Have you guys ever watched Jon and Kate Plus 8?  It is a semi-reality type show that comes on the TLC channel.  The cameras guide the audience through the life and times a couple (Jon and Kate Gosselin) plus 8 - (8 children a set of twins - age 7 and a group of sextuplets - age 4)  Needless to say… 8 children under the age of 10 all in one house… every minute is filled with adventure, joy, mayhem!

I am not really interested in spying in on the lives of others.  I have enough adventure, joy, mayhem within my own family.  But every now and then, I check out an episode of Jon and Kate Plus 8… and each time I tune in I love it.

There is a similar show that comes on the Discover Channel.  Meet the Duggars - 17 children and one on the way.  Ok I have nothing negative to say about the Duggars.  They seem to be a very happy, well adjusted family.  But in the cynical words of my DH… they are just a little too kipper to be believable.  How can everything be so happy, so orderly, and so peaceful in a house of 17 kids?  I just don’t see it.  Now granted the Duggars kids are spread out over 18 or 20 years (and all of the Gosselin kids are still kids)… But still… things can’t be that kipper with 17 kids, a man and his pregnant, hormonal woman in one house.

The Gosselins seems to be a bit more real.  I especially like the sit down chats with Jon and Kate.  They tell it like it is.  Their world does not seem sugar coated.  They disagree, they complain, they agree that having so many kids is not easy… yet it is also obvious that they love and enjoy their children and love each other.

Anyway, the other day my daughter and I were watching an episode of Jon and Kate Plus 8 and she asked me would I like to have 6 babies at one time.  Well that one was easy to answer… Absolutely not!  Then she threw me a curveball.  She said what would I do if she was part of sextuplets.  Uhhhh… yeah cute.

**sigh** I had to be honest with her.  I said baby, I love you but… (yes there is a but…) if your were a part of a sextuplet, I would have to give you and all of your brothers and sisters away.

My daughter got a little bothered by my response.  I guess she was expecting a difference answer.  I tried to cajole her by telling her that she would not be away, away.  I have a huge family.  My grandmother had 13 children… 10 girls and 3 boys.  I would give one baby to 6 of my aunts as an early Christmas present.

That may sound un-motherly, but 6 babies… at one time… seriously folks, I would go insane.  The babies would be better off with my aunts than with a mentally unstable me.

Fortunately… for my sanity… this was only a hypothetical question.

My hat goes off to the Gosselins… cause there is no way I could do it.  I really would go nuts.

… and broke.  Imagine the cost to feed and diaper 6 babies.  Pampers make it little easier though.  They have a special savings offer especially for the parents of mutiples.  And here are some other ways to save on Pampers:

Discounted prices at Amazon

Free shipping on Pampers Swaddlers

Pampers coupons at thecouponclippers.com

Pampers Gifts to Grow

Enter to Win Free Pampers

Pampers coupons at EBay

Other Promotions from papmers.com

For the past few months, our pockets were given a small break at the gas pump.  Gas prices actually inched its way down to a national average of about $3.50 per gallon.  However, as Hurricane Ike moved its way through the Gulf of Mexico, it temporarily shut down major offshore oil and gas refineries.  Due to the temporary halt of production, there is less supply of refined gas. On top of that, the demand for gas has also gone up because there is a greater need for gas in hurricane ravaged areas.

Less supply and more demand means higher prices. In only two days, the average has jumped to about $3.80. A station in Tennessee is selling regular unleaded of $5.19! According to analysts, this spike in price will fall as soon as the refineries are back up and operating at capacity.  That will take a few weeks.  So what can we do to ease the pinch?

Basically… the only thing we can do is to stretch our gallon of gas as far as it can go.

To accomplish this, you could buy a fuel efficient vehicle.  But if a new car in not in your budget (it is definitely not in mine), then you can use some of the tips and tricks of the hypermilers.

What is a hypermiler… you say?  A hypermiler is a person who engages in hypermiling. LOL

Yeah real funny blogger lady, so what is it really…

Alright, alright, I thought it was funny.

Ok so what is it:

Hyper - excessive, above and beyond, giving more… Mile - 5,280 feet… Put it together and you got “giving more than 5,280 feet” - hypermiling or getting the maximum fuel mileage from your vehicle.

Wayne Gerdes, the father of the hypermiling movement, professes to get 59 miles to the gallon from his car!  And how does he do it… well here are a few hypermiling tips:

1 - Don’t just get in the car and drive. Inspect your car.  Make sure that the tires are properly inflated, make sure the oil is clean, get rid of extra weight that can cause a drag. Then get in and drive.

2 - Use brakes sparingly. Accelerating and decelerating adversely affects fuel economy.  Slowly coast to a stop sign or red light and then brake.

3 - Leave the lead foot at home. Speeding can wreck havoc on fuel efficiency.   Most cars are at peak efficiency at 52 MPH, give or take a few miles.

4 - Be alert. Watch the cars that are near you, but also watch the cars that are ahead of you.  This way, you can make a plan about how to weave in and out the following traffic… this is something you can do to avoid breaking and maintain that 52 MPH speed.

These tips seem simple enough, but most times hypermilers are labeled as extremists… and reckless drivers.  Hypermilers are often criticized as having a one track mind - increasing fuel economy… (regardless of the danger that it poses to other drivers).

Some hypermilers are accused of coming to rolling stops or swinging narrow curves at a high speed… all in an effort to conserve fuel.

I would not suggest to anyone to try out any of the radical hypermiling tactics.  But some of the more practical ones are doable.  Many hypermiling techniques can be used to get us past this spike in gas prices… but they can be used to help save fuel and money once the spike has fallen.

What I love about my city of Baton Rouge is that we have the best Park and Recreation Commission. They have been honored twice with a nationally accredited gold medal award. The Commission is known to us Baton Rougians as BREC. BREC operates over a hundred parks, golf courses, museums, and recreation areas throughout the parish.

This summer, as with every summer, my family spends a lot to time partaking in BREC festivities. Whether you are a native to the area or just visiting for a few days, BREC offers many activities… that are both fun and educational. And most cost less than $5.

Today I am going to talk about 8 BREC facilities or sponsored events that the family will enjoy. I tell you, it was hard to ratchet this list down to only 8. But even with these 8, you’ll find much joy and excitement for under $5 (and some are even free).

1 - Bluebonnet Swamp Tour ($2 for adults, $1 for kids, free for babies)

Ever wanted to get up close and personal with nature? Well, here is where you ought to be. The nature center is 100 acres of swamps, woods and wildlife. Here you can watch snakes slither and listen to the birds sing.

2 - BREC Zoo ($3 for kids, $1 for everybody on Wednesdays)

Chill out with the elephant, be terrified by the tigers! Croak with the frog, but don’t feed the bears!

3 - Highland Observatory (Zero dollars and zero cents)

Hang out with the stars… the real kind. The observatory is open every day… but on Friday and Saturday, they host a science academy and sky viewing. The science academy is really entertaining. Each week the focus is something new. Last week we made rockets, the week before we made short wave AM radios.

4 - Magnolia Mound Plantation House ($3 for kids, free for everyone on Thursdays)

A historical landmark and a memento of times gone by! This plantation home even has a crop garden with cotton and sugar cane. Magnolia Mound is architectural wonder and a piece of history preserved.

5 - BMX Park (free if you have your own bike or you can rent one for $4)

So you fantasize about being the next Matt Hoffman? Well go to the raceway to practice your high flying tricks. Or if being a spectator is more your M.O., stop by to watch the daredevils play.

6 - Skate park (not even a cent, i.e. free)

Not into Matt Hoffman, then maybe Tony Hawk is more your style. Well kickflip, mc twist and primo grind until you break a hip. The skate park has ramps, rails and fun boxes. However, EMS is not on site, so have a blast, but be careful.

7 - Sunshine Socials ($2-$3 per person)

Sunshine Socials offers a time to relax and play for people with disabilities and their families. Depending on the night, the social is a dance, a movie night, or a karaoke night.

This next one is not sponsored by BREC, but it is still worth a mention…

8 - USS Kidd ($4 for kids)

Tour a real live U S Naval destroyer! The ship comes quipped with original bunks and machine guns. And if you want, you can make reservations to spend the night. Along with a ticket to tour the ship, your $4 also gets you a pass into the Veterans Memorial Museum. Inside there is a mini replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

When I was in college, I enjoyed venturing out to see the world. For two summers during my undergrad years, I had the opportunity to participate in two different study abroad programs. One summer I spent 6 weeks studying international finance at the London School of Economics. The following summer, I spent another 6 weeks studying international accounting at the University of Edinburgh.

During one of the programs, we were given 3 day weekends, which gave me a chance to take mini excursions. In the other program, we were given a week long hiatus to have fun. And fun is what I had.

Anyway, this is where I began my fascination with international travel. And I highly recommended that any student take advantage of these types of programs. But before you begin your international student travels, there are a few things you should know about.

1 - International student health insurance

Sometimes your regular health insurance may or may not extend coverage while you are overseas. If it doesn’t, then you should consider obtaining international student health insurance. It works pretty much like any another medical insurance… there may be deductibles, co payments, limitations and exclusions. And it generally covers a gambit of services ranging from prescriptions and maternity to mental health and terrorism.

If you plan to study abroad for more than a few months, most times international student health insurance is needed to fulfill visa requirements.

2 - International Student Identity Card

You should also get an ISIC card. It is a must have for every student traveler. To be eligible, you have to be a full time, matriculating (diploma/degree seeking) student over the age of 12. For less than $25 a year, you will be privy to thousands of exclusive discounts on hotels, flights, restaurants, museums and much, much more.

3 - Passport

When travelling abroad, this is important. The first reason is because, you’ll need to present your government issued passport when crossing almost every international border. Second, when overseas, this is your only official form of identification. And third, it documents your nationality. Hopefully, you’ll never come across a situation where proving your nationality can mean the difference between life and death. But I have heard international travel horrible stories, especially in area with extreme political unrest. My advice… always keep your passport close to your side. This brings me to my next point…

4 - Be aware of political conditions

Look at the news, read the papers, Google it… but before you make any plans to travel abroad, make sure your desired destination is safe for American travelers.

5 - Vaccines

Some diseases are present in certain parts of that world and not in others. So before you leave, be sure that you have gotten all of the CDC recommended inoculations based on the area in which you plan to travel. And you may want to discuss your travel plans with your doctor, just in case he knows of some recent bugs that may have popped up in your planned place of travel.

6 - Travel insurance

Get some. My PFA co-blogger, Pam, wrote a great blog here that explains everything you need to know about travel insurance. You can go here to find a good rate on global travel insurance.

7 - Get an international friendly credit card

Anything with a VISA or MasterCard logo is a safe bet when travelling the world. But before you pick a card, make sure you understand all the fees associated with international use. Terms can vary greatly and using the wrong card can cost you a lot. When I travel abroad, I use my Bank of America World MasterCard. The foreign transaction fee is only 3% and there is no preset spending limit. And it comes with common carrier travel accident insurance at no extra cost. Here are some other cards that are geared towards travelers.

8 - And whether your travel is for educational or entertainment purposes, at home or abroad, you can check out these sites for great deals on student travel

ISTravel

Smart Travel

Adventure Student Travel

Travel Adventures

Smithsonian Journeys

Oh my goodness, children have so many needs (wants) these days! My son is now 14 and will be entering high school in two days. (My baby, he is so grown up… and it happened so fast!) But anyway, since he was 11, he has been begging me to get him a cell phone. He claims everyone has one but him.

Although he has been persistent in his request, I never really gave it much thought. But now that he is entering high school, I am reconsidering.

For the past summer he has come up with better justification than “everyone else has one”. He has begun playing to my sense of fear. He gives me all of these emergency scenarios in which a cell phone might save the day.

Also, as he gotten older, I have been losing my overprotective mother grip. But now I can see how a cell phone can help me regain some of the control back. I can kill two birds with one stone. I can give him the cell phone that he desperately wants. And I can get the control I want… because he will only be a phone call away from me at all times.

Last month my cell phone service contract with Sprint expired. So now I have the freedom to select any service provider. I have looked at a few, but I think I may settle with the new AT&T (formerly Cingular, formerly Bell South Mobility)

My first mobile phone was with Bell South mobility. Even back then, they had those roll over minutes. I really made use of that feature, and I’d like to have it again.

AT&T also has free mobile to mobile. Right now, I have to pay an extra fee for the same thing from Sprint.

And I like the free call forwarding. I can use that feature to forward calls to my desk phone when I am at work or my house phone when I’m at home so that I won’t use up anytime minutes. Sprint charges a per use fee for call forwarding.

Besides, AT&T has great family plans. I can get three lines for a little as $70. And… AT&T also has some great specials, discounts and rebates offers:

> They offer a wide selection of free phones.

> Many rebates of up to $150

> For WA, OR, CO and TX residents, Car Toys is offering rebates of many AT&T mobile phones, valid through 8/5

> Save $100 on the AT&T Tilt after Mail-in Rebate promotion card, plus, get a FREE GPS Accessory Kit with separate Mail-in Rebate

> Courtesy of Howard Forums, a list of many AT&T bonus minutes, text, media packages and other codes

> 10% discount off regular monthly rate for AFGE unions members

> 12% discount off regular monthly rate for College of New Jersey employees

> 8% discount off regular monthly rate for Indiana University students and 12% discount off regular monthly rate for Indiana University employees

> 15% discount off regular monthly rate for UC Berkley employees

> 5% discount off regular monthly rate for Communications Workers of America union members

> 10% discount off regular monthly rate for Union Plus members

> 15% discount off regular monthly rate for University of Kentucky employees

> Enter your work or school email address here or here to see it you qualify you are eligible for a discount

> $25 from CashBaq, that can be used in additional to the coupons listed here

> $31.50 rebate from Big Crumbs

Last year my DH and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. As I reminisce over those 10 years, I have to say that our marriage has been a very enjoyable experience. I can say this is because we are so in love and all that other sappy stuff. While we are very much in love, the truth behind why and how our marriage is so blissful is because he has learnt the art of compromising… or really conceding. You see, he knows that if the wife is happy… we are happy.

Even though he gives in a lot… he is not one of those pansy, push over kind of husbands. He does wear the pants in the family. But he also understands that he should pick his battles wisely. And most battles aren’t worth fighting… especially not with the person who prepares your meals anyway. So this keeps peace in the home, keeps me happy and keeps us happy.

Anyway for our 10 year anniversary… we had a wonderful time. I used to have this job that I really hated… I mean really hated. In order to get me through the day, I would go to the Cayo Espanto website and imagine myself in all of the pictures. It really took me away, if only for a moment. And it got me through the day.

Eventually, I found another job, but I could not let go of Cayo Espanto. I daydreamed about it all the time. Cayo Espanto is a private island off the coast of Brazil. The island is surrounded by mesmerizing turquoise water. There are only 6 villas on the whole island. And they are spread so far apart, that you never have to see another guest while you are there. There is some limited interaction with the island staff, but it really is a place where you can recess into tranquility. No email, no smog, no cell phones ringing… a true escape.

But Cayo Espanto is not a place to vacation for the meager. The villas cost upwards of $3,000 a night with a minimum stay of 3 to 7 nights depending on the season… this does not include airfare, taxes and any other expenses, such as mini excursions off the island. But regardless of the cost, I wanted to go. I had been saving up my pennies and I figured in 20 years or so, I might have accumulated enough.

Reserving time at Cayo Espanto is not easy. Villas are usually booked six months to a year in advance. But occasionally something happens that causes a slot to become available. So I signed up to receive notifications about their  rare specials and promotional rates. And I really mean rare… I signed up to receive notifications fours years ago… and in all that time, they have had only two special rate offers.

The last one I receive 4 weeks before my 10^th anniversary. They told me that a last minute deal was available, but that I had to book within 2 weeks and travel dates were only available for a short date range. The deal… 50% off the regular package rates… practically a give away. Although I still did not have enough pennies saved up… I resolved to move some money around so that we could go.

And we did. We booked the Private Island Honeymoon package and for 5 nights (including our anniversary night) we laid out on the deck of our villa and watched the sun rise and fall over blue water. It was surreal… the best experience I’ve ever had.

Although last minute travel deals to Cayo Espanto are an unusual find… there are many other last minute travel deals that you can find that’ll save you hundreds if not thousands on your next vacation. You can begin your search here :

Last Minute Travel

American Express Travel

Grand Circle Travel

Travelocity

I seldom watch HGTV. I like the shows but every time I tune in I get all of these ideas about how I can razzle this and dazzle that. And razzling and dazzling HGTV style gets expensive. So I purposely try to limit my expose to this channel.

However yesterday, I sort of got caught up. I was innocently flipping through the channels when the batteries on the remote gave out. And miraculously the station it stopped on… HGTV. Yeah I could have gotten up and changed the channel. But I figured it was meant for me to watch it. Why else would my batteries die at that very moment?

So all day yesterday… I was immersed in HGTV. And sure enough I now have all of these creative ideas about how I can spruce up the house. In particular, I want to revamp the guest bathroom. Right now it is themed with blue and yellow fish. I had been content with that for many years, but now all of a sudden I want to do something a little bit more HGTV-ish.

Although I would love to do a complete remodel with new tiles, sink, tubs, toilet and other fixtures, my budget only affords me the basics. I think I am going to repaint the walls and replace the yellow and blue fish accents with something that is a tad swankier.

I have a vision in my mind of what the newly designed bathroom will look like. So today I began looking around for items that embodies that vision. I found everything I need all in one place… Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Bed, Bath and Beyond is a retail chain that specialize in home décor. And even with the downturn in the housing market, the company has managed to maintain decent profits. I like Bed, Bath and Beyond. Shopping at this store give us grown ups an opportunity to reconnect with our inner child by playing house. Just about anything you need to your beautify home can be found in any of their hundreds of locations. And plus you can take advantage of these special savings.

Amazing Bargains

Clearance Items

Here is a coupon for $10 off of a $30 or more purchase. It’s expired, but Bed, Bath and Beyond has been known to honor expired coupons.

By the way, they also accept competitor coupons so you can also use this Linens N Things coupon to get 20% off a single item purchase.

- Now through September 2^nd enter here for a chance to win over $40,000 in prizes, you can enter daily

- Sign up here to get on Bed, Bath and Beyond’s direct mailing list. Once you register they’ll send you valuable in store coupons

- Many Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons are available for sale on eBay (there are also a few gift cards available for sale as well)

- Refer a friend to sign up for the gift registry and get a referral reward of $25 off a $50 purchase

- Save for college with this 1% contribution to your Upromise account

- Redeem Citi Thank You points for a $25 Bed Bath and Beyond Gift Card

- University of Pennsylvania students and alumni… earn a $25 gift card for spending $150-$300 or a $40 gift card for spending over $300, valid through September 30^th

Used car salesmen have gained a reputation for being unscrupulous. How many times have you heard the same ole adage… my wife drives a car just like this one… or this car belonged to a little old lady who barely drove it. The reality is most used car dealerships get their inventory from auctions. The dealers have never seen the previous owners. And about that “my wife drives a car just like this”… I am sure he’s made that very statement about every car on the lot.

Ok so they lie! But can you blame them? The guy has got to make a living. How else can he afford to buy his wife 32 different cars? Just don’t let them make their living by shafting you.

Before you go to the used car lot… inform yourself of the games the dealers play to rope you, know what to look for in a used car, and have an idea about how much the car should cost.

The games used car salesmen play

1 - They try to create a sense of urgency by saying things like… This is a good deal and it will not be here long. I have somebody else coming in at 4 to look at this same car. Don’t fall for this type of pressure. Even if it is true that someone else is interested in the car, you can probably find 5 more cars just like it for sale within a 10 mile radius.

2 - They act like as if they are doing you a favor by saying things like… My manager would be upset if he knew I let this car go for so low. Or… I can get you into this car for only $200 a month. But he fails to explain that the interest rates and payments terms are equivalent to that of a loan shark. Don’t think he is doing you a favor… he is in the business to make money, not friends.

3 - Don’t get sidetracked by fresh paint and shiny wheels. Of course he’s going to dress up the car. Who would want to buy something that had an unsightly presentation? But remember a lemon covered in a fancy gloss is still a lemon.

4 - The tricky does not stop once you have settled on a car prices. Read the terms of the contract and make sure it says the same thing that you agreed to verbally. And be wary of the add-ons. Even if you manage to get a good deal on the car… dealers like to persuade you into getting overpriced extras that you don’t need like scotch guard and rust coating.

What to look for in a used car

1 - Take a look under the hood. Does it look crutty? Check out the fluids. Is the oil black or honey brown? Black is not good. How does the transmission fluid look? How does it feel? The transmission fluid should be red and should feel smooth and not gritty. Do the belts and hoses look worn? All of these will give you an indication about how well the car was maintained.

2 - Look at the tires. Is there any thread left? And while you are down there looking at the wheels, look under the car? Is there anything leaking?

3 - Look in the interior. Use all the buttons to make sure they works. Does the radio come in? Do the windows roll down? Does the hood latch work? (I purchased a used car when I was in college. I thought it was a good deal, but I was duped. I let the dealer pop the latch so I can look under the hood. Well, a few weeks after I purchased the car I had to open the hood to fill the wiper fluid. And there was no latch! It was broken off. It took me nearly 3 days to figure out how to rig the car so I could open the hood.)

4 - And look at the gauges to make sure they are properly calibrated and functional.

5 - Jot down the VIN number and use it to get an AutoCheck or CarFax history report.

How much is the car really worth

Before you settle on a price, make sure that it is a fair price. Use reliable sources such as Edmund’s and Kelly’s Blue Book to estimate the market value.

Happy Car Hunting!

I view my home as a conduit for creating lasting childhood memories for my children. Leaving cookies and milk by the fireplace for Santa, running through the sprinklers in the backyard, carving Jack-O-Lanterns on the kitchen table… but my home not only allows my family to have these experience, but it is also my most valuable monetary asset. And for most other people, the same holds true… their home is their most valuable asset.

One thing that we homeowners have in common is homeowners insurance. It is just one of those residual responsibilities that come along with home ownership. Yes, shelling out an extra thousand dollars or more for insurance can be a pain, but it is necessary. Homeowners insurance protects your most valuable asset in the event of tragedy, natural disaster and more.

Most policies are structured in a similar way. The main dwelling, or your home, is covered based on either the actual cash value or replacement cost. Generally, the actual cash value is the market value or the predicted selling price if the house were for sale. The replacement value is how much it would cost to replace the house, brick by brick, beam by beam, in the event of a total loss. Normally replacement cost is more than actual cash value.

Then, other structures, such as fences or outside storage sheds, are covered. More often than not this coverage is 10% of the dwelling coverage. Personal property is also covered as either replacement cost or actual value. This means that the contents of your home, such as electronics, appliances, furniture, jewelry and even flooring, is insured from loss as a result of theft or other destruction.

The typical policy also comes with actual loss sustained or loss of use coverage. This reimburses you for expenses incurred while your home is inhabitable and being repaired. This may include costs such as rental expenses or storage.

Standard policies also include personal liability and medical payments coverage. Personal liability kicks in in the event that you are sued by someone who is injured on your property. This can assist with legal expenses or for the payment of a claim. Medical payments will, up to a specified limit, pay the medical bills for a person injured on your property.

Homeowners insurance may also include a series of endorsements for things such as an inflation guard and lock replacement.

Homeowners insurance can be expensive, but there are things that you can do to reduce the cost:

1 - buy a home in a low risk area

2 - increase the policy deductible

3 - reduce personal property and/or liability coverage limits

4 - combine all of your insurances with a single company

5 - remain loyal to one company - insurance companies often give discounts to loyal customers

6 - install a monitored alarm system, smoke detectors and/or sprinklers

7 - trade your pit bull or Chihuahua in for a less aggressive breed

8 - get rid of the trampoline and put a safety fence around the pool

9 - shop around, rates can vary differently from company to company

While it is good to look for ways to save money on your homeowners insurance policy premium, it is also important that you not be sparing with your coverage. You do not want to end up in a situation where you reduced your coverage to save $100 upfront… but wind up having to pay $20,000 on the backend.

Review your policy annually to make sure that you understand it and to make sure that you have adequate coverage. If you think that you can safely reduce some limits… do so. But if your current limits are insufficient to meet your needs… don’t skimp… increase the limit.

My son has been away at camp all week. Today I had to make the 260 mile trip to pick him up. I left out at 5 this morning and returned home at 3 this afternoon… a long drive to say the least. Anyhow on the way there I got myself into some legal trouble… nothing too serious though. I was pretending to be Maria Andretti and got caught.

I was doing 68 in a 55… (at least that is what the officer said. But I say I’m innocent until proven guilty.) I asked the cop if she could give me a verbal warning instead of a ticket. But she was not up for negotiating. She wrote me the ticket and told me to have a great day.

A speeding ticket? That’s just great. I haven’t gotten a ticket in years. And in two months I have to renew my auto insurance policy. If they realize that they are insuring a Mario Andretti wannabe, my premium will go through the roof. So I have to do my best to prevent that from happening.

There are two things I plan to do.

First of all, I won’t just mail a check to pay for the ticket. Past experience has taught me that appearing for court is better choice. Some people like to fight tickets in court. But I will not fight it. I’ll concede to the judge that maybe I was going a little bit over the limit. And more then likely, the judge will reduce the ticket to a lesser violation. Then with all the remorse I can muster up, I’ll ask if it’s possible that this minor infraction not be reported to the DMV. And that judge will likely say ok. No report to the DMV means that my insurance company will not hear about this… Or at least this is how I hope the story will play out.

Second, I need to take precautions to make sure this does not happen again. The most logical solution is that I never speed again. And while I can promise ya’ll that I won’t, chances are that I will. I don’t try to be Little Mrs. Speed Racer… it is just that sometimes I can lose perception of speed. So I’m going to get a radar detector. And this way, when it beeps, I’ll be reminded check the odometer to make sure I am in compliance with the posted speed limit.

Best Buy has a pretty decent selection of radar detectors… as well as other promotions and specials.

• Save 10% on any single item from select categories or save 12% on any single item from select categories with your Reward Zone program membership
• Apply for your Reward Zone Master Card to quickly rack up points on your Best Buy purchases
• Rebates on Energy Star products
• Pay $30 when you buy two $19.99 video games
• $20 Price Drop on the Panasonic FS3S Lumix Digital Camera
• Write a product review and win $1,000
• 5-15% off select digital camera, plus free shipping
• 5-15% off select digital camcorders, plus free shipping
• Save $50 on Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 - Windows
• 12-25% off select GPS systems, plus free shipping
• Free shipping on Lexmark Printers
• Save $350 on Sony - VAIO Laptop
• Recently reduced items at the Best Buy Outlet
• Weekly Sales Event
• No interest for 90 days when you use your Best Buy credit card