Going Green

With summers getting hotter and drier, homeowners should think about how they can conserve more water - in their homes and in the garden. It's easy to put these practices to work and that will pay off big time when it comes to your water bills. This is especially true now that many municipalities are moving to a consumption based model, where homes are metered and charged accordingly.

In Toronto for example, a typical monthly bill for a single family home runs about 600 dollars. But the city has had a long-term plan to increase water rates by 9 per cent each year through 2012. And like everything else, water costs are only going to rise, so start saving with these easy-to-implement fixes.

SLIDESHOW: 10 EASY WAYS TO CUT YOUR WATER BILL

%Gallery-155651%

Related Stories:
How to Conserve Water and Save Money
Money Down the Drain: Why Bottled Water is Bad

By Rick Aristotle Munarriz
Motley Fool

Tesla Motors (TSLA) has some good news for fans of the American maker of electric cars. Tesla's Model S -- the company's first reasonably priced vehicle -- may hit the streets as early as next month.

Sure, calling the all-electric car reasonably priced is relative. The cheapest Model S is going for $49,900, and that's with the $7,500 tax credit baked into the price. Obviously that's going to price the car out of the range of most drivers. However, compared to the defining Tesla Roadster that hit the market with a six-figure price tag four years ago, the Model S is a relative bargain.


Tesla was originally not expected to begin delivering the car until July at the earliest. However, if the car is able to clear its government crash ratings test in the coming weeks, the company is comfortable in bumping the release window up to June.

Demand Speeds Ahead of Supply

If you're considering a Model S purchase, the June arrivals won't matter. More than 10,000 people have plunked down $5,000 as a deposit for the new car, and Tesla only expects to roll 5,000 units off the assembly line this year.

Folks are also starting to get in line for the Model X that Tesla has in the works for early 2014 deliveries. Likely to hit the market at similar pricing to this year's Model S, Model X is an all-electric-crossover SUV complete with rear passenger doors that open up like falcon wings.

Yes, Tesla is cool. It's also not profitable at the moment.

Gas prices are astronomical, car insurance is crazy expensive, parking is scarce and stories of mechanics and car salesman gouging their customers are a dime-a-dozen. Sometimes, car owners probably wonder why they have a car at all. There has to be a better way and, these days, there just might be.

It's called 'car sharing' and it's a model for car rental that has existed in Europe in various forms for decades and has just recently started becoming popular in North America. It's becoming a more economical option for businesses that need cars to visit clients and individuals who want aCcess to their own car, but drive less than 10,000 kilometers per year.

Basically, the customer pays either an annual or monthly fee, depending on the plan, plus a one-time application fee and an hourly or daily rate that is more expensive on weekends compared to weekdays and only applies when you're driving.

For example, ZipCar is a car sharing company available across the U.S., and in Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, and the Toronto location offers both an annual and monthly plan that breaks down as follows:

There's hardly been any job growth in Canada in the last little while -- in fact, a recent Statistics Canada report shows that employment growth has stagnated. Meanwhile, nobody seems quite sure where the economy's heading. As a parent of two young boys I find myself worrying about what opportunities will exist for them when they're ready to embark on their own career paths.

What I'm realizing is that when it comes to kids and their future, there's no time like the present to start teaching them skills that could eventually turn into employment. There are many classes and camps for kids offered as after school programs or on weekends that could be fun ways to learn skills or spark an interest that will help them find their way to a career later in life.

It was hard to do, but in the same week I started researching this hypermiling thing, gas prices spiked to almost $1.30 a litre. It was also the week I got my first real speeding ticket. I took all of it as a sign from the Fates that I should probably slow down a little.

I'm not a speed demon by any stretch, but I do tend to go most places while travelling about 10km over the limit. I am sensitive about using my brakes unnecessarily (to save gas yes, but more to save my brakes), and I've always known that better driving can = better fuel economy. Still, this particular experiment astonished me. In one round trip, by following a few really simple rules, I managed to save almost $30 in gas.

"Hyper-what?"

It was a Tuesday morning and I'd just read that gas prices were going up again this spring. My stomach was curled up in a tight little ball, and I'd just written to a friend that I wasn't sure what we were going to do about the fairly regular road trips we take across the province and back, each month.

I had to Google hypermiling to find out what she was talking about. It turns out there are whole clubs full of people across the continent who play games with themselves, their vehicles, and sometimes each other, in order to wring the very best fuel economy they can out of their cars.

Now, I've always known that smarter driving can mean better bang for your buck in the fuel economy department, but I had absolutely NO idea just how much could be saved by following a few simple rules. I was skeptical, but I tried them, and I was floored: On my very first tank of gas trying this, I think I saved almost $30.

His quest for zero has made Mike Brigham No. 1. Brigham recently became the first owner of a Chevrolet Volt that significantly lowers its carbon footprint through a partnership agreement with a Canadian-based renewable energy company.

For a $198 option, the Volt can be upgraded to a Bullfrog Power-branded model that gives environmentally conscious owners the added benefit of seeing their power usage replenished into the electricity grid through the form of clean, renewable energy.

"I've been researching this vehicle for years," said Brigham, who is in the renewable energy industry and endeavours to live a life where he has a carbon footprint of nil. This month, he hosted a launch of the Bullfrog Power Volt at his home in The Beach area of Toronto. "I had been driving a Prius for 11 years but always wanted an electric vehicle for the energy benefits and because they are so much more fun to drive."

There are some things in life that take priority such as grocery shopping. Whether you like it or not for most people it's a basic weekly responsibility.

I for one don't mind grocery shopping by myself but when I've got my two sons under four with me it's usually a bit of a circus show. I end up losing my scribbled To-Buy list within about ten minutes of pushing the cart around, meaning multiple trips to the grocery store, time wasted and frustrations high. Enter the world of apps, where there are now tools available to help you organize your life and save money without the fuss and... paper. These free apps are quite basic, but really who needs something with a lot of bells and whistles when it comes to a to-do list or a financial summary?

Here are five free apps that will save you time and money when it comes to organizing your finances and your life.