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Coping With High Gas Prices this Memorial
Day Weekend and Beyond
Dallas, Texas (May
22, 2008)
With Memorial Day Weekend road trips on the horizon, it is
wise to find solutions to compensate for the extra travel expenses this
weekend and beyond. How do you offset the weight of high energy prices
on your budget? Michelle Brodsky Goldstein, Principal, of Goldstein
Financial Future and a busy wife and mother and nationally recognized
financial advisor recommends five solutions to stay on track and relieve
the pressure on your accounts.
“With gas at $4.00 a
gallon, most of us have to make some major adjustments to our driving
habits. Since gas prices don’t seem to be going down any time soon, we
all need to be permanent making lifestyle changes like carpooling,
frequenting our neighborhood stores, and keeping track of potential
mileage deductions,” said Goldstein.
First, fall in love
with your neighborhood. Save valuable gas by eating at the local
restaurants, grocery shopping at your local store, and bringing your dry
cleaning to a nearby alterations place. Goldstein said “I have gone to
the same tailor since I was a child. At the time he shortened my
uniforms and now he shortens my suits. Unfortunately, his store is ten
miles from my home at White Rock Lake. It is just too expensive for me
to bring my alterations to him anymore, so I have had to switch to the
cleaners down the street. When gas returns to under $3.00 a gallon
again, I hope to return to my childhood haunts.”
Second, arrange a
carpool to camp, to birthday parties, to family events.
Third, Plan your
routes carefully. Cut out unnecessary miles by changing your
thinking from what is convenient time wise to what is convenient
geographically. You may also have to put your needs above your wants for
now. You may have to buy groceries at the store that is walking distance
from you rather than driving to the discount outlet that may be 15 miles
out from your home.
Fourth, make sure
you are documenting your business miles, charitable miles, and medical
miles for possible, future tax deductions. Either keep a log book
or look up miles on Google. Forms or log books are easy to find at
Office Depot or you can download a form online at
www.creative-eq.ca/PDFs/mile_track.pdf .
Finally, make
lemonade out of lemons. If you are an investor, add some energy
funds or stocks to your portfolio.
Goldstein Financial
Future is a fee-only financial planning firm based in Dallas, Texas,
that offers life-cycle planning to individuals and retirement planning
for employers and employees. Michelle Brodsky Goldstein personally
advises clients on how to navigate through their financial future
whether they are readying for marriage,
a family or anticipating a major
life change of divorce or retirement. For employers and their employees,
Goldstein specializes in designing employee benefit and retirement
plans.
For more information or to schedule an appointment please call
214-361-6105 or go to www.goldsteinfinancialfuture.com
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