SUVs have been around for awhile. However, their use was mostly limited to foresters, military folks, or any other people who had a need to venture out into treacherous terrain. But for the past 15 or so years, SUVs have been making their way into the lives of us regular folk. And now, seeing these big, monstrous vehicles driving along side us on the highway is a normal occurrence. There are probably just as many cars on the road as there are SUVs.

People love their SUVs. And often I have wondered why. I think it might be a power thing. Gigantic SUVs tower over teensy cars. Some maybe this gives the driver a feeling of supremacy… you know, a King of the Road fixation.

I don’t know… I’m just supposing here. But, I am sure there is a good reason why people love SUVs. I just don’t get it though. I personally don’t like them.

One time, I used my boss’s Expedition to run some errands. Driving that big ole thing felt so weird. I am no acrophobe but I do feel a greater sense of security the closer my feet are to the ground. I lost my spatial sense because I was so high up in the air. Everything seemed to be farther or closer away than they actually were. I was scared I was going to hit something… or even worse someone.

Anyway, there are other reasons I would never consider getting a SUV.

You see, here on Earth, we have this little phenomenon called gravity. Gravity works best we are close to the ground. SUVs are not close to the ground, so in a way… these vehicles attempt to work against the laws of gravity. But gravity is a mighty force.

Gravity, inertia, centripetal force, velocity…? I don’t know… I am no physicist. But I am sure one of these things play a factor into why there are so many horror stories about SUV rollovers.

Aside from the rollovers, SUVs cost a lot more money to provide the same service that smaller vehicles provide… transportation.

The 09 Escalade costs $59,000… and that is just for the base model! If you want to throw in a few bells and whistles… the price can jump upwards of $80,000. That’s quite a few pennies. But a decent alternative mode of transportation can be found in the CTS, which is still a Cadillac. The CTS is $34,000… $40,000 if you want to get fancy. There is a huge difference between 80 and 40 thousand dollars!

Plus SUVs are less fuel efficient. The Escalade… has a 26 gallon gas tank and each gallon will take you 19 highway miles. The CTS, with its 18 gallon tank, gets you 25 highway miles per gallon.

So at $4 dollars per gallon of gas, it takes $104 to fill up the Escalade you’ll get 494 miles. $104 dollars worth of gas in a CTS takes you a further… 156 miles further. Again, big difference.

Okkkkay, I understand that some people need more room to accommodate their large families…but there are other roomy vehicle options that are less prone to rollover, less pricey and easier on the gas bill.

However, automakers are trying the make SUVs more attractive by offering huge incentives.

Call me crazy, incentives or not… I just can’t make a case for SUVs.

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

Many people may not know this about me, but I am a NASCAR junkie. I try to make it to at least one live race a year. For the past 5 years I’ve gone to Daytona. Unfortunately I could not make it this year. But I am really looking forward to October. We are going to Talladega to catch the Amp Energy 500.

My favorite part of the whole race is when they say, “Gentlemen, start your engines!” That’s when the crowd starts yelling and the engines begin roaring. I’m sure at that moment the energy in the raceway would register a 5 on the Richter scale.

I can’t imagine going to the speedway and not hearing engines revving because that’s what it’s all about… big boy toys making big boy noise. But if these hydrogen cars come along, that is what will happen… “Gentlemen, start your engines!” and then complete silence?!?!

The hydrogen car is the latest thing in the world of green. Basically it is a car that runs on water. I know there is a lot more to it than this… but from what I gather… it uses a fuel cell. The fuel cell does some magical stuff with hydrogen, oxygen and electricity and then… tada! The car starts rolling. And continues to roll for up to 300 miles or more.

There are a few hydrogen cars on the road today. They are still in the test stage. But reports estimate that there will be 2 million of these cars available by 2020.

These little cars have generated a lot of hype, but I am not so convinced that this will be the car for the future.

Well for one, the car hardly makes any noise. In this culture of suped up power engines… we Americans like big cars with big engines that make big rumbles. A hydrogen car can’t rumble! I am a woman and I like to hear the rev of my engine from time to time. So what man’s man would want a car that did not have some thunder under the hood?

Secondly, the car is very… I mean very expensive. Hydrogen technology is a new thing. And as with all new technology, costs are abundant. I think I read somewhere that it costs about a million dollars to produce one hydrogen car. I don’t know about you, but if I had a million dollars to spare, I would not be using it to buy a hydrogen car. Now granted the price is likely to come down with mass production, but that will take long time. And still even then, the cost to the consumer is still predicted to be astronomical.

And on top of that, there are many other green car options that are comparable and in some cases better than the hydrogen car. The hybrid car and the EV provide similar benefits at a more palatable price.

Don’t get me wrong, I do agree that something needs to be done to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. And there is nothing wrong with change and moving forward. (Actually, I thought that by 2008 we’d be like the Jetson’s.) But I don’t think that hydrogen cars are the way to go. It’s nice research for physicists to explore, but the reality of the hydrogen car becoming a part of everyday life is very unlikely.

Tired of spending $100 a week on gas? Forget fuel efficient… Try fuel nonexistent! A car that doesn’t run on fuel isn’t a new idea. The first electric car dates back to the late 1800’s. Although the technology back then was relatively archaic, the model gave automakers a framework to build from. Just charge and go.

It’s been around from more then a hundred years, yet most still think of the electric car as a novel concept. This little car has travelled many a rocky road. It seemed to get thrust into the people’s life… but then just goes away as quickly as it came. And then we just forgot about it. This has been the yoyo life of the electric car for many years.

Then in the 1990’s, the electric car bounced back with a vengeance. There were nearly 2000 of them sharing the road with their eco-ly challenged cousins, the gas guzzlers. They were becoming so popular that charging stations were popping up next to fueling stations. They even ignited enough excitement that they managed to spawn their own cult-like following. And then the cars were gone again.

It was almost like a dream (or nightmare for their fans)… California passed some law, the auto companies said it would be too expensive to comply with the law… and just like that, the cars were gone again. They were all gathered up, taken to an open field and shot. The charging stations were dismantled and all signs that the electric car ever existed were gone. That is except for the loud, angry voices of those who love them.

And that’s it, the life story of the electric car … born, killed, born, then killed again. Its just the same ole story repeating itself.

Recently the electric car has been making yet another a comeback. After being resurrected by some automakers we’ve heard of and some we’ve never heard of, the electric car is alive again. If there is a hint of truth to all of the stories I’ve been reading, the electric car is here and it’s here to stay. (Well, that’s if the critics and nay sayers don’t take them all out to that open field again.)

You see, we Americans have grown accustomed to our big, roomy mansions on wheels. So when we see these small, goofy looking cars, we just scoff at them. But there has got to be something special about them because they keep rising from the dead. So what is it about these cars? If we can get over the fact that they look so silly, there is actually a lot of good rolled into this little package.

1 - By far the most impressive thing - you’ll never have to spend $100 on gas filling up the tank… you’ll only have to pay a few bucks extra on your electricity bill so you can charge the car (and some of the solar powered ones won’t cost you anything)

2 - They don’t release those harmful emission that are contributing to melting the planet

3 - Most of them, with the exception of this $100,000 Roadster, are relatively inexpensive

4 - Although the quirky designs make them look like whimpy, some of them are able to keep with up and beat their counterparts when it comes to speed.

The electric car is the underdog in this competition. And if the past is any indicaton of the future, the electric car will be dead again. But I am rooting for them!

I have never been an insurance salesman (person) per se. But I did work for an investment company that sold variable and universal life insurance, which is a kind of investment/insurance product. But in order to sell the product, I had to have an insurance license in addition to my securities license. So 10 years ago, I obtained a state insurance license.

I enjoyed my experience as a financial advisor because I enjoy financial planning. I did it for a few years, but I soon gave up on it because I felt like I was being asked to push products on people that they did not need. The mission was to sell highest commissioned products, not the best product. And I did not feel right doing that.

Anyway, in my short career as a financial advisor, I realized that many people have no clue about life insurance. They may know the premium and the face value, but that’s about it. Most regular people don’t know the basic difference in life insurance options. And unfortunately, they are being bamboozled by unscrupulous salespeople who are looking for a commission. Not all life insurance salespeople are bad, but there are quite a few who are.

Before you buy your policy, you should understand your needs and understand which type of policy best fits your needs.

Do you need life insurance?

If anyone other than you depends on your income for survival, then yes, you need life insurance.

How much do you need?

It depends. If you have minor children, you’ll probably need enough to cover their needs for until they are at least 18 or out of college. Or if you have disabled children, you’ll need enough to cover them for the rest of their lives. If your spouse is dependent on your income, you’ll need enough insurance to carry him/her until he/she becomes self sufficient or remarried. You’ll also need enough to pay off your debts and funeral expenses.

It really just depends. But in any event, I would venture to say that most people need a minimum life insurance of $100,000, and likely much more. You can go here to evaluate your needs.

The basic types of policies (presented with commission and need rankings)

Commission rankings are shown from highest commissioned sale for agent (1) to lowest commissioned sale (3). Need rankings shows which types of insurance met the needs of most people (1) to which met the needs of the fewest people (3). (Just an aside, the highest commissioned product is needed by very few people.)

Universal Life - Rank: Commission 1 Need 3

Features - Coverage for your entire life, Has both a death benefit and cash account (you cannot choose how cash account funds are invested), Offers flexibility in premium payments

My opinion - final death benefit increases overtime, but most people’s life insurance needs decrease over time as they build other assets and as their children become independent. The premiums are usually 5 or 6 times more than term life. I suggest that you buy a term policy and invest the difference in the premiums in a decent mutual fund. That way you don’t have to die to access to the cash account.

Variable Life - Rank: Commission 1 Need 3

Features - Coverage for your entire life, Has both a death benefit and cash account (you can choose how cash account funds are invested), Premiums are fixed

My opinion - same as above

Whole Life - Rank: Commission 2 Need 2

Features - Coverage for your entire life, Builds minimal cash value

My opinion - almost the same as above. A person’s insurance needs decrease over time.

Most 87 year olds don’t need a $1 million in life insurance. By the time you reach retirement age, you should have accumulated enough assets to take care of your spouse when you pass away. And your children are what? 62, your grandchildren are 38…? They are not dependant on your income. I’m sure they’d rather you spend the premium on pampering yourself in your golden years.

And besides, whole life policies cost nearly 3 times as much as term. Multiply that difference over your life and that is a lot money. Get a term policy, stash the difference in a mutual fund every month and let it ride. You’ll fair off much better.

Term Life - Rank: Commission 3 Need 1

Features - Covers your life for a predetermined number of years… 10, 20, 30, 40 years, Doesn’t build cash value, Least expensive premium

My opinion -It offers the most coverage during the time you need it… at a nominal cost. Term life is the right choice in most situations.

Everyone has heard of Todd Davis. You know, Todd Davis… the LifeLock guy. He is the one who goes around revealing his real social security number every chance he gets because he is “sure his identity is safe with LifeLock.” Yeah, him. Well recently, Mr. Davis’ company, LifeLock, has been sued again. Yes, again.

This most recent suit alleges that LifeLock falsely advertises it services by claiming that it can protect you… me… us from becoming victims of identity theft. While LifeLock may be helpful in preventing some identity theft, it is a bit presumptive of them to claim that they can protect you… me… us.

Basically, this is what they do:

• Add a fraud alert to your credit report
• Monitor your credit
• And remove your name from preapproved credit card offers and junk mailing lists

Well, I don’t think this is a sure fire way to protect me or my credit. This method only works if a credit report is needed… which is not always the case. I mean seriously folks, Mr. Todd Davis himself has even had his identity stolen… while he was a card carrying member of LifeLock nonetheless.

How can I trust LifeLock with my credit if they can’t keep their own CEO safe from thieves? And really, I never trusted this company from the beginning. I once read a story about their founder, Robert Maynard. He stole his own dad’s identity to get an American Express card. How’s that for a paradox?

The whole premise behind this company sounds suspect to me… a guy goes around blasting his name and social security number on radio and tv guaranteeing he can protect my identity when he can’t protect his own.

But what beats everything is that I can do the same thing that LifeLock does for free… and save myself the $10 monthly membership fee.

• Add a fraud alert to my credit report - I can go to here to place a fraud alert with Equifax. No need to contact TransUnion and Experian, Equifax will do that for me.
• Monitor my credit - Sign up for my free report from all 3 bureaus here. Or if I want to monitor my report more often, I can log onto my WaMu account. They give me my FICO score each month at no cost.
• Remove my name from preapproved credit card offers and junk mailing lists - I can go here to opt out of prescreened offers and here to remove my address from direct mailing lists.

I think LifeLock preys on consumers who are fear-struck by the media hype on identity theft. By looking at the news people may not realize it, but identity theft is actually declining. And is it not because of LifeLock.

LifeLock does nothing fancy. Well, I take that back… they have done something fancy. They hired some good marketing folks, which is evident because we all know their name. But the service they provide… nah, not so special.

They are selling the dream of protection… a protection that even with their million dollar guarantee, they can’t guarantee.

Whew, I guess this one got me a little fired up. It’s not like me to be so sneering. I’d better go and calm myself down. I’m going to bed. Good night, PFA

In a few months my oldest child will be celebrating his 15^th birthday. He is taking it in stride. I, on the other hand, am frenetic… in an uneasy way. My first born… my baby… is nearly a man! *sigh* It seems like only yesterday that he was begging me to drive him to kindergarten. He never liked riding the school bus. But now as he asserts his “pre-man” self-sufficiency… he would not dare ask me to drive him to school. I kinda miss the days when he was so dependent on me.

But I am coming to the realization that my son is growing up and although his is my baby he is not a baby. I’ll have to trust in myself and be confident that I have instilled in him the values that’ll need to be a good, reponsible adult. He’s a good kid and even though I wish he can a baby forever, he can’t.

Anyway, enough of my parental introspection…

The thing is, now that he’ll be old enough to drive… I’ve been thrust into the market for a new vehicle. I bought my last vehicle about 3 years ago. But things have changed so much since then - by “things” I mean gas prices. My focus in buying a new vehicle for my son is first - safety and second - fuel efficiency.

Focusing about fuel efficiency is new territory for me. I never really thought much about it before when purchasing a vehicle. The only rule I had was no gas guzzling SUV’s. Though now, with the high gas prices, nearly every vehicle is a gas guzzler. But what can I do? The kid needs his own car.

So now I must learn about the fuel efficient car options that are available.

There is no standard definition of a fuel efficient car. Basically what is means is that if car A gets less MPG than car B, then car B is more fuel efficient.

Because of their size, smaller cars tend to give more MPG than larger ones. But I don’t want my son, a driving neophyte, to roll around free and liberated in a historically dangerous class of car.

So I compared the MPG for some medium and large sized vehicles. These are the ones I like most:

Toyota Prius Hybrid - 48/45 MPG - $21,500

Nissan Altima Hybrid - 35/33 MPG - $25,480

Mercury Mariner Hybrid - 34/30 MPG - $28,150

Mazda Tribute Hybrid - 34/30 MPG - $25,485

Ford Escape Hybrid - 34/30 MPG - $27,445

Toyota Camry Hybrid - 33/34 MPG - $25,200

Saturn VUE Hybrid - 25/32 MPG - $25,645

Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid - 24/32 MPG - $23,640

Saturn Aura Hybrid - 24/32 MPG - $23,900

Pontiac G6 - 22/30 MPG - $18,765

Hyundai Sonata - 21/31 MPG - $17,670

Dodge Avenger - 21/30 MPG - $19,640

Wow, pretty long list… I’ll have to work on ratcheting this down to only two or three.

Although most of the cars that made my list are hybrids, there are other things that I’ll look for when considering fuel efficiency.

Manual transmissions are more fuel efficient than automatics.

The smaller 4 cylinder engines have better MPG when compared to 6 or 8 cylinder engines.

And although diesel fuel is more expensive than regular octane gas, diesel powered engines are more fuel efficient.

There are many fuel efficient options to choose from and many other things to consider when purchasing a car for a teenage boy. Lucky I still have a year to figure it all out.

Often I hear people reminiscing about the good ole days when gas cost 20¢ a gallon. Well I wasn’t around back in those times, but I do have vivid memories of when it was 99¢ a gallon. Just one year ago, when gas was $2.99 a gallon, many people were in a ruckus. I wasn’t too troubled about the prices though. I bought into the notion that gas prices had not kept up with inflation. I figured the prices were playing catch up and that eventually they would level off. Well as gas prices peak more than $4 a gallon… I am no longer holding on to that inflation theory.

But I am not going to complain about gas prices… I am sure you’ve heard it all before. And beside, complaining won’t solve the problem. I’d rather talk about how we can deal with it.

Other than searching for the cheapest gas in town, there are some things we can do to save on gas, such as improving gas mileage. There is lots of information available on the internet. But not everything you read is true. So I’ll dispel some commonly believed myths, then I will give you some proven ways to improve gas mileage.

4 Things That Won’t Improve Your Gas Mileage

• Filling up during the coolest parts of the day - Yes, gas condenses in cooler temperatures. But this fact has little impact when fueling your car. Whether you refuel in the morning before the sun comes out or at hi noon in the brunt of the heat… it makes no difference. Most gas is stored underground and underground temperatures are relatively constant throughout the day.
• Topping off the tank - I’m not sure why some people think this will improve gas mileage. The only thing that will happen is that fuel will spill down your car and onto the ground. Now granted I know nothing about physics, but you standing in a puddle of gasoline next to a gas draped car sounds in 100 degree heat… well to me… that just sounds like a bad accident waiting to happen.
• Turning off the air conditioner - I do not see how anyone can cruise around in my city without the A/C on. Even if by chance it did help save on gas… who wants to blister in a smoldering, hot car? Ok so you roll the windows down to let in the breeze which comes with thermal level heat and humidity. That still does not make you comfortable… and the added drag from the wind in your car actually reduces gas mileage. I don’t know who start this cruel joke, but please leave the air on people.
• Using premium - Some people live buy it. They’d swear that paying 35 cents more a gallon for the highest octane gas provides benefits. I hate to tell you folks, but it just ain’t so. Unless your car manufacturer specifically recommends it, fueling up on premium improves nothing. Save the extra 35 cents and get 1/10th of 2 percent of 1 cup more drops of regular 87 octane fuel.

4 Things That Will Improve Your Gas Mileage

• Driving on a warm engine - Plan better commuting routes. Run all of your errands in one trip. Allowing your engine to cool down and then warm up again is inefficient. Gas burns less on a warm engine. And don’t plan to be out and about during high traffic times. It does not make sense to waste gas idling in rush hour trash if you can avoid.
• Tightening the gas cap - Did you realize some people allow their $4 a gallon gas to evaporate into thin air? Not only is this not good for the environment, but it also depletes your car’s personal gas supply. Make sure the cap is on tight, save the environment and your money.
• Using cruise control - Driving at a consistent speed is more fuel efficient. The energy your car uses to break, accelerate, slow down, stop and go reduces gas mileage. Maintaining a consistent speed as much as possible improves gas mileage.
• Using a credit card - Most card companies offer a rebate on all purchases. Many offer double or even triple rebates on fuel purchases. Look for card offers rewards on your every day gas purchases. While this has no immediate impact, you can always use those rewards to purchase more gas.

Between Thursday and Friday of this past week the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 450 points, officially taking it into what stockbrokers call ‘Bear Territory’; that is, a drop of 20% or more in a single year.

Do I care?

Not much. Even though the last time I looked, my 401K was losing about 8% annually, I’ve decided that a better way to spend my energy is to focus on things that cheer me up. I spent Friday afternoon making strawberry jam. In an apron. A 1940s collectible full bib apron, a la Ma Kettle.

Yes, it’s true. I am a Domestic Goddess.

So even though I could write a post about how Ford Motor Company stock is at its lowest point since 1955, or how Citigroup is in big trouble again, or how NY writer Tom Wolfe thinks we are witnessing “…the end of Capitalism as we know it,” (this from a guy who dresses like Colonel Sanders and wrote one of the awfullest books ever, made into one of the awfullest movies ever, The Bonfire of the Vanities), or how Chrysler is denying publicly that they are considering bankruptcy (meaning that they almost certainly are considering bankruptcy)–even though I could write that post, I’m not going to do it.

Instead, here are ten much more pleasant things you can do while the American Way of Life collapses around your ears. Then, once the dust settles, we can all talk.

1) Make Jam. I spent $25 on a flat of strawberries, $5 on four boxes of fruit pectin, and $2 on a five pound bag of sugar. I put up 13 two-cup containers of freezer jam, two quart bags of whole strawberries, and made shortcakes to eat with the leftover berries. We’re having them again tonight. I figure I saved between $10 and $15 doing this all myself, which isn’t all that impressive savings-wise, but you haven’t tasted that jam. Yum.

2) Read a Big Book. My partner, the world’s smartest truck driver, is currently reading Truman by David McCullough, a book that is as big as my head and twice as heavy. The book is about Harry Truman, former US President, not Truman Capote or The Truman Show. Harry Truman was so broke when he was a US senator that he had to hire his wife Bess to be his secretary just so they would make enough to cover their basic living expenses, then he spent the rest of his political career worrying that this necessary and pragmatic action would ruin his political integrity. Wow, have times changed or what? (Can anyone spell Oink?)

3) See Pixar’s Latest Flick Wall-E. Pixar is used to effusive praise, but the positive ratings on this one are off the chart. Wall-E is a sad-eyed trash-compacting computer left alone on earth after all human life has disappeared. His only friend is a cockroach. Don’t worry though, Al Gore isn’t in it, and at the end we find out that the human race has survived, just on another planet. The thing is, if you must see an apocalyptic movie this year, shouldn’t it be adorable?

4) Rent ‘Fight Club’. What, you say you were just laid off your cushy broker job at Citigroup and the only cute robot you want to see right now is one you pump so full of lead it ends up looking like an antique sieve run over by an SUV? Fine, I get it, put that now-totally-legal weapon away, will you please? Go directly to the closest video store and rent the film version of Chuck Pahlaniuk’s dark novel about the end of the world as we know it, courtesy of fed-up cubicle slaves. Trust me, it will cheer you up, especially the final scene. Girls: I have two additional recommendations for you regarding this film which make it worth watching all by themselves; Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.

5) Write a Cheap Food Cookbook. Mark my words, with the recent midwest floods destroying corn and soybean crops and a world food crisis already fully under way, in about eight months, somebody in the US is going to make a fortune off a clever book on how to make a tasty casserole for a family of four out of lint. Why shouldn’t that person be you? If you work in the auto or financial industries, you’re going to need the money, so get crackin’! Times a-wastin’.

6) Start Your Own University. College has become unaffordable for most kids and their parents, but there aren’t many jobs for graduates anyway. Instead of whining and crying about this, why not take the bull by the horns and start your own university? You must know how to do something. A degree from a state college currently costs about $50K, so charge 10K a head and then teach kids something useful, like how to covert SUVs into affordable housing. You’ll be doing a community service and you only need 10 students and you’re in six-figure income territory!

7) Help Build SUV-Henge. We know that with big cities strapped for tax income (due to all the foreclosures and all the industries pulling out and moving to China) public parks are hurting. Why not take the current glut of undrive-able SUVs and stack them on end to build a monument to the Sun that can be used at the Summer Solstice to appease whatever Gods are mad at us? (Probably all of them right now.) A majestic Public Works project is usually just the ticket to cheer people up during hard times, and the raw material and free labor is all around you.

8 ) Take a Stay-cation. ‘Staycation’ is a new buzzword for something wonderful I’ve always loved more than anything else in the world: Stay home and do nothing. Right now, I am so behind on doing nothing that even if I do nothing for the rest of my entire life I probably will never catch up. So if you are lucky enough to be too broke to do anything, count your blessings. Look at it this way: at least you don’t have to go to Disneyworld. Those folks are insane. The giant mouse, the dancing princesses, it’s a horror show.

9) Walk Around, Take Photos. Can’t afford to drive? Recently laid off? Take that digital camera and walk around chronicling the end of civilization. Someone really should be doing this, and I am so busy constantly grubbing for money I don’t have time right now. Plus, it’s good for you, all that walking. And dumpster diving is the the new chic way to go, so anything good you see lying by the side of the road, take it home and brag to your friends!

10) Hoard Rice. Come on, I know you want to do it. Sometimes, just being told you aren’t allowed to do something is enough to make that thing the only thing in the world you ever wanted to do. Buy your four 100 pound bag limit at one Sam’s Club, drive to another and buy four more, then back to the one you started at and buy four more, and don’t stop until your entire house is so full of burlap bags of rice you think you are on a Red Cross ship bound for Myanmar.

There. That ought to keep you busy for the next two hundred days or so until Barack Obama is finally President. I don’t know how much he’ll be able to fix by the time the inaugural ball is finally over, but at least the madmen will have gone back to Texas.

Anyone want some jam?

Ok guys… now that the DH has spruced up with the patio with new furniture and a new Monster King Kong grill, I’ve got the urge to polish my green thumb. Keep in mind the only gardening I’ve ever attempted on my own landed my poor yard on the “needs professional help” list.

I had this wild idea that I wanted to grow some berries bushes. Well… it wasn’t that wild. There was a method behind the madness. I was trying to save on my grocery bill. I love berries but they are so expensive… a half pint of raspberries is $6! I figured I take that $6 to buy some seeds so I can grow my own. So I bought 4 berry tree seedlings, found a shade-less patch next to the fence, got a shovel and started digging.

When I was done planting the seedlings, I felt proud. And I was optimistic that my hard work would eventually result in plump juicy berries. Well that was not quite the case. I am not sure what happened. It’s been 3 years and we still ain’t picking berries off a bush. Actually, there aren’t even any bushes. And the kicker… I’m still paying $6 for 10 raspberries at the local grocer.

The only remnant of my hard work is a small woody stem that refuses to just give up. Seriously the thing just won’t die, I mow over it, sprinkle it with herbicide. Two weeks later, it has spouted up again. It refuses be a victim of my gardening catastrophe.

But anyway, I need something to complement the patio. So I think I might give this gardening thing another go. However for round two… I have come up with a plan that hopefully even my inexpert green thumb can’t boggle.

I got some creative ideas from Lowes and mapped out a simple scheme to enhance my outdoor living space. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that the final product bears some semblance to mini oasis I see in my head. If it doesn’t I won’t be too hard on myself… the best way to learn is to practice, right?

You might be thinking… there is a bit of a double standard here since my philosophy was different when my DH was “practicing“. Well, call it what you want… but when I practice gardening… what’s the worse that can happen? I kill a few flowers? When my DH practices home improvement (I use this word loosely)… what’s the worse that can happen? The attic caves in on the living room floor? Ok, see the difference? I think the double standard is appropriate in this situation.

And even if I do have a few gardening mishaps here and there, it will only cause me a lot of sweat and very little dollars. Even though I am new to this gardening thing, I am a pro at cost minimization. And the best way to minimize my gardening cost is to take advantage of special offers at Lowes.

First I can estimate the project cost

Then use these to reduce the cost:

$10 off $25 purchase when I use my Visa at Lowes

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By the way, Lowes also honors competitor coupons.