Energy savings

If you missed getting to the Franklin Library on Monday night to catch the talk about saving money with household energy usage, you can review the presentation document used.

Even if you are not a Franklin resident, in these days of high residential heating costs, you might be able to find a tip or two that perhaps you have not yet considered implementing for your house.

You can review the presentation here.


If there is a tip or two that you have used successfully that is not listed, please let us know.

hypermiling - one way to save

In theory, hypermiling means besting any car's Environmental Protection Agency fuel efficiency estimates for hybrids, sport utility vehicles and everything in between.

Behind the wheel, it's a different approach to driving: going at or below the speed limit; accelerating slower; coasting more and using the brakes less (when safe); timing red lights to idle as little as possible.

The techniques sound simple enough - though there are more advanced ones, such as shifting into neutral and turning the car off while coasting down a hill, and then restarting - but stopping yourself from pressing the accelerator out of habit is easier said than done.

The concept also predates the current spike in gasoline prices. But judging by online discussion boards and blogs, there seem to be lots of new, interested practitioners, looking to squeeze as many miles per gallon as possible.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.

For more details visit Hypermiling.com

Personal finance has to make cents

Humberto Cruz has a good story and great advice for anyone looking for the real word in personal finance.

... by following two basic rules -- always spending less than we made, even during the lean years, and investing systematically in simple but diversified portfolios...

Read his full story in today's Boston Globe (free registration maybe required).

How simple is this?

Very simple and very practical. If you are not following these two basic principles, please re-think what your strategy is.