Seven To Ten

Want to save money and cut down on air pollution?

Shut off your car when you are not going anywhere? Even if it’s just for a few minutes. I’ll never understand this, but almost every time I visit the local gas station/market there’s at least one vehicle parked outside with the engine idling.

If you ever find yourself getting out of your car with it running or are waiting for somebody, please turn the engine off. You may not think it happens often but you do it all the time. Someone runs into the bank or a store or maybe you arrived early to pick someone up. These are great moments to turn off your engine.

The usual excuses just don’t cut it. You can still listen to the radio while the engine is off. If it’s hot out you can open the windows. Maybe in the wintertime it can get pretty cold, but even then if your windows are closed your car should maintain a comfortable temperature for several minutes.

With the current gas rates everyone should be thinking about simple ways to conserve gas. At the same time you can be taking one simple green step.

Here are some tips to recycle your cloth towels:

* Consider darker or patterned towels to hide stains.
* Dishtowels are great for cleaning stubborn surfaces. They won’t tear and shred.
* Use a clean towel on stainless steel and windows. Any grease will leave streaks.
* You’ll be amazed at how much one dishtowel can wipe and clean.

I will admit there’s one reason to keep paper towels in your home. If you have pets you my want to consider a roll, but make sure you and your family know that cleaning up “accidents” is the only time they are acceptable.

And please make sure the paper towels you keep around the house are made from recycled materials.

By switching to cloth towels you’ll save yourself money, wasted trees, additional landfill usage, and all the energy needed to produce paper.

1. Bali

The dollar remained steady against the Indonesian rupiah over the past year, that makes Bali has become one of the best island values in Asia. Luxury bungalows in lush hillsides cost around $100 to $200 a night. Catch shadow-puppet performances for free or a small donation. Half-hour massages typically cost less than $15.

2. Argentina

Buenos Aires is considered the Paris of South America. It was dramatically makeover since the 2001 collapse of the Argentine peso but the tourist attractions are still very affordable. Chic hotel rooms, nights out partying and fabulous food and wine cost half what they do across the Atlantic.

3. Costa Rica

Americans now have about a third more buying power in this natural wonderland than they did five years ago - a dollar equals around 500 Costa Rican colones today vs. 360 then. You can explore beaches good for surfing, then go snorkeling in coral reef-filled bays. Don’t miss the rainforests, which teem with wildlife.

4. Mexico

With the peso/ dollar exchange rate unchanged over the last two years, Mexico remains a prime bargain destination. Mexico City is booming with new museums, a historical architectural revival and a vibrant music and arts scene. Entry to the city’s huge Museum of Modern Art, where you can see works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, is cheap.

For most people, planning a vacation should be the last thing on their mind right now. But if the air fares and accommodation are cheap, I mean, why not? Go on a relaxing trip and forget all the troubles, I am sure you will come back rejuvenated.

The problem is finding where are the discount deals. There is this website, Lowfares.com, which offers lots of cheap flights, cheap hotels, car rentals and vacation packages. They are not an online travel agency but more of a matchmaker - to source for great deals and link up with prospective travelers.

As an occasional traveler myself, I know the benefits of comparison shopping for travel. Spending some time to do homework for the best possible deal can save money and frustration. To conduct your search, just enter your dream trip once, then compare and purchase from the leading travel sites with a click.

Do not worry about unreliable travel sites on their site as Priceline, Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak, etc are established merchants in the market already. Since 2002, Lowfares.com have partnered with dozens of these top travel sites to help find cheap flights and hotels online. Getting advice on low fares has never been this easy. If you are a travel fanatic, you can also subscribe to get constant Lowfares.com exclusive hot deals.

My wife has told me of her love for islands of Caribbean and the Mexican Riveria, I have spotted a few good deals already, now I just have to arrange my schedule and then discuss with her on our vacation.

Most Americans think times are tough because they are feeling the pinch from rising prices. A survey showed that 65% are “very concerned” about inflation, while 26% are “somewhat concerned.”

Unemployment is also a major concern. The Department of Labor reveals that America has has already lost 85,000 jobs so far this year, with February’s net job report showing the worst loss in nearly five years.

To balance the threat of recession against rising inflation, the Federal Reserve announced a 3/4 percentage point cut of its key interest rate. The purpose for the central bank rate cuts is to boost the economy and stave off a recession. But lower interest rates can also weaken the dollar, sending inflation higher.

The Fed acknowledged that “uncertainty about the inflation outlook has increased.” Inflation hurts consumers and many people will be cutting back on their spending habits. Are you feeling the pinch already?

Americans think the economy is now in a recession and the number who feel that way continues to grow. Of more than 1,000 adult Americans surveyed in March, 74% said they believe the nation is now in a recession. That figure rose from 66% in February and 61% in January.

Economists’ definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, and though growth was sluggish in the last quarter - 0.6% - the U.S. economy has not yet shown one quarter of retraction.

Whatever the definitions, it is clear that average Americans feel the nation has fallen on hard times and making a living is tough. Coupled with escalating monthly bills, the outlook is very gloomy.

Our family go on excursions on some weekends and the little items we buy can exceed our budget easily. We save money by packing our lunches. We also save money by bringing our own water bottles.

Bottled water is expensive and a lot of waste is created if we don’t recycle. To save money, we fill the bottles with our filtered tap water when we go out these days.