Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Timing Is Everything
By Mitch Lipka, Consumer Ally

There's no better time than the present, right? Well, that's one saying that might not always hold true. Maybe there is a better time than the present to do things like eat out, work out or even clean.

The new book "Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon," by veteran journalist Mark Di Vincenzo, offers insight into why there are specific times that are best for taking on certain tasks.

Based on Di Vincenzo's exhaustive research, here are a dozen of the best times or days to do some of the basic things most of us do.

First Up: The Best Time to Go to DMV

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Best Time to Go to a Motor Vehicles Office?It's all about the middle. Go in the middle of the month, middle of the week and either mid-morning or mid-afternoon. The offices tend to be the busiest at the end of month, when people are rushing to beat expiration deadlines and when working people are most likely to happen by including Saturdays, early mornings and lunch time.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Best Time of Day to Get a Prescription Filled?
Late morning between 10 a.m. and noon. Most pharmacies are extremely busy when they first open, as well as at lunch time and in the late afternoon (after 4 p.m.) when working people are likely to stop in before heading home for the day.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Best Time of Day to Buy Shoes?
Late afternoon. The reason: Your feet will have swelled to their largest size, so you can find a shoe that isn't too tight when the later part of the day comes around.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Best Time of Day to Get an Oil Change?
Just before closing time, particularly when going to a national oil change company's location. Why? Earlier in the day, when they have more time, they will give you car a quick look and recommend a variety of repairs or replacement parts that is part of their goal to upsell you. At the end of the day, they are more likely to just get the oil change done and send you on your way.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

The Best Time of Day to Return Merchandise?
At 10 a.m. on any day but the day after Christmas. Chances are the store will have just opened and the staffers responsible for accepting returns won't be as busy. They also tend to be the more senior, experienced workers.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Best Time of Day to Have Your Picture Taken?
Late morning or early afternoon when puffiness is gone from the previous night's sleep and fatigue of the day hasn't had a chance to set in.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Best Time of Day to Go to the Post Office?
About half an hour after it opens. You'll miss the line of the people there when it opens and still get there early enough to avoid the other typical rush times -- including lunchtime and near-closing time.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Best Time to Fly?
Noon. You'll avoid the biggest crowds and the rush of business people during workdays. Best day of the week: Saturday. There are fewer flights, shorter lines, less hassle and flights are more likely to be on time.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Best Time to Clean Your House?
Starting in the afternoon around 4 p.m. Energy and mood levels tend to be high in late afternoon. Early afternoon is the worst time.

Best Time to Buy This, Do That, Go Here

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Finders Keepers
"Find" things you need in the lost and found at work, the library, gym, daycare, etc. You might never have to buy an umbrella again if you are willing to go this route. And if you don't mind wearing mis-matched gloves, you could be set for life!

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Don't Toss That Pet Hair
This one falls into the crazy but true category! People are actually learning to turn pet hair into clothing -- we're not kidding. Kendall Crolius shows readers how to turn pet hair into yarn in her book "Knitting with Dog Hair." Not to be left out, cat lovers are on the bandwagon as well.

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Risky Driving Technique
One of the more outrageous ways we've seen to save money is to turn off your car ... while it's still moving! While the American Automobile Association warns against this technique, some extreme savers promote it as a way of saving gas. They suggest you use the car's momentum to glide into parking spaces or move downhill to get where you're going without burning any fuel. Our take: it's just not worth risking your safety (or someone else's) to shave a few dollars off your gas bill each month.

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Pan Braised Squirrel Anyone?
No extreme ways to save listing would be complete without this one … road kill for dinner. There are dozens of tasty (gulp) recipes to be found in road kill cookbooks and online.

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Dumpster Diving
You'd be amazed to see the things that people will throw out! Drive around early in the morning on trash day and you can find furniture, televisions, artwork, exercise equipment -- all kinds of things -- just parked on the roadside and yours for the taking! Going with used merchandise is a GREAT way to save some big bucks. Of course, make sure any item you pick up is safe and sanitary. Think twice about going with used baby equipment, for example.

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Ignoring the Expiration Date
Here's a money saving idea we can't support. Some folks suggest stretching your dollar by using items like food and medication past the expiration date. Bad idea. There are plenty of ways to save on groceries and medicine without putting your health at risk!

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Extreme Recycling
Some serious savers make it a rule to re-use everything. That includes teabags, dryer sheets, aluminum foil and wrapping paper. Many people re-use plastic bags, but extreme savers go one step further and stop buying them altogether, using substitutes such as plastic newspaper bags or the liners to cereal boxes instead.

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Here Kitty, Kitty ...
Kitty litter is expensive -- and cleaning up the box is no fun. You can cut costs and save a chore by toilet training your cat according to the most frugal pet owners. (No, we're not kidding!)

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Just Add Water
Some frugal consumers stretch their dollars by watering down items to make them go a little farther. This includes watering down milk, cleaning supplies, spaghetti sauce, liquid hand soap and detergent, to name a few.

Extreme Ways to Save Money

An Easy-Bake Oven for Adults
Have you ever gotten in your car on a hot day and thought "it's hot enough to fry an egg in here" … well, how about a cookie? Nicole Weston of Baking Bites has developed an interesting method of baking cookies without using the oven. She cooks them in her car on hot days. She says it needs to be at least 95 degrees outside for this to work, and the cookies take about two and a half hours to cook.

Extreme Ways to Save Money

Your Frugal Tips

Do Away With the Dryer
AOL User The SnittyKitty Says:

"Two years ago my ex-boyfriend convinced me to give up using a dryer. I haven't missed it since. I have a clothesline in my spare bedroom and a drying rack. My clothes and towels are much softer. I use liquid fabric softener and the apartment smells wonderful when I do laundry. In the winter, it puts moisture in the air. I do not own a dryer now. Some people who do hang clothes will dry towels and jeans for about 5 to 10 minutes first to get the wrinkles out. Not using a dryer saves both electricity and wear on your clothing."

Your Frugal Tips

Calling All Bagel Lovers!
AOL User Bspeonk Says:

"I have learned that if you go to a bagel store after 3PM, they will give you as many bagels as you want for free ... depending on where you go. Put on a smile, and you can [possibly] get them for free. Bring them home, freeze them and defrost one each morning for breakfast."

Your Frugal Tips

Keep it Clean!
AOL User TigersTales Says:

"A clean kitchen encourages meal preparation instead of eating out."

Your Frugal Tips

Baking Soda Saves a Bundle
AOL User Mailboxdepoe Says:

"Baking Soda. Yep, my mom used it all her life, and especially as a young child, living through depression. You can clean sinks, wash your hair -- comes out soft, eliminating shampoos and cream rinse. Brush your teeth and it controls breath. Great in the fridge to eliminate odors. I also clean my ceramic stove top with it. About every fourth cleaning I use the real stuff, as it gives the polished look, baking soda does not. I use it on my jacquzzi bath tub, and shower. Get a big box at Costco, try it and see you can save a lot of money. It even cleans your car battery. Make a paste, put it on the terminals, and watch that stuff just get eaten away."

Your Frugal Tips

Grow Your Own Veggies
AOL User Bjsketti1 Says:

"Grow your own veggies. Don't have a yard? Plant them in 5 gallon buckets."

Your Frugal Tips

Text Book Tightwad
AOL User InLuvandDeath921 Says:

"As a college student with a tight budget, I refuse to buy or sell back any of my books to the store. Most places will buy your practically new books back for a third of the price -- if you're lucky -- and sell them for 4 times as much. I buy from half.com and abebooks.com. Now I pay about $200 a semester on six classes worth of books instead of close to $800."

Your Frugal Tips

Make Weekly Payments
AOL User Pamresch Says:

"You can pay the same dollar amount per month on your loan, but by splitting the amount up to weekly payments, you'll knock more interest off your loan and pay it off sooner without even paying any higher monthly payments. Set up an automatic payment for each week and watch your loan go away more quickly."

Your Frugal Tips

A Cheaper Solution
AOL User LiHelmuth Says:

"Something that works great is adding equal parts bleach and Pine-Sol (about 1/8 cup each )in a spray bottle and fill the rest with water. The mixture works great for cleaning the bathrooms, kitchen, and floors. I have been using this for years. It saves a lot of money and cleans and deodorizes at the same time."

Your Frugal Tips

Why I Love Craigslist.org
AOL User InLuvandDeath921 Says:

"I cannot believe some of the things I have bought through this Web site. If you're just starting out with a new apartment you can find a lot of the basics. I bought a '93 Ford Taurus for $500 (which runs great, by the way). I also bought a mattress, box spring and bedframe all for $40 (practically new) and a TV for $30."

Your Frugal Tips

Time to Unplug
AOL User Virginia Enigma Says:

"... I unplug almost everything around my house when it's not in immediate use. (I unplug the toaster when I'm done with it, the clock radio, the lamps, my cell phone chargers, etc.) My electricity bill was only about $25 this month!"

Your Frugal Tips

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

Finland, Denmark (unlimited)
Highest Fines: $200,000 (or more)

Even if you're one of the richest men in Europe, a nearly $200,000 speeding ticket is going to pang just a little (and that was in 2002, when $200,000 was a lot of money). The Trick here is that Finland, and nearby Denmark, both levy speeding fines depending on the annual income of the driver unfortunate enough to pick up a ticket. In this case, records showed that Jussi Salonoja, a 27-year-old heir to a northern European meatpacking empire, earned $11.5 million in 2002, which after a complex calculation by the courts resulted in the world-record fine of about $200,000. And all that for driving 50 mph in a 25 mph zone. A Finnish business executive also had a $165,000 fine reduced to a mere $9000 after he restated his earnings to the courts.

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

Canada
Highest Fines: $25,000

Though generally a speeding ticket at the higher end in Canada will cost you no more than $1000 -- which isn't an insignificant amount -- a motorcyclist caught at 164 mph in Alberta last year paid out a whopping $12,000 speeding fine in a deal struck with prosecutors that allowed him to keep his license. The same court also has levied an $8,500 fine on a motorist who struck a similar deal. And just in case you're tempted to put your foot down on the province's incredibly straight, and often empty, freeways, just remember that the maximum fine for speeding in Alberta is $25,000. Excessive speeders in Ontario, meanwhile, also can face fines of up to $10,000.

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

The United Kingdom
Highest Fines: $8,000

The UK, like many other countries, fines speeders on a sliding scale based on how fast the driver was traveling above the limit and conditions in the area the driver was clocked. But a Porsche 911 driver caught in 2007 at 172 mph on a rural back road resulted in British authorities doubling the fine for careless driving from $4000 to $8000. While the Porsche driver in question -- who police had clocked while they had stopped another motorist for doing 115 mph -- was merely ordered to pay $1250 in court costs, he was also ordered to spend 10 weeks in jail. General speeding tickets, which largely are enforced by speed cameras, are a mere $100.

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

The United States
Highest Fines: $2500

Drivers unlucky enough to be clocked at high speeds in Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire all are liable to be fined up to $1000 for their actions. But strikingly, drivers clocked at speeds deemed unsafe in Michigan, New Jersey and Texas all are subject so a second fine being imposed a year later that often can tally more than the original $1000 once court costs are included. Last year, Virginia repealed a law that allowed a court to impose fines of $2500 for driving more than 10 mph above the legal limit, or a speed it deemed reckless. And be aware that jail time is mandatory for driving deemed reckless in many states and municipalities across the country.

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

Norway & Iceland
Highest Fines: 10% of annual income and jail time (Norway), $2700 (Iceland)

Travelers already will know that Norway is absurdly expensive in many ways, as Iceland used to be before its banking system collapsed last year, and their speeding fines are no different, at 10 per cent of annual income and $2700 respectively. But Norway distinguishes itself by imposing a mandatory minimum jail term of 18 days for speeding offenses deemed excessive alongside the hefty fine. Speeders can also face community service or a license suspension of more than three years. In Iceland, higher fines are justified by their supporters by the danger of driving on roads that can turn quickly from tarmac to gravel, often leading to unintended consequences for fast drivers.

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

Portugal
Highest Fines: $1800

While the maximum fine for speeding can top $1800 depending on an offender's income and the road conditions where the offense occurred, we're a little more concerned with the trend toward on-the-spot fines that are collected by the local constabulary for offenses ranging from speeding to driving while talking into a phone or failing to buckle up even in the back seats. Interestingly, most of the police vehicles are equipped with mobile ATM machines so there is no need for police to march a driver to a faraway cash point. Drivers who can't pay are forbidden to drive. But who, we ask, regularly has $1800 on hand, or a credit or debit card withdrawal limit to match? And what happened to innocent until proven guilty?

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

France, Switzerland, Italy
Highest Fines: $2100

Yes the image of a Citroen 2CV going far past the speed limit is difficult to conjure, and many of us also have been the victim of a tailgating Italian high-revving behind us in a tiny Fiat 126, but stereotypes aside, speeding is a seriously expensive business in western Europe, where enthusiasm for domestic car production and Formula One racing go hand-in-hand. Speed cameras are common and on the rise in France, and a speed deemed excessive can result in jail time. European motorists also are getting used to the fact that points levied on a license in a different country to their own now stand on their domestic license -- so a British driver that speeds in Italy can have points added to their UK license after a series of bilateral agreements was struck between European nations. Is the US next?

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

Australia
Highest Fines: $857

Speeding Down Under can cost you a pretty penny, and some may be tempted to put down their right foot while driving through Australia's massive, empty interior -- it'd take a brave cop to be waiting on a roadside in that heat -- but tickets here are increasingly expensive, and common, as a result of speed cameras. Redflex, the company that's brought so many red-light cameras to the US, pioneered its hi-tech systems here, and operates in most major cities. Be aware that Australian authorities are increasingly pursuing speeding tourists once they have returned to their country of residence, and note that, in the event a speeding ticket is not paid, a foreigner may have difficulty reentering Australia.

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

The Netherlands
Highest Fines: $800
Maybe you thought they all rode bikes in Holland, but a speeding ticket sustained here would soon shock you out of a previously held image of pedaling along windmill-lined bucolic country roads as the only mode of transport. A high-end fine levied for speeds deemed excessively dangerous can result in a fine of $800 or more. While every-day fines are paid to an officer on the spot, and penalties for tailgating also are common, drivers caught at double the speed limit are subject to state penalties including jail and having their vehicles confiscated. And there's nothing like having your car taken away to leave you riding a bike to work every day.

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

Germany
Highest Fines: $623

It's only on Germany's world-famous Autobahns where there is no speed limit, and drivers can, and often do, drive at speeds in excess of 180 mph in the land that gave us Porsche, BMW and Mercedes (if you've ever been caught behind a truck in one of the slower lanes, you'll know exactly what we're talking about). But that doesn't mean German authorities want the rest of their driving experiences to resemble the Nurburgring: Speeders caught driving at 45 mph or more over the speed limit on regular roads will face a fine topping $600, a three-month license suspension and four points on their license. Achtung!

Worlds Highest Speeding Fines

Atlas Shrugged

"A sweep of brown hair fell back, almost touching the line of her shoulders. Her face was made of angular planes, the shape of her mouth clear-cut, a sensual mouth held closed with inflexible precision."

Atlas Shrugged

"The shape of his mouth was pride, and more: it was as if he took pride in being proud ... He looked as if he were poured out of metal, but some dimmed, soft-lustered metal, like an aluminum-copper alloy ... his eyes were the deep, dark green of light glinting on metal."

Atlas Shrugged

"The glare cut a moment's wedge across his eyes, which had the quality and color of pale blue ice - then across...the ash-blond strands of his hair...His body was tall and gaunt...His face was cut by prominent cheekbones and by a few sharp lines."

Atlas Shrugged

"His features had the fine precision of sculpture. His hair was black and straight, swept back. The suntan of his skin intensified the startling color of his eyes: they were a pure, clear blue."

Atlas Shrugged

"He had a small, petulant mouth, and thin hair clinging to a thin forehead. His posture had a limp, decentralized sloppiness, as if in defiance of his tall, slender body... The flesh on his face was pale and soft. His eyes were pale and veiled."

Atlas Shrugged

Hank Rearden's lobbyist in Washington, Wesley Mouch becomes the economic dictator of the U.S., largely through an ability to disappear in a crowd.

Atlas Shrugged

Stop Supermarket Overspending

9 Easy Ways to Save
Saving money at the grocery store doesn't require switching to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches three meals a day.

Click through our gallery as Mainstreet.com shares nine ways to cut the financial fat from your supermarket list.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

1. Beware of Temptation
The key impulse zones are near the checkout lanes and the center aisles, where small, but tempting purchases -- a can of mixed nuts, a jar of salsa or a handful of magazines -- can quickly bulk up your bill. Don't linger at the sample table, just get what you came for and move on.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

2. Do a Quick Sweep of Your Fridge
Are there any items that you can or should eat --frozen chicken, leftover stir fry, a jar of sauce that's near its expiration date -- that you can use as a basis for a new meal or to recreate something different? If so, look for simple recipes with what you have first.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

3. Shop Your Pantry
Once you've got your list together, double check your kitchen for products or substitutions you may already have. This will prevent you from wasting money on items you've got tucked away already.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

4. Lose the Coupon Stigma
These days it pays to clip (or click) coupons. Redeeming the savings can be as easy as a click of the mouse. For instance, online sites like couponsurfer.com offer two ways to save: online coupons for Web sites like buy.com or printable coupons that can be used at your supermarket.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

5. Visit Multiple Stores
Brand loyalty won't get you far in a struggling economy. To get the best deals you need to shop around. Know who has the best prices on the items your family uses, particularly higher-priced goods like detergents, fresh produce and meats. A little extra leg work can translate into big savings.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

6. Buy the Right Foods in Bulk
Size can matter when it comes to savings. Items packaged by the bundle will likely save you a few dollars. So will foods you can buy in bulk such as brown rice, cereals and coffee. Many items are easy to freeze (including nuts, fresh herbs, breads), which means you don't have to worry about using them immediately.One of the fastest ways to watch your grocery budget dwindle is to purchase last-minute, unplanned items. If you know you've got no willpower, allow yourself just one spontaneous grab from the shelves (preferably not the caviar or champagne sections), then focus on checking off the items you're allowed to buy.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

7. Stick to the List
One of the fastest ways to watch your grocery budget dwindle is to purchase last-minute, unplanned items. If you know you've got no willpower, allow yourself just one spontaneous grab from the shelves (preferably not the caviar or champagne sections), then focus on checking off the items you're allowed to buy.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

8. Create Weekly Menus
Planning meals in advance allows you to know how much flexibility (or not) you have in your budget before you shop. By selecting recipes, you're able to create a firm list of what you need before you set foot in the grocery store.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

9. Shop Happy and Sated
Mood shopping can be a budget killer, especially if you're an emotional eater. If you're anxious, angry or depressed, take a walk, phone a friend or hit the gym first, then shop when you're clear headed. The same rule applies to hunger. Walking through aisles and aisles of enticing foods while your stomach is grumbling is like strolling through Bergdorf's shoe department on payday. You can't be expected to exercise smart spending under extreme conditions of vulnerability. Don't even try it.

Stop Supermarket Overspending

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Conrad Black, then president of Argus Corporation, is shown here with his bride, 27-year-old Shirley Gail Walters at the church where they were married, July 14th, 1978.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Financier Conrad Black (centre) and his wife Shirley talk with newspaper owner Ken Thomson at the 1982 opening of Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

An aerial view of the former home of Toronto financier Conrad Black in the north part of Toronto, circa Nov. 28, 1985.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Colonel-in-Chief of the Governor General's Foot Guards Roy Hillier (L) talks to Queen Elizabeth II as they walk to inspect the guards with the Honorary Colonel of the Guards and media mogul Conrad Black following behind in Ottawa, Canada. The Queen was on the eighth day of her 10-day official visit to Canada in June 1994.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Queen Elizabeth II, along with former Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Conrad Black, greet World War Two veterans during a ceremony unveiling the Canada Memorial in London England, Friday June 3, 1994.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Media baron Conrad Black holds a section of the National Post, Canada's newest national newspaper at the Toronto Sun printing plant, as the first copies roll off the presses in Toronto.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Conrad Black chats with Laura Shutiak, representative of striking Calgary Herald newspaper employees, after Black addressed his company's annual meeting in Toronto, Wednesday, May 24, 2000. Their body language says it all.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Black once told a parliamentary committee that he regards many journalists as "ignorant, lazy, opinionated, intellectually dishonest and inadequately supervised." Striking Calgary Herald employees return the compliment as part of a national day of action, on Tuesday Feb 8, 2000.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Former Hollinger Inc. chairman Conrad Black and his second wife Barbara Amiel, who at the time was Vice-President, Editorial at Hollinger, are seen making their way to their company's annual meeting in Toronto, Wednesday, May 24, 2000.

Conrad Black: A Timeline

Former Ontario Lieutenant Governors Hilary Weston (right) and Lincoln Alexander (centre) along with Conrad Black (left) greet each other next to the casket of Gerald Emmett Cardinal Carter during his funeral mass in Toronto on Thursday April 10, 2003.

Conrad Black: A Timeline