Now that summertime is here, we can all relax. No snow to shovel, no need to blast the heat or clear ice out of the gutters. No need for snow tires or tire chains, and no need to stock up on canned goods, candles, and flashlights for a potential blackout. Good weather is here and with it comes an escape from seasonal expenses. Right?
Wrong. Summer days can often rack up more expenses than winter ones. Air conditioners use a phenomenal amount of energy, water bills skyrocket, and we replace the shovels and deicers with sunscreens and bug sprays. We here at 5 Point Capital, however, have a few summer saving tips that you may find useful.
When it comes to air conditioning, we tend to blast it as high as it will go. With heat, we are sometimes content to warm the house and then cuddle under a blanket or put on warm clothes. When summer comes around though, there is no added coolness that could be the equivalent of a big blanket. When you’re hot, you’re hot. As a result, we tend to blast the cold air, striking up huge power bills. We here at Five Point Capital suggest turning the air on only during the hottest part of the day. Keep your windows open at night and then close them first thing in the morning, and draw the shades. This will fill the house with cool air at night, which you can trap inside during the day. When the cool air starts to wane around noon, turn the air on until the sun goes down. However, remember to turn the air on when the house first starts to heat up, not when it is already much too hot. A cool house will reach an optimal temperature much faster and with less energy than a very hot house.
When it comes to the water bill, be reasonable. Water shortages are common all across the country, especially in the hot summer months. Do not take incredibly long showers. Do not leave the water running when brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Do not re-fill the pool every single day. Most importantly, do not attempt to water plants that could rival the jungle. Plants may be pretty, but let’s face it: they use valuable water and they attract bugs. Knock out two birds with one stone here and limit your plants to a select few, or to especially hardy plants that can survive without constant water. You’ll save on your water bill and on bug spray as well!
When it comes to sunscreen, Five Point Capital offers this advice – buy it! We can all get by with slightly warmer houses or slightly fewer plants, but your skin is yours for the rest of your life. Stock up on sunscreen and protect your skin. Besides, if you’re spending all your time outside, who needs air conditioners and decorative plants! Hit the beach, the park, the pool—anything to stay outdoors, and enjoy this beautiful summer.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Changing Flights
At some point in our lives, everyone has experienced flight purchase regret. Maybe you fall ill right before you are supposed to leave for a vacation, or maybe that family reunion you were flying home for was pushed back. Whatever the case, we all know that moving a flight can often be more expensive than an all-inclusive Caribbean escape.
When you purchase a flight, you are committing yourself to that airline, which is what makes switching flights so expensive. If you found a good deal to fly on one airline, chances are that moving that flight within the same airline will be extremely costly. For example, if you had purchased a ticket from Los Angeles to Boston one month ago for the dates of July 15 – July 22 on US Airways, it would have cost you about $190. To move the flight to July 1 – July 8 (exactly two weeks earlier), flight prices jump radically, especially because of the holiday weekend. When you add in the fact that you will be charged $150 by the airline for moving the flight and an additional $30 by the booking company, you are looking at only $10 worth of credit from your original flight. The cheapest tickets US Airways is offering for your new selected dates are over $1000. Your family may have thought it was a great idea to move the reunion to the Independence Day weekend, but now you are out one grand.
In this case, it is better to buy a new ticket entirely, an idea that for some reason does not occur to too many people. Most people assume it will always be cheaper to reschedule a current flight than to purchase a new one. However, the airline industry does not quite work the way the rest of the world does. Buying two airline tickets in this case will actually be cheaper than exchanging the original one for a new one. A quick search on Expedia, Orbitz, or Priceline reveals flights from LA to Boston on July 1 – July 8 at less than $300on various airlines.
Now, you have two tickets for a total cost of less than $500, instead of one ticket that cost you over $1000. You also have the choice of flying cross-country twice in one month (once for your reunion and once to see the lovely east coast sites) or canceling the original flight and saving your $10 credit for a rainy day. Either way, you have saved a bundle. Basic psychology makes us feel like we have “wasted” the first flight, since the money we spent on it never ended up being useful. Our gut reaction is to “exchange” the ticket, because it makes us feel as if the cost and effort of buying the original ticket was useful. However, try your best to ignore your basic instincts. Buying a new flight is the better option in this case.
Just keep in mind that when it comes to flight tickets, nothing is intuitive. One non-stop flight costs more than two connecting flights, even though the connecting flights use more gas and cover more miles. Buying a new flight is cheaper than exchanging an old flight. It doesn’t make sense, and this is just something we must learn to accept. Remember to shop and around and keep your options open when looking to move or cancel flights. Most importantly, don’t forget your sense of adventure. You never know where you may end up or when that extra flight may come in handy.
When you purchase a flight, you are committing yourself to that airline, which is what makes switching flights so expensive. If you found a good deal to fly on one airline, chances are that moving that flight within the same airline will be extremely costly. For example, if you had purchased a ticket from Los Angeles to Boston one month ago for the dates of July 15 – July 22 on US Airways, it would have cost you about $190. To move the flight to July 1 – July 8 (exactly two weeks earlier), flight prices jump radically, especially because of the holiday weekend. When you add in the fact that you will be charged $150 by the airline for moving the flight and an additional $30 by the booking company, you are looking at only $10 worth of credit from your original flight. The cheapest tickets US Airways is offering for your new selected dates are over $1000. Your family may have thought it was a great idea to move the reunion to the Independence Day weekend, but now you are out one grand.
In this case, it is better to buy a new ticket entirely, an idea that for some reason does not occur to too many people. Most people assume it will always be cheaper to reschedule a current flight than to purchase a new one. However, the airline industry does not quite work the way the rest of the world does. Buying two airline tickets in this case will actually be cheaper than exchanging the original one for a new one. A quick search on Expedia, Orbitz, or Priceline reveals flights from LA to Boston on July 1 – July 8 at less than $300on various airlines.
Now, you have two tickets for a total cost of less than $500, instead of one ticket that cost you over $1000. You also have the choice of flying cross-country twice in one month (once for your reunion and once to see the lovely east coast sites) or canceling the original flight and saving your $10 credit for a rainy day. Either way, you have saved a bundle. Basic psychology makes us feel like we have “wasted” the first flight, since the money we spent on it never ended up being useful. Our gut reaction is to “exchange” the ticket, because it makes us feel as if the cost and effort of buying the original ticket was useful. However, try your best to ignore your basic instincts. Buying a new flight is the better option in this case.
Just keep in mind that when it comes to flight tickets, nothing is intuitive. One non-stop flight costs more than two connecting flights, even though the connecting flights use more gas and cover more miles. Buying a new flight is cheaper than exchanging an old flight. It doesn’t make sense, and this is just something we must learn to accept. Remember to shop and around and keep your options open when looking to move or cancel flights. Most importantly, don’t forget your sense of adventure. You never know where you may end up or when that extra flight may come in handy.
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