals found in smoke. These chemicals contain cancer-causing compounds. According to the American Dietetic Association, “heterocyclic amines are a group of compounds formed when building blocks of proteins and creatine found in meat are subjected to high heat. ” Marinate the meat in the refrigerator to avoid bacteria growth.

2) Avoid cross-contamination. Once your brush has touched raw meat, do not dip it back into a bottle of barbecue sauce or use it again on cooked meat. Just one dip of a brush tainted with raw meat can contaminate an entire bottle or transfer bacteria to the already-cooked goods. Rosenbloom suggests putting a small amount of sauce in a side dish and only using that while you grill. Also, be sure to use separate plates for raw and cooked meat when heading to the grill and back.

3) Numbers don’t lie. Color and taste are not indicators of doneness; rather, temperature is. One in four hamburgers appears brown before it’s done, so use a meat thermometer to be assured that you are cooking to the proper temperature – that way, you won’t undercook or overcook.

For more information on using food thermometers, visit the Food Safety Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

4) Pack it up. The two-hour rule applies, but if the weather is warmer than 90º F, it turns into the one-hour rule, whether food is cooked or uncooked. Get it in the fridge or in an ice-packed cooler within one to two hours.

5) Celebrate the season. The American Dietetic Association recommends grilled fruits and veggies to round out a meal. Try garden-fresh offerings like summer squash, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, pineapple and peaches. Or stack cubes of steak and vegetables on a skewer, kebob-style.

Finally, Rosenbloom stresses that grilled vegetables don’t pose a health threat, because it is the protein and fat in the meat that combine with the smoke to create the cancer-causing compounds. Vegetables don’t do that.

For more on outdoor dining, check out these tips offered by the American Dietetic Association.

Health Minute airs daily on HLN from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET weekdays

While the cost of accessing the internet keeps rising, stick it to the man, log on to these Web sites and save yourself some of your hard-earned cash. The following, while certainly not the definitive list of money-saving Web sites, are some of the sites I start at before I go shopping.

BillShrink.com
Sure, those puppies on your credit card are cute, but are they maximizing your reward potential? Are you getting the most texting for your buck from your cell phone plan? Finally, a Web site that clears up these questions and finds the best credit card that fits your lifestyle, cell phone plan that matches your texting habit or the cheapest gas prices in your area. Simply, insert your information to the provided questions and the site gives you your best option. Sorry puppies, but times are tight.

Chegg.com
My friends complain about the rising costs of college books and that we should all re-evaluate our majors and publish textbooks when we are older, but this Web site could be an end to that dream. Chegg lets you ‘rent’ your book, and in return, saves you bundles of money. Select how long your school term is and the site adjusts how much it charges you. The books are sent out in a box, so returns are easy. Aside from giving you more green in your wallet, the company is also on the green bandwagon and plants a tree for every book you rent.

FatWallet.com
There is one thing that we can all agree on that should be fat – your wallet; and that’s what this Web site hopes to achieve. It has an easy coupon search that is essential before you hit your favorite stores and the friendly forum members will help you find the best deals. My favorite part is the Cash Back Shopping section, which shares the site’s commission with its users.

RetailMeNot.com
No doubt, searching in the deepest, darkest crevasses of the internet gets tiring, especially if it’s for a measly $1 off coupon. This site does the heavy lifting for you. Enter the Web site you are shopping, then coupon codes will pop out that other people are using. Next to the coupon code is a “success” meter that lets you know if it’s working for other shoppers and if it’s worth trying. It is hit or miss sometimes, but a worthy first stop in your shopping expedition.

Woot.com
That is what you’ll be saying when you log on to this site that sells a deeply discounted product once a day. Launched in 2004, the Dallas-based Web site releases a product — which can vary from Roombas to tennis rackets — every morning at 1 a.m. EDT for 24 hours, or until whenever it sells out. Unfortunately, customer service is not a priority here and its deal-with-it attitude might scare some, but don’t let that get to you if it is selling something you want.