Saving money is a great way to prepare for your future, help others, and
buy the things you’ve always dreamed of. However, as all kids and
grown-ups know, saving money can be really tricky. How can we make it
easier? To find out more, NerdWallet asked the experts: a penny, a tree,
a monster, a dinosaur and an eagle! We learned that saving money may
not be easy, but it’s really important, and it’s actually pretty cool,
too. Here’s what these credit union mascots had to say about spending,
saving, asking for help, and hanging out with kids like you.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Start saving your pennies! Single-person mini helicopter coming in 2021
Admit it: At one point or another, you've dreamed about purchasing some
form of personal aerial transportation. I know I have. With that in
mind, there's something seriously appealing about Hirobo's a one-person
mini electric helicopter.
Scheduled for completion sometime in 2021
(it would probably make a rad gift for your children…someday), the
nascent vehicle can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour (about
62mph). Of course, the upcoming machine can only sustain that velocity
for about thirty minutes at a time, but it's a fault I'm willing to deal
with.
The single-passenger flying craft, which made its debut at the
International Aerospace Exhibition in Nagoya, Japan, will be available
in two flavors: an unmanned variation that will cost 10 million yen
(roughly $125,000) and a single-seater that will set potential owners
back a whopping 30 million yen ($375,000).
Will it ever be able to accommodate romantic travel? Maybe. According to Rocket News, Hirobo president Kotaro Matsuzaka says that a two-seat version is in development. Here's hoping.
Although it was ostensibly created to serve as a mode of transportation
during emergencies or natural disasters, it's hard to imagine this not
becoming the luxury vehicle of the future. I mean, really, who needs a
Ferrari when you can have a freakin' helicopter?
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Conserving water is a good way to save money
I recently heard an expert say World War III is going to be a battle for
water. If we want to be a step ahead, we should take steps now to
conserve water.
The process of saving water is nothing new to those who haul water. You know how to conserve water, but those of us who have a well or live on a water delivery system need to polish our skills.
Just like dealing with money issues, look first at where you are spending your water budget. If you have a water delivery or if your water comes through a pipe, you know how many gallons of water you are consuming. It is a little more difficult for those of us who have wells, but it is just as important to conserve. You don’t pay for the water, but you pay for the electricity that pumps the water.
All of us pay a cost for water whether it is in the form of an electric bill, cost of city water, or the time and energy it takes to haul water.
Saving water is easy. Become aware of where you are using your water and use some of these ideas to cut down your water consumption.
Bathroom — This is the biggest area of water use in the home with the toilet being the No. 1 culprit.
• If the toilet was installed before 1992, it can use as much as 6 gallons per flush. If it doesn’t need replacing, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank. Keep in mind that at least 3 gallons is needed to ensure proper flushing, though there are some new commodes on the market that use as little as 1.6 gallons. Upgrade older toilets with water efficient models.
• Check the toilet for leaks. Place a few drops of food coloring into the tank. If the food coloring appears in the bowl within 30 minutes without flushing, there is a leak that needs repair.
• If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a low-flow showerhead. Using these low-flow devices is the best water conservation action to take and usually the cheapest.
• Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month. Every minute, 5 to 10 gallons of hot water is running down the drain. Take showers instead of baths. Filling the tub uses more water than a shower.
Kitchen — Only run the dishwasher when there’s a full load. Check dishwasher directions. Most new machines clean more thoroughly and do not recommend pre-rinsing dishes before putting in the dishwasher. Here are some more water-saving tips in the kitchen.
• When hand washing dishes, use one side of the sink to wash and fill the other side with rinse water. For a single sink, wash and stack dishes in a drainer, then rinse with a sprayer. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Disposers require a lot of water to run properly. If you have a septic tank, that much water just fills the tank. Compost vegetable waste instead and save gallons.
• Use a bowl or pan filled with water to wash and rinse fruits and vegetables. Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water houseplants.
• Don’t use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.
• Keep a pitcher or beverage dispenser of water in the refrigerator. This will eliminate running the faucet to get a cold glass of water.
Laundry — Washing clothes is the second largest use of water in the home.
• Wash only full loads of clothes or adjust the water level to the amount of clothes.
• Use the correct amount of detergent to eliminate second rinses.
• Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy, while helping your clothes to keep their colors.
• When buying new appliances, consider those that offer cycle and load size adjustments. They’re more water and energy efficient. Compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some of these can save up to 20 gallons per load, and energy too.
Water costs money and could one day be in short supply. Take steps now to conserve.
Roxie Rodgers Dinstel is a professor of extension on the Tanana District Extension Faculty. Questions or column requests can be e-mailed to her at rrdinstel@alaska.edu or by calling 474-2426. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The process of saving water is nothing new to those who haul water. You know how to conserve water, but those of us who have a well or live on a water delivery system need to polish our skills.
Just like dealing with money issues, look first at where you are spending your water budget. If you have a water delivery or if your water comes through a pipe, you know how many gallons of water you are consuming. It is a little more difficult for those of us who have wells, but it is just as important to conserve. You don’t pay for the water, but you pay for the electricity that pumps the water.
All of us pay a cost for water whether it is in the form of an electric bill, cost of city water, or the time and energy it takes to haul water.
Saving water is easy. Become aware of where you are using your water and use some of these ideas to cut down your water consumption.
Bathroom — This is the biggest area of water use in the home with the toilet being the No. 1 culprit.
• If the toilet was installed before 1992, it can use as much as 6 gallons per flush. If it doesn’t need replacing, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank. Keep in mind that at least 3 gallons is needed to ensure proper flushing, though there are some new commodes on the market that use as little as 1.6 gallons. Upgrade older toilets with water efficient models.
• Check the toilet for leaks. Place a few drops of food coloring into the tank. If the food coloring appears in the bowl within 30 minutes without flushing, there is a leak that needs repair.
• If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a low-flow showerhead. Using these low-flow devices is the best water conservation action to take and usually the cheapest.
• Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month. Every minute, 5 to 10 gallons of hot water is running down the drain. Take showers instead of baths. Filling the tub uses more water than a shower.
Kitchen — Only run the dishwasher when there’s a full load. Check dishwasher directions. Most new machines clean more thoroughly and do not recommend pre-rinsing dishes before putting in the dishwasher. Here are some more water-saving tips in the kitchen.
• When hand washing dishes, use one side of the sink to wash and fill the other side with rinse water. For a single sink, wash and stack dishes in a drainer, then rinse with a sprayer. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Disposers require a lot of water to run properly. If you have a septic tank, that much water just fills the tank. Compost vegetable waste instead and save gallons.
• Use a bowl or pan filled with water to wash and rinse fruits and vegetables. Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water houseplants.
• Don’t use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.
• Keep a pitcher or beverage dispenser of water in the refrigerator. This will eliminate running the faucet to get a cold glass of water.
Laundry — Washing clothes is the second largest use of water in the home.
• Wash only full loads of clothes or adjust the water level to the amount of clothes.
• Use the correct amount of detergent to eliminate second rinses.
• Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy, while helping your clothes to keep their colors.
• When buying new appliances, consider those that offer cycle and load size adjustments. They’re more water and energy efficient. Compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some of these can save up to 20 gallons per load, and energy too.
Water costs money and could one day be in short supply. Take steps now to conserve.
Roxie Rodgers Dinstel is a professor of extension on the Tanana District Extension Faculty. Questions or column requests can be e-mailed to her at rrdinstel@alaska.edu or by calling 474-2426. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Frugal Family: How to save money around the house
I am always looking for ways to cut costs. I find there are a couple
of everyday examples on how you can cut pennies and make even simple
changes on your budget. However, the simple changes can add up and make a
huge difference on your wallet.
One of the ways I have been
saving money lately is by opening my windows during the day and shutting
my air conditioning down, letting natural air run its course throughout
my home. I have to admit, throughout the day the temperature can get a
little sticky. However, I have several box and ceiling fans and I let
them run. This helps circulate the air and still cuts costs on air
conditioning bills.
As I told you in last week’s column, I am a
big fan of packing lunches. I pack a lunch for my husband every single
day. But I don’t stock up on sandwich bags. Instead, I have small
plastic containers that I purchase with coupons for less than $2. Once
they are used, I wash and reuse them in the next day’s lunches. Not only
do I save money by not having to continually buy sandwich bags, but I’m
also a little friendlier to the environment.
With the holidays
approaching, I have become a hard yard sale shopper, consignment sale
shopper and eBay shopper. I have checked off almost all of my children’s
wish list by purchasing used items for a fraction of the cost. I also
have participated in garage sales to help raise money to pay for
Christmas.
Finally, it’s important to check out what is happening
in the community. The community calendar is a great place to find free
events going on in town. I belong to several Facebook pages that help me
find out what’s going on in the community.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Saving, but pennies must still be spent
PROBLEMS caused by the lack of public toilets in Longridge could be
solved by a local or
council takeover of the Berry Lane facility.
Longridge town councillors are considering this as
one option to answer local criticisms and concerns about the closure of
this central public convenience.
Visitors and regular
shoppers had complained there was “nowhere to go” particularly at the weekends.
Councillors
had learnt public knowledge of the Community Toilet Scheme was scant
and information about it was not prominent enough to enable people to
find out who was taking part.
The community scheme was launched throughout the Ribble Valley to cut costs for the borough amounting to £140,000.
The Berry Lane facility had been fully closed as it had high turn-out costs to maintain it and was also very run down.
The
Stonebridge toilet has been kept open and independently maintained and
the Market Place convenience mothballed to be opened and used on public
occasions.
But Terry Longden, head of engineering for Ribble
Valley council who attended last week’s meeting of the council to help
thrash out the problem and determine the future of the borough’s
facilities in the town, said his visit was timely.
He was in the
process of
conducting a review of the
community scheme operation, find
an answer to the problems and report back to the Community Services
Committee in November.
The new scheme had been slow to take off,
but he said that it seemed to be gaining more use throughout the
borough, while public convenience use was lessening.
Better
signage to shops and businesses in Longridge in the scheme, including
Sainsbury’s and Booths supermarkets, would help visitors and shoppers,
He
said he would also look at the demand and needs in Longridge, and find
out the costs of running the Berry Lane facility independently and, as
requested by Longridge council, whether it would be worth it.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Black Friday Year Round? How Penny Auctions Save You Money.
For so many of us in today's economic climate,
saving money... a lot of money, is becoming more important with each
passing day. As the cost of living continues to grow under the current
American political spectrum, nothing is safe from rampant price
increases. Food items, for example have risen by as much as 30% for
wheat since last April through July. Factor in the rapidly increasing
cost of fuel for not only your car but for home and office as well and
you'll quickly understand: Americans are looking to save each and every
penny earned.
So then how can people still save money on the items that, while not
mandatory, are still on peoples shopping lists in order to
maintain their accustomed standard of living?
A few months ago I stumbled across an ad that touted electronics like
Macs and iPads for pennies on the dollar. Choosing to be "wise", I
initially dismissed these ads as some kind of come on.
"Just another scam" on the internet, befitting of my (until then) unknown rich uncle in Nigeria who died leaving me trillions of dollars in hidden bank accounts.
Oh how foolish I was. But I can rest assured that indeed hindsight is 20/20.
So how can I save money? How do I get the electronics at blow out prices and maintain my standard of living and technology? Penny Auctions.
Penny auctions have been around for a few years now and after an
initial teething period where some scammers came and went it
appears that now is the time that the true and honest penny auctions
come to power and legitimize the entire industry. But be mindful, there
are only a handful that I myself trust: QuiBids.com & PennyGrab.com
While each of these three differ significantly in their business
models, they all offer the same idea: virtually anything you want to buy
can be "won" for literally pennies on the dollar in a safe, secure
environment.
PennyGrab.com for example, has several different styles of penny
auctions. The traditional penny auction where there is a timer and
once that timer reaches zero, the final bidder wins. But Pennygrab also
has what's called the random reserve (or hidden reserve price) auction
where the final ending price is randomly selected and "hidden" until the
final price is met. Sometimes it's pennies, other times it's (still) at
a significant discount. But what is truly unique about PennyGrab is
that within most of the auctions are Bonus Prizes of anything from free
bonus credits that you can use to place subsequent bids... to items like
gift cards, electronics and more.
While not as "giving" as PennyGrab.com, QuiBids and Beezid both also
offer items at substantial savings, but nowhere approaching the near 50%
off retail pricing that you quickly fall in love with at PennyGrab.
PennyGrab offers Black Friday pricing 365 days per year and that's no
small feat!
What's equally impressive is PennyGrab's commitment to customer
service, quality and fair play. Not only do they hold
themselves accountable, but they expect each PennyGrab Member to be fair
and friendly and every bit as honest as they hold themselves.
But does it work? In a word, YES!
During my investigative time using PennyGrab, I logged intotheir chat
room and met some of the other Members. Not only did they give
this newcomer to all that is penny auctions plenty of advice and tips,
but they also hand walked with me and helped me to actually win my first
few items! How is that for community involvement?
Need more? How about the 27" iMac I won for $423. Or the (near) $400
in various gift cards (that I was allowed to exchange in equal dollars
for other items and gift cards that I truly wanted? Now this folks
is customer care in its purest form.
If you're looking to save money, you should give penny auction sites
a look. With all else in the world seemingly increasing in cost
each and every day, it is an amazing thing to find value in a world
fraught within a vicious cycle of increasing costs.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Pennies for people
When people hear about an 11-year-old saving up money for something
desired, the things that come to mind are probably material: new
clothes, delicious candy or a coveted video game.
But Ara Belk is not your typical 11-year-old.
For the past three years, Ara has been saving every penny she could get her hands on to help towards a week-long mission trip to Nicaragua. In the end, she collected $84 — 8,400 pennies in total.
The trip will cost about $3,800 for the three members of the Belk family.
Ara said she saved and collected the little Lincolns any way she could.
“I would get them from stores when we got change,” Ara said. “I would get them from our house or just pick them up.”
As soon as she collected more pennies, Ara would take them straight to her room where she kept them in a box under her bed.
“She’d get them anywhere she could find them,” said Belk’s mother, Amy, “and she would immediately take them up to that box.”
For the last two years, Amy and her husband Paul have been going to Nicaragua on mission trips. This year, they decided it was time to let Ara join them on the “life-altering” journey.
“She’d been asking to come,” Amy said, “and we felt like she was finally old enough to go. She heard how much we loved the people and the community and how God has worked through these missionaries. She wants to be a part of it, and do what she could to help.”
The mission the Belks will be embarking on is through Mission to the World. Missionaries Robbie and Murray Lathrop bought a pineapple farm in Nicaragua and named it Piñas de Paz — Pineapples of Peace — and perform many services on the land.
The farm employs local men in the community to help families get income and the men are involved in construction around the community. Missionaries help out around the local orphanage and government hospital, and there is also a hostel on site to train and teach local pastors.
Ara said she and the other missionaries will be supplying diapers at the hospital, and also baby blankets and other supplies to the patients. While at the orphanage, volunteers will play with the children and spend time with them. Ara said they will feed the children at the orphanage a big meal — something that is very rare for them to have.
“It’s a real treat for them,” Ara said.
The missionaries will also create and organize a vacation Bible school for the locals.
“We’ll have crafts with the kids in the orphanage and share the gospel,” Ara said.
For her first trip out of the country — the family left Saturday — Ara said she is very excited to go to Nicaragua.
“I want to go because the people don’t have much,” Ara said, “and I want to help them. God has blessed us with what we can go down there and be with them.”
“She has a heart for people,” Amy said of her daughter. “She has a desire to serve and help others, and her faith in the Lord is what drives that.”
Amy said the trip to Nicaragua is nothing short of eye opening.
“It’s life altering to see how people have to live there,” Amy said. “They are very poor and live on dirt floors, but the one thing that stands out is they are joyful. They smile a lot and even in the midst of having nothing, they are joyful.”
Ara said she feels joy for being able to help people who need it.
“It makes you feel the best when other people are happy for what you gave them and what you did for them,” Ara said. “It makes me feel good that I’ve helped.”
Source http://daltondailycitizen.com/local/x228005032/Pennies-for-people
But Ara Belk is not your typical 11-year-old.
For the past three years, Ara has been saving every penny she could get her hands on to help towards a week-long mission trip to Nicaragua. In the end, she collected $84 — 8,400 pennies in total.
The trip will cost about $3,800 for the three members of the Belk family.
Ara said she saved and collected the little Lincolns any way she could.
“I would get them from stores when we got change,” Ara said. “I would get them from our house or just pick them up.”
As soon as she collected more pennies, Ara would take them straight to her room where she kept them in a box under her bed.
“She’d get them anywhere she could find them,” said Belk’s mother, Amy, “and she would immediately take them up to that box.”
For the last two years, Amy and her husband Paul have been going to Nicaragua on mission trips. This year, they decided it was time to let Ara join them on the “life-altering” journey.
“She’d been asking to come,” Amy said, “and we felt like she was finally old enough to go. She heard how much we loved the people and the community and how God has worked through these missionaries. She wants to be a part of it, and do what she could to help.”
The mission the Belks will be embarking on is through Mission to the World. Missionaries Robbie and Murray Lathrop bought a pineapple farm in Nicaragua and named it Piñas de Paz — Pineapples of Peace — and perform many services on the land.
The farm employs local men in the community to help families get income and the men are involved in construction around the community. Missionaries help out around the local orphanage and government hospital, and there is also a hostel on site to train and teach local pastors.
Ara said she and the other missionaries will be supplying diapers at the hospital, and also baby blankets and other supplies to the patients. While at the orphanage, volunteers will play with the children and spend time with them. Ara said they will feed the children at the orphanage a big meal — something that is very rare for them to have.
“It’s a real treat for them,” Ara said.
The missionaries will also create and organize a vacation Bible school for the locals.
“We’ll have crafts with the kids in the orphanage and share the gospel,” Ara said.
For her first trip out of the country — the family left Saturday — Ara said she is very excited to go to Nicaragua.
“I want to go because the people don’t have much,” Ara said, “and I want to help them. God has blessed us with what we can go down there and be with them.”
“She has a heart for people,” Amy said of her daughter. “She has a desire to serve and help others, and her faith in the Lord is what drives that.”
Amy said the trip to Nicaragua is nothing short of eye opening.
“It’s life altering to see how people have to live there,” Amy said. “They are very poor and live on dirt floors, but the one thing that stands out is they are joyful. They smile a lot and even in the midst of having nothing, they are joyful.”
Ara said she feels joy for being able to help people who need it.
“It makes you feel the best when other people are happy for what you gave them and what you did for them,” Ara said. “It makes me feel good that I’ve helped.”
Source http://daltondailycitizen.com/local/x228005032/Pennies-for-people
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