KELOLAND Money Matters

Just this week Honda unveiled the new 5 seat hybrid Insight. 
Those cars should be in Honda's lots this spring to go head to head with Toyota's extremely popular Prius. 



If you want a new Prius in Sioux Falls, there's a six month waiting list.

In tonight's Money Matters we look at the buzz this car has created and how hybrids, while more costly upfront, can save their owners thousands in the long run. 



Emil Eberhart really liked his Buick Park Avenue.

The dreaded month for airline travelers has arrived: September. This is the month airlines are cutting flights, raising fares and offering fewer discounts than ever.

Almost all the news you've heard about South Dakota's housing market has bucked what's happening nationally.
If fact, in the fourth quarter of 2007, South Dakota was the only state in the nation to see a growth in home sales.

But while it may not have burst, it appears the housing bubble around Sioux Falls is deflating a little bit.

Does your house need painting or your deck need staining? Between now and mid-October is considered the perfect time to get those jobs done. But when you head to the paint store to pick up a gallon or two, be prepared for sticker shock. 

Planning on doing a little painting this fall? Get ready for sticker shock when you go to buy the paint.

When most people want to sell their home, they call a realtor.  But some seven percent of home sellers are choosing to forego the broker's commission and sell on their own.

With the cost of basic necessities on the rise, like food and gas, many people are cutting out luxury items.
But some people have found that when it comes to entertainment they can get a bargain by buying used.

Others are making a few extra dollars to make ends meet by selling their old CDs and DVDs. 



In tonight's Money Matters we look at one business that seems to be recession proof. 



9-year-old Brandon Groenewold is really into his Game Boy and his mother doesn't mind supporting his habit if she can get a bargain. 



"If you can pay a little bit less, you can get more for your dollar value," says Brandon's mom Karen Groenewold. 



Used video games are actually the fastest growing part of the Last Stop CD Shop's business.

Retailers are getting back to school jitters. With everything else, from gas to groceries, costing more, consumers are being much more cautious with back-to-school spending.  But what's bad for the merchant can be good for your pocketbook.

A five minute phone call could save you hundreds, even thousand of dollars a year in credit card interest.

Did you have a bad customer service experience in a store or restaurant this week? If the answer is yes, you're certainly not alone. Some people say bad service is on the rise. 



And when customers don't get their complaints resolved, many turn to the Internet to unleash their frustrations.

Good news for drivers worried about gas prices. They should drop as much as another 30 cents a gallon by the time Labor Day roll around.

The debate is on over whether we're in a recession in this country. What you can't argue is that most Americans are feeling the pinch of higher prices, job layoffs and record foreclosures. But some people in KELOLAND say they've found a way to "recession proof" their finances.

College costs are increasing well beyond the rate of inflation and the average student graduates with $20,000. But your everyday shopping trips and other services you use can actually start helping you put a little away for your child or grandchild's education. 

With skyrocketing college costs, every little bit you can save helps.   Now help is just a click and shopping trip away.

If you've got a student who's about to become a freshman in college, you're probably already suffering from sticker shock from tuition alone.

Technology and new marketing is turning movie rental stores into dinosaurs. Proof of that is the closing of the last Video Mania in Sioux Falls.

The mortgage crisis, combined with a troubled economy means borrowing money at a decent interest rate is more difficult than ever.

If you take good care of it, experts say there's no reason why your car can't last 200,000 miles or more.