Planning Ahead
My sister is about to have a baby. My family is so excited because this will be the first grandchild. My sister and her husband always wanted kids and now their wish is coming true. But that doesn’t mean everything will be easy. The United States is in a terrible recession these days and parents are struggling to plan ahead for their children’s educations.
My sister is leaving her job at an investment firm before the baby is born – that leaves her husband to take over the financial responsibilities. It will be tough, but they will manage. Though she is going to stay at home with the baby, my sister is still looking into business opportunities for moms. A little bit of extra money can make a difference.
March 25th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Opportunities present themselves all of the time and reducing the burden of financial responsibilities can be a great way to reduce daily stresses.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Home Schooling: The Ultimate Decision
At 46 I was on my way to doing things I thought I would never accomplish before. My three children were grown and out of the house, I was working full time and in school full time. It was my goal to get a degree in social work. Actually, being a high school drop out at one time, it was my goal to get a degree in something, anything.
Then life happened! My 23 year old, unmarried, bi-polar daughter, delivered twin boys. Because of her disability she would be unable to care for them so we brought them home from the hospital and adopted them. We decided right from the start that we would be doing everything differently this time around.
So home school is what we firmly believe to be right for us. So I found myself short one paycheck and extra mouths to feed. That is when I went in search of a stay at home mom business opportunity that I could build successfully and still be available for the twins. I found the absolute best home-based business around. I now work with an awesome team of women online making a great income!
I encourage you to go to our website if you are looking for something to do from home. You will find exactly what you are looking for.
April 11th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
20 Tips to Save Money on Gas
Small Changes Can Improve Efficiency by 30%
With the prices at the pumps rising every day (or so it seems), we’re all wondering the same thing: How can we save money on gas? Is it even possible?
Yes, of course you can save money on gas. These tips won’t bring down the cost of gas, but they will help you use less gas, which in turn will save you money. Following the tips below can improve the efficiency of your car by up to 30 percent, according to drivers who’ve adapted such tactics! A bonus is that many of these tips will also help you help the environment. Go green while saving some green!
1. Combine trips. If you know you’re going across town for soccer practice, stop by any stores you might need to visit in that area. Try to group errands geographically.
2. Downsize. Unless you need an SUV, minivan or full-size truck, then trade it in for a more efficient model. Want to save even more money? Switch to a hybrid (the prices have dropped in the last few years) or learn to drive a motorcycle or scooter.
3. Reduce your commute. Move closer to work if possible, work from home a day or two a week, or get a job in your neighborhood.
4. Don’t wait for a holiday. Gas prices rise whenever more people travel, such as around the holidays. Fill up at least three days before a holiday.
5. Fill up mid week, in the morning. Wednesday is the cheapest day of the week to fill your tank. The weekends are the most expensive. Gas stations change their prices midmorning, so head to the pumps before you go to the office.
6. Park it. Park once, in the first spot you see. Unless you can’t walk, park as soon as you find a spot instead of driving around to find one that’s close. Also, if you’re going to make several stops in the area, leave your car parked and drop off packages between stops, if need be. You can squeeze in a bit of exercise while you shop!
7. Charge it! Get a gas credit card that offers you savings. If your card is specific to one company, make sure those gas stations are located in the areas where you typically drive. You won’t save money if you drive across town to get gas! (Just be sure to pay off the card in full each month so you don’t get hit with finance charges.)
8. Go low. Use the lowest recommended octane for your car. Check you’re the owner’s manual for your car, but most cars on the road today can go with the lowest-octane (and cheapest) gasoline.
9. Wait to fill up. Always fill up when you’ve got a quarter of a tank or less. You get better gas mileage with a lighter load, so that means gas mileage improves as you near empty. However, don’t let it get too low—you could end up stranded!
10. Don’t top off. When filling up, use the automatic “stop” function on the pump. When it stops, don’t pump out a few extra cents worth of gas by hand. That gas evaporates (talk about a waste of money) and is bad for the environment, too.
11. Quit idling! Idling wastes gas and pollutes the air. Whether you’re in line at a drive-thru, waiting for school to let out, or stopped in a parking lot, turn off the car. Turn the ignition to “accessory” mode to keep the radio and AC on. Even better, park and walk inside instead of using a drive-thru.
12. Remember what you learned in driver’s education class: Don’t tailgate, maintain consistent speed, drive the speed limit, and anticipate stop signs. Changing speeds constantly reduces efficiency. Decide what’s more important to you: Arriving a couple of minutes (or usually just a few seconds) earlier, or saving money.
13. Got junk in your trunk? Empty it. Any extra weight reduces fuel efficiency. Also, take off any bike or ski racks if you’re not using them. They can cause drag, making your car work harder to maintain speed.
14. Take care of your car. Regular oil changes improve gas mileage. Be sure to regularly change air filters, keep your tires properly inflated, and use a fuel injector cleaner, too.
15. When you are ready to fill up, fill it up all the way! Gas is expensive today, and chances are it’ll be even more costly tomorrow. If you fill the tank completely, you can go longer between fill-ups.
16. Know your route. Getting lost is a waste of time and money. Sometimes it can’t be avoided, but plan your routes in advance or use a global positioning unit. Carry a map, and use it!
17. Be shady. Park in the shade. Gas can evaporate on a hot day, especially when you park in the sun. Also, parking in the shade keeps the inside cooler, meaning you have to use the air conditioning less.
18. Speaking of AC. Only use it on the highways. It’s more efficient to roll down the windows when you’re going 40 miles per hour or less. The air conditioning is a better choice when you’re going faster.
19. Slow down. Obeying the speed limit is more efficient for your car—especially on the highway. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.30 per gallon for gas. Besides saving gas, driving the speed limit is also safer for you and your passengers.
20. Don’t stop. Didn’t we just mention safety? Yes. Always obey traffic laws and be watchful of the vehicles and pedestrians around you. However, if you can safely (and legally) slow down enough to avoid actually stopping (such as when a stop light is a long way ahead of you), then do it. It takes less gas to speed up than to start from a full stop.
Follow these tips, and soon you’ll be saving some pennies (and eventually some nickels, dimes or even dollars)! If you think those of us in North America have it bad, think of our brethren in Europe: Gas tops $8 a gallon on much of the continent, including Norway, Britain, Belgium and Germany. Ouch!
There is another solution! WORK FROM HOME! Join a team of professionals that can show you how to successfully enjoy a home based business geared towards women.
April 13th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
These are great tips – thanks for putting them together for us. Getting in the car to go some where is unavoidable, so it’s good to know there are so many ways to help improve gas mileage.
And you are so right, working at an online business for women really cuts down on the need to fill up the tank!
April 13th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
This is good advice for everyone. Given today’s economy, everyone could use additional sources of income. What better way to earn extra income for women, than a home based business!
May 1st, 2009 at 12:52 am
I am ecstatic about being able to plan anything I want to do with my family now that I have my Home Based Business. For over 30 years, I worked endless hours for corporate America and could never commit to being available for any events. Now, I am finally in control of my time. I actually have 2 mini vacations planned during May which are only possible due to my home based business for women and Women’s Dream Team! Happy Me!
July 29th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Great stuff here.
July 31st, 2010 at 12:04 am
Very neat article.Much thanks again. Great.
July 31st, 2010 at 6:31 am
I love reading and I’m always searching for informative information like this! You’re bookmarked!.