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Planet Mom: It’s where I live. Visit me there at www.notesfromplanetmom.com.
The year was 1966. We traveled to Central Vermont on one tank of gas in our 1960 Chevy sedan. The gas cost us a whopping $2.20 each way. It was worth the trip. We were young, foolish, and didn’t mind splurging to spend a weekend with family. Jump ahead to June 2008. We traveled to Central Vermont on more than one tank of gas. Gas cost roughly ten times as much per gallon. The Ford pickup doesn’t cruise as economically as the sedan, so the cost-of-trip meter was nudging a frazzling one hundred dollars by the time we arrived. Now the urge to splurge meant something — family is worth it. Along the way, we didn’t find any 15-cent hamburgers or 10-cent sodas. Nor were there any signs of $19.99 motels or nickel Hershey Bars. If we had the urge to splurge, we’d pay that familiar $100 or more a night for a motel, or a dollar for that Hershey Bar. OK, confession time. We bought two of the Hershey Bars. Splurging isn’t the norm when the Mrs. has me and gargantuan gas prices tagging along. The favorite beverage at a restaurant is water with lemon – freeeee! Hold the dessert, unless it comes with the meal. Split the meal between the two of us if there’s a chance that the servings are large enough. Whatever we save can go into the gas tank, figuratively speaking. We heard of a recent episode of anti-splurging. A group of friends declared a Freedom Day and splurged on a trip to a Hershey spa. Things ran a little late, with the luxury dinner and all. Since their families were joining them the next day at Hershey Park, they decided on a guilt-free economy hotel across town. They got more than they bargained for. $64 bought them a smelly room with deplorable fixtures and creepy things crawling around. Cell phones buzzed until they found a room back across town for $132. That scene opened the subject of the Justifiable Splurge – like the difference between Rent-a-Wreck and Hertz or the Grace L. Ferguson Screen Door Company and Airlines vs. United. Sometimes it’s less of an indulgence and more of a necessity. Around the ranch, we try to turn a splurge into a savings. We subscribe to a leading consumer research magazine (splurge) to learn the best deals in household expenditures (savings) – but not always. Sometimes, we make the purchase based on gut feeling, then check the recommendations afterwards. Sometimes, the purchase is the worst possible choice. Oh, well. So we become a statistic. One such purchase was a vacuum cleaner that traps the dust in a reservoir of water instead of spewing it back into the air. We were attracted by its friendliness to people who like to breathe. The magazine researchers, we discovered after the purchase, downgraded its performance, especially at the asking price. Fortunately, we’d purchased a used model at a much-reduced cost.. It has lasted over 25 years, and at the frequency that I use it, it’ll last another 25. The Mrs. takes a similar view of the splurge syndrome. Buying a better model that will last longer makes the purchase looks splurgy, yet practical. But without the guilt factor, is it really a splurge? My approach to splurging started when our kids were in school. That’s when school kids were convinced that brand names were everything, no matter what the cost, especially when Old Dad was footing the bill. I figured out a way to fake a splurge. My ploy worked until they caught me refilling the brand name cereal box with Brand X cereal. Busted. Ironically, now that they have kids of their own, and the big vans to haul them around in, the urge to splurge isn’t as urgent. Economizing on daily purchases makes lots of sense (and cents) to them. They’re chips off the old block and blockette. Jerry Westbrook is a writer living with his wife in Winfield, PA, where he splurges on frequent, long naps.
At the risk of sexist scrutiny, let me enlighten all the females out there who wonder why the male of the species is so enamored with machines, tools and hard goods. In no particular order: 1. They won't leave us. If I have a bad day with the riding lawnmower or get angry with the weedwacker, it's still going to be there tomorrow morning, just where I put it. Ditto with my cars. They DO love and need me! I can't say the same for some of you! You may go a week before even talking to me! 2. They understand us. When pushed to redline and made to sing (or scream) my car knows what I want it to do and how to do it. Good communication? Any late 1980s Porsche 944 series of car can translate telepathic movements as if I was thinking into the steering wheel! Perfectly weighted as the cornering loads build and can be felt at my fingertips. Can tell heads from tales if I run over a quarter. How come you can't even tell me what your favorite color or flavor of ice cream is? 3. They let us show off. Go to a river lot and scope the new jet skis. Or the fat tired ATV's on the forest trails. Or the guys mowing asphalt on their Ninja or Katana crotch rockets! Moving up the scale in income and men like big boats, Harley motorcycles and fast, exclusive cars or airplanes. Like a Picasso painting, it may be abstract to you in certain ways, but it's our way of showing off. It's an ego thing amongst many males 4. They frustrate us. Sure, machines break. Sometimes it's our fault for not maintaining them right or running them too hard. Other times it may be poor workmanship. Either way, we keep going back for more and more. Some of us are masochists to the machines. Either way, you gotta love our determination even though you call it "foolishness." 5. They teach us. This is a direct result of point No. 4. We either learn to fix the broken machine ourselves, or help the economy by finding someone who does if we cannot. It also shows which products to avoid in the future when shopping. 6. They let us escape. Women like malls, outlets and restaurants. Men dig cruise-ins, monster truck bashes, demolition derby, fishing, hunting, camping and anything else requiring a machine or equipment to "let it loose." We like to meet other men on how they use their machines in the same way. 7. They require us. That new plasma TV with 800-function remote or the 3,000 watt stereo system doesn't get installed or work by itself. Usually, there's a man behind it … fiddling with the wiring and installment instructions. Whether it's a sporting event or just some jazz music on a Sunday morning, men like these entertainment systems in the home. These days, a guy is known by his television and it's service. Cable or satellite? And how many channels? Don't worry, when we aren't home you can watch LIFETIME or the cooking channel. Well, hope I broke it down easily enough for you. The only difference between men and boys is the price and pleasure of their toys. No, we aren't from Mars; but I will say that garages, work benches, race tracks and the machinery that goes with them come pretty close to heaven on earth for a lot of us. Thanks for trying to understand. Go Green to Save Green — Part 2 By Steph Turi “Going Green” seems to be the big catch phrase these days. Everyone is doing it. There is even a TV channel dedicated to showing you how easy it is. But going green is not only helpful to the environment it can also be helpful to your wallet. And in today’s economy any place that we can save money is always welcome. Here are some more tips big and small that can help you and your family go green and save some green! Save the Environment … Save Money: * Remember an electric blanket is much less expensive the turning up the heat in your bedroom. * Don’t open the oven often to check on food while it’s cooking. You lose 20 to 50% of the heat each time you do that and you slow down the cooking process; wasting time and energy. * Turn off your oven 5 minutes before the cooking time is up. The heat in the oven will keep cooking your food and you save money on gas or electric bills. * Lighting accounts for about 15% of you electricity use. Replacing the light bulbs in your home with Compact Fluorescent bulbs saves energy and money. While they are more expensive initially, they last 10 times longer and use 75% less electricity. (I replaced all of the bulbs in my home with CF bulbs and saw a $30 drop in my electric bill the first month. It’s not a huge savings but every little bit helps and the bulbs have more then paid for themselves.) * Turn off the lights! If you don’t need the light or have left the room turn out the light! The same goes for televisions, computers and other electronics around the house. * If you are considering purchasing new appliances, make sure they have a high Energy Star rating. Energy Star appliances helped Americans to avoid gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars, and helped them save $16 BILLION on their utility bills in 2007 alone! * If you are planning on buying a new vehicle, make sure it is more fuel-efficient than the last. (A hybrid is a great option) This saves money and is better for the environment. Driving a fuel-efficient vehicle can save you $1,100 a year! * Wash clothes in cold water. They get just as clean since detergents today are specially formulated to work just as well in cold water. * Wash clothes only when you have a full load. This helps save water and energy. * If the weather is nice, hang clothes outside to dry. Not running the dryer uses less electricity and your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard either. * Empty the lint trap before each load. Lint buildup blocks airflow and lengthens drying time and is a potential fire hazard. * Stop using paper, plastic and Styrofoam plates, cups and silverware. You will save money by not buying these products plus Styrofoam is toxic to environment. Once it is in a landfill, it is there forever! Washing dishes may be a pain but the damage to the Earth and your checkbook is far more painful! * Do you stop somewhere in the morning for a cup of coffee? Take a travel mug with you. Not only does it help the environment by keeping trash out of landfills, a lot of places give you a discount for bringing your own cup since the majority cost of a cup of coffee comes from the cup not the coffee itself. * Ride your bike, or take a walk. If it is just a quick trip don’t use your car. Cars emissions are bad for the environment and walking or riding your bike saves you money on gas. * Plant a garden. The rising cost of gas is causing the price of everything else to go up also. Planting a veggie garden or an herb garden is an easy way to give back to Earth and save money on groceries. * Consider a meatless meal once a week. Meat costs a lot in the stores, so skipping the meat once a week can help save on your grocery costs. * Buy local! Purchasing from local farmers is often less expensive and it keeps money in the local economy. * Skip the bottled water. Use a water filter to purify your water and use a reusable bottle (preferably aluminum not plastic). * Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins not only saves money but it also saves in packaging. * Invest in reusable shopping bags. * Wear clothes that don’t need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on the toxic chemical use. * Make your own cleaning supplies. You can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products. All you need are a few simple ingredients that you probably already have around the house including baking soda, vinegar, lemon and soap. Making your own cleaning products saves money, time and packaging, not to mention your indoor air quality. * RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE! It’s and easy and effective way to help save the environment and save money on your garbage bills! There is very little that can’t be recycled and there are several recycling centers all around the area so this is a very simple task that we can all do that makes a very big impact on the Earth and the environment. Saving Money on Gas: * When a light runs green don’t race away from it. The more you press down on the gas pedal the more gas you use. * If your driving down the road and you come up on a red light or stop sign lay off the gas sooner rather then later. Let off the gas and let your engine rest as you coast. Plus it will help save your brake pads. These first 2 tips alone can improve your fuel economy by as much as 35% according to www.edmunds.com. * Speeding wastes gas! According to Consumer Report driving at 75 miles per hour instead of 65 reduces fuel economy between 3 and 5 miles per gallon depending on the vehicle. That can add up to over $200 per year. * Don’t tailgate. In addition to it being unsafe (and rude in general) it wastes gas. If the driver in front of you taps his breaks, you have to slow down even more, and then you have to accelerate again to get back up to speed. * Don’t let your vehicle idle. Idling burns a half-mile worth of gas every minute, according to the California Energy Commission. That’s why hybrid cars shut down their gasoline engines when they stop even for a minute. You don’t need to shut off your car every time you stop, non-hybrid cars aren’t designed for that, but if you are going to be stopped for more than a couple of minutes, shut off your vehicle. * Save up your errands. Instead of make several short stops wait and do your errands all at once. Start with the one furthest away and work your way closer to home. That way your car gets warmed up and reaches it’s best operating temperature and runs more efficiently. As always, if it is just a short trip walk or ride a bike, it’s good for your wallet, the environment and your health! * Carpool or telecommute to work. Riding to work with coworker saves all of you money on gas. And in today’s technology-filled world working from home is becoming a better and more cost effective option for a lot of people. These are really just a handful of the many ways to go green and save money. But utilizing just a few of these tips can help the environment and your wallet in a big way! The Girls of Summer By Rosemary Neidig The smell of fresh mowed grass and the burst of color everywhere herald the fun and the promise of summer. We’ve all heard about the boys of summer; I remember the girls of the 1950s summers. The sandy water’s edge of South Side’s Mountain Beach was THE place for us girls to gather long before those famous Spring Breaks on Florida shores. Not only did we girls work on our winter pale bodies, we secretly giggled during our beach boy watching. You really didn’t think that boys were the only ones, did you? The girls of summer had other favorite spots too. Swimming holes like Shore Acres, The Slabtown Bridge, Sportsmen’s beach and Best Beach; anywhere along the Loyalsock Creek where we could spread out a blanket, cool off from the hot summer sun, then rub on some baby oil to enhance our eagerly sought after tan. A real adventure for summertime was a Sunday afternoon road trip to Rolling Green at Shamokin Dam. The crystal clear pool with its high diving board was our Olympic challenge. I had fearlessly mastered the Maynard Street Bridge before Rolling Green but only dove off its high dive once and then just to save face in front of taunting friends. On the seemingly endless decent that afternoon, I vowed to never do that again. From then on I swam from concrete pier to another at the bridge in the Susquehanna. Those of us with summer jobs lost some beach time but there were those all night drive-in movies to add fun and excitement to our summer. We could fill my dad’s old Chevy with five or six friends, pay our $1 per carload at the gate and stay up all night eating popcorn and watching movies until dawn. I had my first (and last) cup of coffee at the Pike Drive-in when I thought drinking java was a sign of being grown up at a time when I was trying to figure out what grownups did. When we weren’t swimming or hanging out at the Dixie Bar-B-Q, we were dancing the night away at places like Gladys in Nesbit and the Brandon Park tennis courts. After all we were the Rock N’ Roll kids of summer. Has the statue of limitations expired on 1950s mischief yet? I confess (nearly 50 years later) that my friends and I were guilty of trespassing on a hot summer night in 1959. We were hanging out at the Wilmont Restaurant in Williamsport, sipping cherry cokes and looking for boys. Didn’t we always? A carload of guys (handsome older boys) pulled up outside and emptied into a nearby booth. We were ready for some new adventure when one of those guys suggested a swim in a luxury in-ground pool. Sounded like a perfect idea except there was a problem. The private pool was in the backyard of a Vallamont area property. He assured us though that the owners were away on vacation; no one would even know we took a quick dip under the cover of darkness. The temptation was too great; cute older guys and a chance to cool off on a hot summer night. We four girls agreed to follow them to their destination. As we weaved around street after street, the chatter in dad’s old Chevy grew more exciting. “No bathing suits and towels” “Our shorts and halters would be okay, they’ll dry off in a flash.” “Isn’t that tall blond guy good looking?” “Aren’t you scared?” “No! What’s your problem!” As we pulled off onto a deserted road, I noticed clusters of trees on the high bank next to our parking spot. The leader explained that a quick climb up the hill and over a small fence was the easiest way to the pool undetected. Each of the four boys grabbed one of our hands to scale the hill and fence. We muffled our giggles as we stood at the edge of that beautiful pool, its water glistening in the moonlight. Our own private moment of luxury for those of us so used to swimming in creeks and rivers. The excitement of this wild adventure left us giddy. We tried to muffle our voices as we slipped into the water; after all there were homes nearby. All eight of us were splashing around and enjoying the first blush of boy meets girl, when suddenly the pool was flooded in light. We had been discovered. With the swiftness of young, agile, frightened kids caught in the act of crime, we practically flew out of the pool, over the fence, down the hill, into our cars without taking a breath. Only after everyone had safely escaped did someone realize that the pool lights were on a motion detector and neither the owners nor the police had discovered our misdemeanor. The story ended that night in the summer of 1959 with a sigh of relief but my adventure continued because two years later one of those older guys became my husband. Oh, the joy of innocence and youth! Happy Summer! |
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