WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's ChoiceDebunking Myths To Help You Save Money

Debunking Myths To Help You Save Money

WMDT 47 NEWS - Everyone is pinching their pennies in this tough economy.

Now researchers are debunking some myths that can help you make your dollar go the extra mile - by getting the facts about when you really have to replace daily necessities. Is it really necessary to get new running shoes every few months? The Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested running shoes at a lab and found that after 500 miles one pair had minimal damage and another showed no wear at all. Stacy Genovese from Good Housekeeping said that "what really matters when you're thinking about your running shoes is how many miles are on them. So if you're an avid runner, running 25 miles a week, you need to replace them more quickly than someone who's just a casual runner that's running five miles a week."

Myth number 2: expired foods will make you sick. Researchers say - totally false! The FDA says the dates stamped on processed food packages have to do with quality not safety. Other than meat, foods past their date aren't dangerous. It's just that they may not be as nutritious or flavorful. "You're not going to get sick if you eat food past the sell by date. Unless, of course, you open it up and it smells rancid. Then throw it out," Genovese said.

Speaking of groceries, the consumerist website was the first to notice that the old Arm and Hammer baking soda box said "replace every 3 months" but the new one says "replace every 30 days" - even though the product hasn't changed. The company says new research shows "improved odor elimination" with the faster switcheroo, but some consumers say that stinks!

Replacement myth number 3: you must get your oil changed every 3,000 miles. After calling 10 auto shops and asking how often the oil should be changed for a 2004 Honda pilot - seven said every 3,000 miles. And three dealerships - including two Honda dealers - said every 4,000 to 5,000 miles. And they were all wrong! In the cars owner manual - it says to have the oil changed every 7,500 miles.

Myth 4: expired drugs could make you expire. False again! Experts say to toss out expired prescription drugs that your life depends on. But outdated over-the-counter med's are another story. ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser says that "if they're pills - things like pain relievers, analgesic medicines - they're going to be good for several years after they expire. If there's one thing you want to do to make your medicines last longer - get them out of the bathroom. Hot, steamy air will cause your medicine to break down sooner."

Myth 5: your computer becomes obsolete as soon as you buy it. No, as long as your computer has at least 1 gigabyte of ram - if all you do is things like check email and shop online it will work just fine. Genovese says that "as long as the computer's not really running slowly, there's no reason to upgrade."

And, finally, myth number 6: you have to replace the ink cartridge when your printer says so. PC World magazine conducted tests and found some ink cartridges are still 40-percent full when the indicator says they're empty! Check the internet for tricks - like shaking the toner cartridge, taking it out then putting it back in and covering the sensor with electrical tape - that can get you hundreds more printed pages.