Gas Prices Hit $5 a Gallon

Are you worried about gas prices yet? In Southern California, gas prices skyrocketed to $4.09 a gallon and in Northern California, the gas prices average at $3.79 a gallon. Those prices spiked when crude oil rose to $103 a barrel.

Recently, crude oil rose to $109.72 on the New York Mercantile Exchange and analyst predict it will rise to an even higher price of $120 a barrel! What does that mean?

Currently, the people in charge of regulating the gas prices have everyone guessing. Additionally, I believe they are conditioning us to think the price that was so ridiculously high to us a month ago is now a steal of a deal.

How much will gas be this week? There are hundreds of websites dedicated to the lowest priced gas in your neighborhood. Everyone is racing for $3.09 (isn’t that cheap!) because tomorrow it will be $3.59 a gallon.

Soon, consumers will think $5 a gallon is inexpensive gas and will be racing to find that price because gas just hit $5.89 a gallon in most places.

Analysts believe that American consumers will not scoff at the price of gas too much and will actually increase their spending on gas in the coming months because it is summer. However, those analysts are obviously not living in the real world.

While our European counterparts have regularly paid much higher prices over the years for gas, they also have readily available and functional mass transit. American’s do not have that same luxury, with the exception of a few major cities. Americans must drive a car in order to go to work, school, purchase groceries, etc.

Additionally, Europeans have health care plans that are paid for by the government and a lot more benefits than American’s do, so their dollar stretches much farther than ours.

What has happened to our economy?

1. Washington has not been paying attention to the bottom line (like that’s a surprise! They do not care; they have everything paid for from our taxes!).

2. American companies have shipped our factories out of the country, which has devalued the dollar. By shipping out our factories, American’s have lost jobs.

3. Almost everything we purchase is made in China or other foreign countries. There is not much to be done about it now. Try finding much of anything that is not made on foreign soil now.

4. Raising gas to prices that are beyond what the average consumer can bear will make it impossible for some people to continue to go to work. Who can possibly afford to pay to go to work?

If you don’t live in one of the few cities in America that have easily accessible mass transportation, you can try commuting on a bus or a train. To find out what it took to commute to work this way, I routed a commute via bus and shuttle to a friend’s workplace.

Three buses, one shuttle, 5 ½ hours and $43 later, I would arrive at his place of work, which normally would take 45 minutes via car. That means I would spend 11 hours a day commuting and $86 a day to pay the fare! To add insult to injury, the bus would leave me nine blocks from his work, where I would have to walk or take a cab in the freezing rain.

5. Insurance companies and mortgage companies have been allowed to run rampant with greed and have sucked all the money out of pockets that were already running on empty.

I think the politicians and the people who regulate all this pandemonium need to be brought to task and made to live the American dream, which has turned into a nightmare.

Pointed directly at the politicians and greedy mongers: Try filling your tank without a job, going to sleep when you don’t have a home to lay your head in and healing yourself when you are sick without insurance.

Jaci Rae - The Queen of More Green

Funny Quip for the Day

Here and there I read some really hilarious things (don't we all?). But I wanted to share this with you! I have no clue who wrote it, but here it is!

Also, be sure to watch me on Better Homes and Garden Television on April 21st. Blessings! Jaci

"If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments."

3 Ways You Can Live Without Paying Rent or a Mortgage

Everywhere you look, the housing crisis is causing homelessness and heartache as the American dream of owning a home goes down the drain. Sub-prime lenders were only a catalyst in what is going down in history as one of the worst houses crisis in history. Buying beyond what was affordable and soaring gas prices have caused casualties that seem to leave those left in the crunch without hope.

Nevertheless, there is hope and you can live without paying rent or owing a high mortgage payment every month. There are three different ways to help you live without paying rent or paying a monthly mortgage and still live in a beautiful home.

There are no fairytales or hokum here, just plain old-fashioned common sense and filling a need where there is a void. However, all of these methods do require flexibility on your part, but in many cases, people have stayed in homes 8 to 10 years and sometimes forever. How? Here are three ways you can do the same.

1. Because the foreclosure rate is so great, there are many houses that have been left unoccupied and without tenants. What happens to a home that is left without anyone living in it? It quickly deteriorates.

Realtors and banks cannot sell a dilapidated house very readily, especially when the lending criteria has become so strict that even people who might be able to afford a dilapidated house, do not qualify for a loan.

In order to take advantage of a bad situation, start looking for homes that are in foreclosure and unoccupied and find out who owns them. Offer to live in the house and do the upkeep until it is sold in exchange for free rent and utilities.

To find out who has control of the property, if it’s not listed on a sign outside, check with your local county clerk to find out who handles the foreclosed properties in that area or check the tax collector for the county the house is in. They will be able to give you the tax information. They might even be the dead holders and you might be able to cut a deal with them.

2. They say the rich get richer, and that does seem to be the case. With a reported 1% of the entire population holding most of the money in their coffers, the rich also hold numerous houses that lay empty.

They pay gatekeepers to live in their unoccupied houses in order to keep their property safe and make sure the full and part-time staff does their jobs correctly. Most often, you will be able to live in the smaller house that is on the property and is generally the size of a small mansion, in exchange for a monthly salary.

You will need to make sure the staff that comes in does what they are supposed to do and you will be responsible for reporting any problems. In exchange for those duties, you will not only receive a salary, but also all of your expenses will be paid for in most cases such as your rent, utilities, internet, phone, etc.

Additionally, sometimes a stipend for food is put in the as an added bonus, but not always. In addition, you will have full use of the grounds (not the main house) and in many cases, all of the people who come in to clean, etc., will also clean and work on your house as well.

To find this type of job, you will need to go to the expensive neighborhoods and post a signs that you are available to be a grounds keeper. Additionally, network at parties that have swanky clientele.

Ask friends who know the wealthy and post a query on craigslist. The best way to procure this type of job however is by word of mouth. I had a great job like this and I know many other people who have done this as well. You will need references and there will be an interview as with any job as well as a background check.

3. Housesit. While housesitting is not as glamorous as being a property manager at a billionaire’s mansion, it’s still a great gig. My best friend and I did this for a few years and while we did have to move every nine months or so, it was free rent and utilities, plus a small paycheck at the end for nine months at a time.

You will find this type of job by word of mouth as well. You can also look at postings on bulletin boards at schools, churches and other such areas. Your job is to keep the house clean and lived in so the owners feel safe while they are on vacation. Sometimes you are also required to watch their pets. If that is the case, make sure you receive money for your time.

The long and the short of it is, if you are reliable and honest, you can live in a beautiful home free. With a little legwork, networking, posting your information and phone calls, you can live rent-free and mortgage free.

One person told me he has been doing this for the past 30 years. While that seems like a lifetime to most of us, that just a drop in the bucket for him and he is still going strong. That is a lot of money he has saved for other things in his life!

Sidebar: If you are homeless and are unable to do any of the above. Please seek out shelter through places like Mercy Housing, Street Shelters, Above the Line, United Way and other places in your county. They are there to help and can help you as well with transitional housing.

Jaci Rae is known as The Queen of More Green. For more advice and money saving tips, please go too: www.thequeenofgreen.com or www.shopforaday.com where you will also find free gifts from Procter and Gamble.

8 Simple Steps to Saving Money

It sounds so easy. Save money, put it in the bank and count your way to retirement. However, most people do not do it. They wait until the last minute to think about their future and by then, their future has arrived.

It’s time to step out of yesterday’s procrastination and into becoming a doer instead of an ‘I will do it tomorrow’ person. Here are 7 simple steps to saving money right now to help ensure a brighter tomorrow starting today.

1. Plan – Make a budget. Get a piece of paper out (forgo the computer for now) and make two columns. One column is for incoming money. The other column is for outgoing money.

List all money that you make that is a sure thing. Then list all the money you spend (save all your receipts, even if you use cash to pay for something, get a receipt).

List every bill, every pack of gum, everything. Total both columns separately to find out if you spend more than you make (that’s not such a good thing!) or save more than you spend (that’s a good thing!).

This will give you a good gauge on where you need to start your planning. If you spend more than you make, start cutting out the extras until you can at least save $10 a month. At least $10! More is better of course.

Don’t buy extras for your children just because you want them to have it or they pester you to death. Show them by example how to grow up to be an adult who is responsible for their finances instead of raising a bunch of future debtors.

Buying things you can’t afford because you want it now shows your children or other impressionable people that it doesn’t matter if you have the money now, pay for it later or don’t pay for it at all, just get it. Instant gratification when you can’t afford it is not a good thing.

2. Look around the house. Find out where you are losing money from and where extra electricity usage can be saved. Are your appliances energy rated? Call your utility company for a free inspection that will show you how you can save on your bill.

Are you paying more than you should for your phone bill? Many times, you can use the internet for free phone calls. Additionally, companies like Qwest have great plans for a flat rate fee. If you have a cell phone, think about disconnecting your house line if you don’t need it.

3. Weatherize your home. Start with the moldings on all doors. Is the weather-stripping still good? If there is a breeze, think about replacing the weather-stripping or placing a blanket or towel at the base to keep cold air out.

How are your windows? Weatherizing your windows can be worth more than you think and will save on your electric bill. Generally, window facing west catch most of the wind action and windows facing north catch the coldest action. Use rope caulking or v-seal weather stripping to help you seal the deal and save on your bill. Many of these types of repairs have great rebates and discounts from the government.

4. Buy home furniture and clothing at rummage sales. Check your paper or ask around. Keep an eye out for signs as you are doing your daily drives. Thursday or Friday are when most rummage sales begin and they usually sell most of their goods on the first day.

Find areas that are high-end markets to do your rummage sale shopping. I have purchased an entire large bag filled with velvet dresses, designer jeans, etc., tags still hanging on them for $1.50 total.

5. Purchase food items in bulk (forgo fruit and veggies using this method unless you have a large family or it will spoil). Buying dry goods, beans, rice, flour, canned goods and frozen items in this fashion will save you hundreds of dollars. Costco, Sam’s Club and other warehouse stores can be your best ally in the budget saving arena.

6. Save and recycle all plastic and glass bottles. Take your plastic goods and glass containers in for a refund. Push them through the machine yourself (additional money) versus having the attendant do it for you (they take a piece of the pie for their services and you won’t get as much money back).

The money you receive from recycling can add up to a tank of gas if you have a mid-sized car or a small trip to the grocery store. Many people toss recyclables out or put them in the recycle bin for the garbage collector. If you do that, you are throwing away money.

7. Plan your shopping trips and shop in the same area. Do not run here and there and everywhere to get your shopping and errands completed. Take a little time to plan a route so you can save on the cost of gasoline.

8. Clip those coupons. Many people pooh pooh coupons, but clipping coupons is all about saving money, especially when you use them on the days when there are already sales. If you use them on those days as well as on double and triple coupon days, you have saved money and paid yourself for thinking ahead.
   

Jaci Rae is known as The Queen of More Green. For more advice and money saving tips, please go too: www.thequeenofgreen.com or www.shopforaday.com where you will also find free gifts from Procter and Gamble.