How To Save Money Fast

How to Save Money Fast

How to Save Money Fast
Image Courtesy of David Castillo Dominici, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There are lots of reasons you might want to save money fast.  Maybe you need to get a down payment together to buy a house or a car.  Maybe you owe someone money and need to pay them back quickly.  Saving money fast can work if you have a good source of income.  They say the easiest way to make money is not to spend it.  Most people can identify things they can stop spending money on and save the money instead.  Here are easy ways to save money fast:

Cut Cable or Satellite TV (Save $100/month)

Painful, I know.  But you CAN live without cable or satellite TV and you'll save about $100 per month.  You can even get free TV with an antenna.  I get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and PBS over the air for free.  You can start saving money immediately by calling your cable or satellite company and cancelling your service.  If you want to try living with less TV for awhile first, some companies like Dish Network allow you too "pause" your subscription.  This allows you to stop getting TV service and also stop paying the bill for up to 9 months.

Pack Lunch (Save $165/month)

You can save $165 per month by packing your own lunch rather than eating out for lunch.  Packing your own lunch is not difficult and is healthier than eating out anyway.  If both members of a couple take packed lunch, you'll save $330 per month.

Cut Eating Out (Save $150/month)

You can further cut your food expenses by cutting down on eating out.  It is much less expensive to make your own meals at home rather than eating out.  Even if you continue to eat out occasionally, you can save up to 75% off of your restaurant bill by following these tips to save money eating out.

Spend Less on Coffee, or Reduce Caffeine Intake (Save $100/month)

Many people spend a lot of money on coffee. When you get used to having a Venti Starbucks coffee every morning, it is hard to due without.  If you have a couple cups of coffee shop coffee each day, this can add up to over $100 per month on coffee spending.  You can make your own great cup of coffee at home for only 60 cents, or you can make cheap coffee for only 11 cents per cup!  If you do this every day, you will save a significant amount of money every month.  If you are really serious about saving money, you can quit caffeine or reduce your caffeine intake and save even more.

Eat Less- Turn Extra Weight into Money (Save $700)

The average American is 23 pounds overweight.  You can save $700 if you convert 23 pounds of extra weight into cash.  How can you turn your extra weight into cash?  Reduce your consumption of calories, and save the money instead of spending it on food.

Take a Staycation Instead of a Vacation (Save Thousands!)

Another example of saving money by simply not spending it is to take a staycation instead of a vacation.  What is a staycation?  A staycation usually means that you visit local attractions while staying in your own bed- you'll save lots of money on transportation and hotel costs.  You can also stay at a nearby hotel that offers perks like free meals and still save a ton of money compared with a traditional vacation.

Other Easy Ways to Save Money Fast

• Pay bills on time- No more late fees
• If you are paying ATM fees, stop using the ATM or get a checking account with free ATM
• Cut daily newspapers, read news online for free
• Cancel magazine subscriptions- read magazines at a library for free
• Consolidate credit cards to get lower payments, save hundreds on interest every month
• Cut alcohol- reduce spending on alcohol and bar tabs
• Pet savings- groom pets yourself, avoid boarding by traveling less or having friends watch your pets

Most people could save over $1000 per month by following these tips to save money fast.  The best part- you do not need to make any major changes to your lifestyle to save money fast.  You don't need to move to a less expensive place to live.  You don't need to find a job that pays more.  You simply need to find things you don't really need and stop spending money on these extras.

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Headlight Restoration Kit: Rain-X vs Turtle Wax

Headlight Restoration Kits

Headlight Restoration Kits
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

A common problem for older cars is that the headlights become oxidized start to turn a yellowish color.  This not only looks bad, but reduces the ability for the headlights to provide adequate light to see well for night driving.

Not to worry, you can buy headlight restoration kits to solve this problem.  If you believe the advertisements, you just apply some chemicals to your faded old headlights, wipe it off, and they look like new.  Do headlight restoration kits really work?  Is it hard to make old yellowed headlights look new again?

What is in a Headlight Restoration Kit?

Headlight restoration kits can be purchased for about $10 to about $30 and contain cleaning chemicals and abrasive pads.  The kit by 3M contains a special abrasive pad that you use with a power drill.  Some kits also contain a sealer to help keep your headlights from yellowing again after you clean them.

How long does it take to Restore Headlights?

It takes 30 minutes to 1 hour to restore two headlights.  The amount of time it takes depends on how much scrubbing you want to do to make your headlight lens look clear again.  Heavily corroded headlight lenses take quite a bit of work with the abrasive pads to make them look clear again.  I would say it is about as much work as applying a coat of wax by hand to a car.

Do Headlight Restoration Kits Work?

I have tried two headlight restoration kits- Rain-X Headlight Restoration Kit and Turtle Wax Lens Restorer.  Both of these kits improved the appearance of my headlight lenses and made it easier to see at night.  It is not quite as easy to restore headlights as the advertisements would have you believe, however.  It takes some effort to scrub the headlights using the abrasive pads and cleaning chemicals to clean the oxidation off of the surface of the headlight.

Which is the Best Headlight Restoration Kit: Rain-X vs Turtle Wax

Both Rain-X and Turtle Wax headlight restoration kits made my headlights look better.  Both kits contain similar cleaning chemicals and abrasive pads.

Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restorer Kit Contents:

• Lens Clarifying Compound (4 fl oz)
• Spray Lubricant (4 fl oz)
• Lens Sealing Wipe
• Restoration Pads: Green (level 1), Brown (level 2), 2-sided Purple (level 3/level 4)

Rain-X Headlight Restoration Kit Contents:

• Rain-X Lubricant (2 fl oz)
• Rain-X Headlight Restorer (5 fl oz)
• Rain-X Sealant (2 fl oz)
• Polishing Pads- 3
• Microfiber cloth

Overall, I prefer the Rain-X headlight restoration kit over the Turtle Wax kit.  The Turtle Wax kit has only one sealing wipe, so you can only use the kit once if you want to be able to seal the headlight when you are finished cleaning it.  The Rain-X kit has a bottle of sealant spray, so you it is easier to reuse the kit on additional cars, or to clean your headlights more in the future as needed.

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Turtle Wax Black Box- Best Wax For Black Cars?

Turtle Wax Black Box

Turtle Wax Black Box
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

I have waxed cars with Turtle Wax, Carnauba wax, and synthetic wax.  I recently got a used black car and wanted to wax it before winter.  The car is about 10 years old and has some scratches and rock chips.  I was concerned about using any kind of wax that turns white when it dries- this would only highlight rock chips and scratches on a black vehicle.

The black paint finish is a bit faded and not as deep black as a newer car, which is not unexpected for a 10 year old car.  I asked at AutoZone if they made wax for black cars- they recommended the Turtle Wax Black Box Kit.  The kit contains a Step 1 wax cleaner and conditioner (12 oz), black tinted detailing spray (two 12 oz bottles), and Step 2 deep black carnauba  wax (12 oz).  The kit also contains 2 small foam pads for applying the Step 1 and Step 2 products.  Not included in the kit are two microfiber clothes that the instructions say to use to remove the wax cleaner/conditioner and to remove the wax.

How to Apply Turtle Wax Black Box Products

The instructions on the box mention that it may take 2-3 hours to wax a sedan.  This seemed like a pretty big commitment, but I was willing to give it a try.  As with any wax, you need to wash your car before applying the wax. Since all of the products in the Black Box are tinted black, you need to apply it carefully to avoid getting it on any trim, badges, lights, stickers, etc. that are not black.  You may want to wear gloves as well- my hands looked like I had been polishing black shoes all afternoon by the time I was finished applying the Turtle Wax Black Box.  It took me about two hours total for a medium size car.

The Step 1 conditioner seems like black tinted wax to me.  It is fairly thick stuff and did take some time to put on.  It formed a haze within a few minutes.  You then spray a small amount of detailing spray on the hazed conditioner/cleaner and remove it with a microfiber cloth.

Next is Step 2- the deep black wax.  This was very thin- in fact I spilled a bit of wax since it came out of the bottle so fast.  I had never used a wax this thin before.  It went on very easily and also was removed easily using a microfiber cloth and some detailing spray.  Did I mention that you might want to wear gloves when using the Black Box?  Your microfiber clothes will also be black when you are done waxing.

Turtle Wax Black Box- Best Wax For Black Cars?

I would say that the car finish looked better after applying the black wax.  The result was not as dramatic as the example of the faded finish turned to a deep black finish that was shown on the box, but certainly improved.  The black tint did seem to fill in small scratches with black so that they are less noticeable.  There were a couple rock chips on the roof (not sure how that happened) that were not really filled in with black color from the wax at all.  You'll need to use touch-up paint to address rock chips.

My main goal was to get a good coat of was on the car before winter without leaving ugly white wax residue.  The Turtle Wax Black Box certainly accomplished that and more.  The finish of the car looks to be a deeper black and is very shiny.  Compared with regular car wax, the black wax is messier to work with due to the black pigment, and the 2 step process is twice as much work as applying a single coat of wax.  Overall, I would say it is worth the trouble to use the Turtle Wax Black Box for a black car.

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Check Engine Light Flashing- Can I Drive?

Check Engine Light Flashing- What Does it Mean?

Can You Drive With Check Engine Light Flashing?
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Normally when the check engine light comes on, it stays lit to indicate that a fault has been detected by your vehicle's On-Board Diagnostic System.  When a serious fault has been detected that could cause mechanical damage to your car if you drive it, the check engine light will flash.  The flashing check engine light is intended to get your attention and warn you that serious damage can occur if you drive your vehicle.

For example, the check engine light flashing could indicate that raw fuel is being passed through your engine due to serious misfiring in the engine.  This raw fuel can ignite and burn outside the cylinder and cause damage to your engine and catalytic converter- which is very expensive to repair.  Sensors in your engine detect misfiring and the On-Board Diagnostic computer determines whether to set the check engine light to solid or flashing based on how much damage could be caused by the misfiring.

If your check engine light is flashing, you should turn your engine off and call a tow truck to have your car checked by a mechanic.  Driving your vehicle with the check engine light flashing can result in serious mechanical damage.

Can I Drive With Check Engine Light Flashing?

It may be tempting to drive your vehicle to the shop to be checked out if it is running.  However, if the check engine light if flashing, it is not recommended to drive your vehicle.  Pull your vehicle to the side of the road or other nearby safe place to park it and call a tow truck.  Driving a vehicle with a flashing check engine light can result in expensive damage to your vehicle.

What is the Difference Between a Flashing Check Engine Light and a Solid Check Engine Light?

A solid check engine light indicates a fault has been detected by the On-Board Diagnostic system.  For example, this can be a fault with the evaporative emission control system that captures gasoline vapor and burns it in your engine.  There are many sensors in your engine, and many faults that can be indicated with the check engine light.  You can have a mechanic use a fault scanner to read the fault code.  The fault code will provide specific information about the cause of the check engine light in your vehicle.  You can also buy a check engine light fault code scanner for about $30.




A flashing check engine light indicates a serious problem that can cause damage if you drive the vehicle.  Only certain types of severe faults cause the check engine light to flash.  You should not drive a vehicle with a flashing check engine light- driving with a flashing check engine light may result in serious and expensive mechanical damage to your vehicle.


Recommended Reading:
How to Buy a Used Pickup Truck
How to Get the Best Deal on a Used Car

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Used Car Inspection: A Vehicle Inspection Can Save You Money

Used Car Inspection: Save Money Buying a Used Car!

Getting a mechanic to inspect a used car that you are considering purchasing is a bit of a pain.  You have to drive the car to a mechanic, the inspection may take an hour or so, and you have to pay $40 to $100 for a used vehicle inspection.  Is it worth the trouble?  On my last used car purchase, getting a vehicle inspection saved me thousands of dollars!

Get a Used Vehicle Inspection and Save Money!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Why Get A Used Car Inspection?

Reason 1: A Used Car Inspection Helps You Avoid Purchasing a Used Vehicle that Requires Expensive Repairs

You get valuable information from a used car inspection.  I test drove a used car that I was interested in at a local used car lot.  It was a "low miles, one owner" special selling for $3650.  The brakes felt soft to me, so I decided to take it to a mechanic for inspection.  I found a nearby Midas shop that would do a used vehicle inspection for under $50.  It felt like a waste of money to spend $50 on a car that wasn't even mine, as well as spending a couple hours driving the car to the shop and having it inspected.  However, since I was thinking of spending several thousand dollars, I decided that spending $50 to find out more about the vehicle may be money well spent.  That turned out to be true.

The mechanic provided a report listing all of the items on the car that needed repair.  The total repair estimate: $4000!  Admittedly, some of the items on the estimate were not critical and did not urgently need repair.  However, the mechanic pointed out that it would take about $2000 of repairs just to make the car safe to drive.  It was an easy decision to pass on this used car and look for one in better shape.  And yes, the brakes were soft- the previous owner tried to put new brake pads on the car, but brake rotors were worn down, rusty, and needed to be replaced.  The brakes were actually unsafe!


Find out why the check engine light is on- read your own engine light fault codes with an OBD II Scanner.  Works on 1996 and newer vehicles- just plug it into your car.

Reason 2: A Used Car Inspection Gives You Bargaining Power to Get a Great Deal Buying a Used Car

I found another car I was interested in.  It was the same make and model as the $3650 special that I didn't buy after getting a vehicle inspection.  This one was one year newer and in much better condition.  It was priced a bit more at $4500, which was right at KBB book price for retail sale.  I actually found the car listed on craigslist for $4250- good thing I did some internet searching.  The dealer explained that he priced his vehicles a bit more aggressively on the internet than he did on his sticker prices.   I could handle spending a bit more for a used car if it would require less repairs.

I called the Midas shop to talk with them about bringing in another used vehicle for inspection.  It turned out that this shop has a policy that they will do a second vehicle inspection for free if you don't end up buying the first car you have inspected.  Great news!

This vehicle inspection turned out much better.  There was a total of about $2000 of repairs on the estimate, but some of these repairs were optional or could be put off for a long time.  The manager of the shop talked me through the recommended repairs and the priority of getting them done.  When I brought the car back to the car lot, I brought the repair estimate with me.  I ran through all of the repair items on the estimate with the car dealer.  The dealer was reassuring me that these repairs were not a big deal, and that his shop could actually do the repairs for less than Midas had estimated on the used vehicle inspection report.

When the time came to make an offer on the car, I circled about $1000 worth of repair items- the ones that the mechanic said were the highest priority.  I asked the dealer for his best price for the car with the circled repairs completed.  Since he had just explained that these repairs were not serious and that his shop could do the repairs cheaper than Midas, I felt like I was in a pretty good position to bargain.

The dealer went into his shop to talk with his mechanics for a few minutes.  He came back with his offer, which I accepted.  He would sell me the car for $4150 and complete the repairs I wanted included in that price.  Having a detailed used car inspection report gave me a great bargaining tool for buying a used car.



Recommended Reading:
How to Buy a Used Pickup Truck
How to Get the Best Deal on a Used Car

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Best Energy Drink

What is the Best Energy Drink?

Energy drinks have grown in popularity in the past few years.  Energy drink have lots of caffeine, sugar, and even vitamins, nutrients, and minerals to perk you up.  Some people drink energy drinks to get an afternoon lift to get through the day.  Some people drink energy drinks to get rolling for a night out.

What is the best energy drink?  People have different preferences for flavor, and energy drinks don't seem to make claims about tasting great anyway.  It seems that the most important features of energy drinks are:

• Caffeine Content
• Calories
• Cost

Rockstar and Starbucks Energy Drinks
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Today we'll consider these factors to select the best energy drink.  We'll check popular energy drinks including 5 Hour Energy, Rockstar, Monster, Red Bull, Amp, and NOS.

How Much Caffeine is in Energy Drinks?

Before energy drinks were popular, people would drink a Mountain Dew for the same effect.  Mountain Dew has 54mg of caffeine in a 12 oz can.  How much caffeine is in energy drinks?

Energy Drink Caffeine Content Table
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table: Energy Drink Caffeine Content

Energy Drink	Caffeine Content (mg)
5 Hour Energy	215
Rockstar Energy Shot	230
Monster Energy	90
Red Bull	85
Amp	70
NOS	225

The tables above show the caffeine content of popular energy drinks.  All of these energy drinks have a lot more caffeine than a can of Mountain Dew.  NOS, 5 Hour Energy, and Rockstar are loaded with caffeine with over 200mg per container.  Monster, Red Bull, and Amp have under 100mg of caffeine per container.  If I were drinking an energy drink at night, I would choose one with less caffeine in order to interfere less with sleeping.

RedBull Energy Drink is available in at least four sizes!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

How Many Calories are in Energy Drinks?

Some energy drinks contain calories to provide energy, while others have almost no calories.  If you drink energy drinks a lot, calories are a concern.

Energy Drink Calorie Content Table
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table: Energy Drink Calorie Content Table

Energy Drink	Calories
5 Hour Energy	4
Rockstar Energy Shot	10
Monster Energy	100
Red Bull	110
Amp	110
NOS	220

As you can see in the tables above, 5 Hour Energy and Rockstar Energy Shot have almost no calories.  The other drinks on the list have about the same amount of calories as a soda pop like Mountain Dew.

How Much Do Energy Drinks Cost?

You can buy a 16 oz bottle of Mountain Dew for about $1.50.  How does the cost of energy drinks compare to Mountain Dew?

Energy Drink Cost Table
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table: Energy Drink Cost Table

Energy Drink	Cost
5 Hour Energy	$2.00
Rockstar Energy Shot	$2.00
Monster Energy	$1.00
Red Bull	$1.75
Amp	$1.00
NOS	$2.50

The cost of energy drinks is a bit more than a bottle of soda pop.  Amp and Monster Energy are the lowest cost among these energy drinks at $1.00 per container.  NOS weighs in as the most expensive in the group at $2.50.

The Best Energy Drink Is...

The best energy drink should have a lot of caffeine, not have many calories, and should not cost very much.  I'm going to go old school for my selection of best energy drink- really old school.

Coffee is the original energy drink and has been enjoyed for over a thousand years.  Coffee compares favorably to modern energy drinks in terms of caffeine content, calories, and cost.

Caffeine Content: A 16 oz cup of coffee shop coffee has about 330mg of caffeine- more than any of the popular energy drinks in our comparison group.  If you want less caffeine, you can use ground coffee rather than grinding your own beans.  You can also mix decaf grounds with regular grounds to adjust the caffeine content to almost any level of caffeine that you desire.

Calories: Coffee naturally has almost zero calories.  If you don't like your coffee black, you can add simple things like sugar, honey, and milk that add 50 to 100 calories to a cup of coffee.  If you don't want to add any calories, you can use artificial sweeteners to create a zero calorie energy drink.  If you don't want a hot drink, you can drink an iced coffee.

Cost: You can make your own 'coffee shop' quality coffee at home for only 60 cents per 16 ounces.  This is less expensive than any of the energy drinks in our group.  If you want, you can make coffee for even cheaper if you buy less expensive coffee grounds.


Coffee wins as best energy drink based on caffeine content, calories, and cost.

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

How Far Would You Need to Walk to Burn off a Doughnut?

How Far Would you Need to Walk to Burn Off a ...

Walking is the simplest form of exercise.  No special equipment is needed.  You can do it indoors or outdoors.  The amount of calories burned by walking is about 100 calories per mile.  The exact amount of calories burned by walking depends slightly on body weight and walking speed, but is close to 100 calories per mile. 

If you know how many calories are in the food you want to burn off, you can easily calculate how far you would need to walk to burn off a donut, candy bar, hamburger, ice cream cone, etc.  The table below lists some typical junk food items and how far you would need to walk to burn them off.  The table also shows how long this would take at a walking pace of 4 miles per hour.

Food items, walking distance, and time required at 4 mph walking pace
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table: Food items, walking distance, and time required at 4 mph walking pace

Food Item	Calories	Distance to walk-miles	Time required-minutes
Coke or Pepsi- 16 oz	130	1.3	20
Donut- Duncan, medium	195	2.0	29
Hersheys candy bar	210	2.1	32
Medium Dairy Queen ice cream cone	330	3.3	50
Quarter Pounder with Cheese	520	5.2	78
Value meal: cheeseburger, small soda, small fries	710	7.1	107

For example, the top line of the table shows that if you drink a 16 oz Coke with 130 calories, you would need to walk 1.3 miles to burn it off and this would take 20 minutes at a 4 mile per hour walking pace.  So if you want a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, are you prepared to spend 78 minutes walking 5.2 miles to burn it off?

How Far is it to Walk a Mile to Burn off Calories?

One mile is equivalent to 17.6 football field lengths or about 8 typical city blocks.  This is the distance you need to walk to burn off 100 calories.  Keep this in mind as you are considering ordering a fast food snack!  Fatty foods contain lots of calories and if you eat calorie intense foods, it requires a lot of effort to avoid gaining weight.

How Far to Walk to Burn off X Calories?  How Long Would it Take?

The table below shows how long it takes to burn off calories by walking at various walking paces.  Average human walking speed is about 3 miles per hour.  Measurements of other walking paces show that purposeful walking is about 4 miles per hour.  The fastest most people can walk is about 6 miles per hour- this is almost like running and few people could sustain this pace very long.

Table of walking distance, calories burned, and time required at various walking paces

Table: Walking distance, calories burned, and time required at various walking paces

		Time Required- minutes
Distance- miles	Calories Burned	Leisurely 3mph	Purposeful 4mph	Fitness 5mph	Brisk 6mph
1	100	20	15	12	10
2	200	40	30	24	20
3	300	60	45	36	30
4	400	80	60	48	40
5	500	100	75	60	50
6	600	120	90	72	60
7	700	140	105	84	70
8	800	160	120	96	80
9	900	180	135	108	90
10	1000	200	150	120	100

You can use the table to see how much walking time and walking distance that extra food will cost you.  For example, if you are thinking about eating a huge meal with 1000 extra calories, you can see from the table that it would cost you 150 minutes to burn it off by walking 10 miles.

How Long Does it Take to Burn off a Pound of Fat by Walking?

Losing a pound of fat requires burning about 3500 calories.  If you burn 500 extra calories per day by walking 5 miles per day, you would lose one pound per week.  From the table above, you can see that burning 500 calories requires walking 75 minutes at purposeful walking pace.  So you would need to walk 75 minutes per day to lose one pound per week, assuming you do not increase your caloric intake.

If you are beginning an exercise program, you will likely not see a steady reduction in your weight at first.  You may gain some muscle mass- which is a good thing.  Muscles burn calories all the time, so you want to increase your muscle mass.  Also, you may hydrate more when you start exercising, so even though you will start loosing fat right away, the scale may not show that you are loosing weight until after a few weeks of increasing your exercise level.

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy