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Make it n' Save it

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Penny pinchin rides

The Benefits of a Hybrid Car

You might wonder why anyone would build such a complicated machine when most people are perfectly happy with their gasoline-powered cars. The reason is twofold: to reduce tailpipe emissions and to improve mileage. These goals are actually tightly interwoven.

Let's take the example of the California emissions standards, which dictate how much of each type of pollution a car is allowed to emit in California. The amount is usually specified in grams per mile (g/mi). For example, the low emissions vehicle (LEV) standard allows 3.4 g/mi of carbon monoxide. The key thing here is that the amount of pollution allowed does not depend on the mileage your car gets. But a car that burns twice as much gas to go a mile will generate approximately twice as much pollution. That pollution will have to be removed by the emissions control equipment on the car. So decreasing the fuel consumption of the car is one of the surest ways to decrease emissions.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is another type of pollution a car produces. The U.S. government does not regulate it, but scientists suspect that it contributes to global warming. Since it is not regulated, a car has no devices for removing CO2 from the exhaust. A car that burns twice as much gas adds twice as much CO2 to the atmosphere.

Auto makers in the United States have another strong incentive to improve mileage. They are required by law to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The current standards require that the average mileage of all the new cars sold by an auto maker should be 27.5 mpg (8.55 liters per 100 km). This means that if an auto maker sells one hybrid car that gets 60 mpg (3.92 liters per 100 km), it can then sell four big, expensiveluxury cars that only get 20 mpg (11.76 liters per 100 km).

You can actually take steps to drive your car in ways that increase its gas mileage. In the next section, we'll look at some tips for increasing the efficiency of your hybrid (or just gas-powered) car.

Nice, Karim, and Julia Layton.  "How Hybrid Cars Work"  20 July 2000.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://www.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car.htm>  26 March 2013.

10 random tips on savin some coin

1. Stay organized and pay your bills on time. By either missing payments or paying late, you accumulate late payment penalties. These are a total waste of money. You can easily avoid unnecessary expenses by organizing your bills when they come in and by marking your calendar when they are due.

2. Buy more stuff online. You not only save on time and gas, but you may also get the products at a cheaper price because online retailers have less overhead than brick-and-mortar establishments.

3. You can often get software free of charge for your computer. This is called Open Source software. Instead of blowing $279.99 on Microsoft Office Suite, get Open Office. Similarly, if you need Photoshop, save hundreds by getting GIMP free.

4. Buy energy efficient appliances. While these cost more initially, they cost less over the lifetime use of the appliance. They can be identified by the Energy Star symbol.

5. Use coupons. These can add up over the course of the month. Of course, you should only use coupons because you were going to buy the product anyway. Coupons are available whenever you shop. Retail establishments have them print out with receipts. They also come in newspapers and magazines. Often coupon books show up in your mail, too. If shopping online, Ebates gives you twenty five percent cash back. You can use it to shop online at stores like Gap, Barnes & Noble, eBay, and Target.

6. Bundle your telecommunications. When ordering telecommunication services, most providers allow you to pay a smaller fee if you get your telephone, internet, and television cable services from them.

7. Follow up on rebate tickets. Often rebate vouchers or tickets come with a purchase. Send them in and mark your calendar for when the date is due. Follow up with the company if they don’t send you the check.

8. Buy refurbished equipment and gadgets. These are often just as good as new products, providing the same quality of service. While most people are familiar with refurbished car parts, a lot of popular electronic equipment can be purchased refurbished, too. For example, you can get a refurbished Mac computer, iPod, and iPhone.

9. A gas water heater is more efficient and costs less over the long term.

10. Ask for a reduction in interest rates. Some credit card companies will reduce interest rates to stay competitive. Sometimes, too, you can get a credit card with low interest and even those with 0% APR.

Save a Car - n' some coin

If you haven’t done so as yet, it’s probably a good time to file your taxes. Every year if we’re lucky, the man’s nice enough to give us back a chunk of change. Some people choose to spend the money shopping or pay off outstanding debts. However, if you’re in the market for a new vehicle, I might have a have a few tips to help you get the most motor for your money.

With all the advancements in automotive technology over the past 10 years, cars are now built better and last longer. The used car market is no longer a sea of slick and sly salesmen with “inside knowledge”. With countless resources from both the manufacturers and the web, we now know more than we ever have about what to look for when buying a used car. Sites like autotrader.ca and kijiji.ca make it easy for us to browse through thousands of great vehicles.

So here’s what to do to make sure you get a great car at an even greater price:

1. Figure out your budget and stick to it 

2. Do your research – are you buying a daily commuter, work truck, etc. 

3. IMO Buy Japanese – greater resale value, gas mileage, and low maintenance costs make Hondas and Toyotas a great choice 

4. Try to stay away from cars over 200K kms – cars tend to deteriorate more rapidly after this mark 

5. Look for cars with only 1 or 2 previous owners and have been rust proofed 

6. Find out the market value - also check to see if there are any issues or recalls with that specific model and year 

7. Cash is king – when you go to put in an offer having the money of certified cheque shows the seller you mean business


Once you find the car you’re looking for, keep up with regular maintenance to prolong the life of your car. With gas prices climbing even higher, you’ll need to make every penny count.

Pinchin Pinot

LCBO Wine Rack

Pinchin in the gym

January has almost come to end. That means that new years resolution you made might start to fade, the same one everyone makes every year.

Believe it or not, there are pennies to be pinched when it comes to signing up for a gym membership. When I worked at Xtreme Fitness in Toronto I learned about how to deal with pushy sales reps and get the most out your facility. Lucky for you I'm about to school you on the ins and outs of it.

Just to put it into perspective, the YMCA, with its fairly basic amenities, costs about $35 a month. If you knew how to get it, the gym I worked at with towel service, hot yoga, wifi, and multiple locations throughout the GTA, offered a gym membership for $40. Keep in mind this was at the Yonge and Dundas location in the heart of Toronto where gym memberships cost upwards of $100. 

So enough with all the stats. When it comes down it, a gym is like any other sales environment with sales targets and quotas. Reps are constantly pushed to hit their goals and make the sale with relentless persistance and we as consumers can benifit from this sales approach. The end of the month is your best friend when it comes to buying a gym membership because it gives you the power. Sales managers are extremely generous when it comes to discounting the monthly cost in order to hit there target and cash in on the bonus. Students and gov' employees also get a significant discount. 

The sticker price on most memberships is around $70 a month, however with a little planning and research you can save a tonne of money on something that's gonna befit your body.

The first penny I ever pinched

I've always thought about starting a blog but never actually got around to doing it. I want to thank my college prof for making it a requirement for the course I'm currently taking (hope you're reading this Erin).

But enough of me, lets get to the meat of the matter. Having worked retail, food, and service from the age of fifteen, I've gained what I consider to be an above average understanding of the actual value of products and services. I now suffer from the inability to pay full price for anything!

One of my first jobs as a kid was working at the grocery store down the street from my house. As I got to know the people I worked with, they let me in on secrets regarding how to save money on food. This resulted in (drum roll please ......) THE FIRST PENNY I EVER PINCHED. The butcher I worked with, told me how meat was priced and marked. He explained how when new meat comes in, stuff on the shelves was automatically marked down regardless of the expiry date. So on Sundays when our truck came, I'd go talk to John about what was worth buying and end up saving thirty to fifty percent of the original price... for perfectly good meat!

Since then I've always developed and maintained a relationship with the butcher at my local grocery store, I move around a lot so I know a lot of butchers.

At that my friends is the story of the FPIEP. This Blog has been setup for the sole purpose of educating my fellow consumer on how to be smart shopper when it comes to the things we need so we can spend more on the overpriced things we want. It's not about being cheap but being smart.

So if there's a topic you'd like me touch on, feel free to leave a question or comment.