Your money: April 2008 Archives

For the past month, my wife and I have been doing what we can to save money. We've stopped eating out, are taking leftovers for lunch and have started going to the park with our dogs instead of heading to the movie theater. Coupon clipping has helped, but high gas and food prices remain are many obstacles to padding our saving's account. What tips can you offer to further save cash?

Happy Hump Day York.

I feel remiss because I wasn't here to give you your weekly outlook on Monday morning, but that's because I was in Baltimore at a conference for the Society of American Business Editors and Writers learning all about how to write better business stories.

Stimulus rebate deposits start today

Those long-promised tax rebates are now on their way to U.S. taxpayers. People who chose to have their rebates directly deposited into their bank accounts will see the money there beginning today.

Are you going to spend it or save it?

Is the money going to fill your tank or buy a new couch?

Hello, hello happy people. It's almost 5 p.m. on Friday and that minutes we're minutes away from celebrating the weekend.

But before you head out, here's your round-up of what happened this week in the business world. It deals a lot with gas and oil.

Oil prices rose.

People are cashing in their grocery points to save money.

The Pres. says the rebates checks will boost economy (I'll believe it when I see it.)

They ran some drills to make sure people knew what to do in case of an emergency at Peach Bottom. For results see tomorrow's paper. (I hope they did well, I can imagine a nuclear meltdown would not be fun.)

And in kind of random news, the owners of Arby's bought Wendy's. I'm not sure what that means for the fast food industry, I just thought it was interesting.

Also this week was Earth Day and Hillary won the primary.

This is one of those posts that will make better sense if you read my article in the Sunday paper.

If you're planning on traveling abroad any time soon, you may be interested in seeing what the exchange rates are in different countries.

You can check out a cool calculator here.

This map will make sense if you read my story in tomorrow's paper. Make sure you zoom in to get a closer look.

View Larger Map

Some things you do so often they are burned in your memory. For me, it's the amount of money I've paid for a big coffee and two bagels at my corner store for the past year or so: $4.21. This morning, it was $4.31. Could be worse, I guess. Other than gas, what else have you watched go up in price in the past few weeks?

Do you use grocery store club cards to save money on gas prices?

As gas prices get more and more expensive, it seems like a really great way to save a few bucks at the pump. I know I try to rack up enough points in the grocery store to earn even a 10 cent discount.

Anything is better than paying full price.

Leave me a comment and let me know if you use them and how much you usually save.

I didn't think it would happen this fast. But, I was wrong. While driving on Route 74 today, I glanced up at a gas station's sign and saw that the price for a gallon of regular gas had hit $3.55. Other stations that I passed this afternoon advertised the same price. To me, gas used to be something I would pick up on my way to work and not major expense. Now, I find myself budgeting about $50 a week for gas. Have you started budgeting for fuel? What have you given up to fill your tank?

Both of the Democratic presidential candidates have made improving the economy a central issue of their campaigns.

Here's links to both of their Web sites where you can read about their plans for fixing things so you can make an informed decision tomorrow.

What Hillary has to say.

Obama's plan for reform.

I like posting real "win-wins" any time I find them because they are so rare. Maryland apparently wants to put more local foods into its schools, and I think it could have a positive affect on a lot of different issues.

Well people we've just about made it through another work week, which means it's time to update you on the great happenings in the business world this week.

Stating the obvious, Tuesday was tax day.

Gas is the root of all evil.

Harley employees weren't thrilled about almost 300 jobs being cut in Springettsbury Township.

Gold dropped because the dollar gained.

Being corrupt is costly.

Remember the other day when I said gas prices would hit $3.45 by next week.

Turns out I was wrong. They're $3.45 today.

I need to get a bike.

So I'm on the phone with my buddy Frank the other night and he tells me that he plans to spend his tax rebate windfall on a hi-tech cell phone. You know the one that I mean. This particular shiny cell phone costs about $500 and features a touch-screen. Surely, something no house should be without. At any rate, Frank tells me that he is thankful that the government is giving him money. My blood started to boil.

Just wanted to follow up with you all and get you two quick links to the stories about the Harley-Davidson job cuts and employee reactions that ran in this morning's paper.

As always continue to check the Daily Record and Mind Your Own Business for more updates as we get them.

Here's what you had to say about how gas prices are affecting you:

"Another York to MD driver here. I spend about $300/month in gas just to go to work. I have stopped making "fun runs", because the gas is too high." -- Line Jumper

"I also drive to Baltimore every day from Southern York Co. and at $3.35 a/gal it's getting very expensive. I can't believe our government has let it get this bad." -- Disgusted w. gas pricing

"Alas, there's not much we can do until the government steps in and puts the brakes on this crazy industry. I'm scared to think what the cost will be mid summer." -- Ken

Today was going to be an awesome day.

I got to sleep in a little bit, the sun was shining when I left the house and I was jamming to my country music on the way to work this morning. Everything was fabulous.

Then I drove passed the gas station and saw the new price of $3.39 per gallon.

Just got back from my honeymoon and some things struck me as odd about Europe. Not like it was all bad - the only thing I really disliked about the continent was restaurants not serving free water with meals. But I digress.

One month ago, the price for a gallon of regular gas in York county averaged $3.25, a record when compared to the $3.238 that locals paid to fill up their tanks in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Today, county residents paid an average of $3.359 per gallon, another record according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report. Following that trend, local gas prices should shoot up another dime to land at $3.45 a gallon by this time next month. How high will pump prices reach until residents start reacting in a concerted way? In May 2004, Dan Wagner of Hellam Township picketed outside the Sheetz gas station in Springettsbury Township to protest regular gas prices that topped $1.99 per gallon. Will more people take to ridding bikes or are additional public protests on the horizon?

Because it's tax day, I thought I'd share some good news (besides Dunkin' Donuts giving out freebies today.)

Check out the schedule from the IRS to determine when you can expect to receive your stimulus check.

I stumbled across an interesting article in the Philly Inquirer today that specifically mentions an issue that may be a big deal for those of you living in Hanover.

It's an issue that could clearly affect more than just those from Hanover (that's just who the article happens to mention by name) so I wanted to throw out the link and see what you guys had to say about it.

Happy Monday lunch break everyone!

I'm back with another edition of What's Coming Up this week.

The usual suspects are having their networking meetings this week. Check Sunday's Money and More for the full calendar of events.

Tomorrow is tax day for all you last-minute filers out there. I hope you get to the post office early because when I stopped by the branch on White Street this morning, the line was long already.

That's what I learned on Monday.

Today I learned it again.

In fact, I think I learn it every time I open a newspaper, turn on the TV, drive by the gas station or pick up milk at the grocery store.

The results of the 2008 Retirement Confidence Survey were released today and showed the people ages 25 and older who were surveyed had very little faith they would be financially secure in retirement.

In fact, they were so unsure, the study showed the biggest drop in confidence that it ever has in the 18 years it's been conducted.

Is it sad that I wasn't surprised to hear that?

With the way the economy is going, there are a lot of people who aren't even sure they'll be financially secure at the end of the month or year, much less when they reach the magical age of 65.

Are you waiting until Tuesday to file your taxes?

Why?

Is there something about long lines at the post office that you really love, or are you going over them with a fine-tooth comb looking for every deduction possible?

Yesterday's conference call was definitely interesting. The first half focused on the squeeze members of the middle class are feeling as a result of the current economic situation. The second half focused on affordable housing and its affect on the welfare of children.

To briefly sum up the first half, it was a lot of bad news bears. Families aren't just thinking they have less money because so many people are throwing the word recession around. They actually have less money.