Well, I wound up actually only taking one paid vacation day, so that means I have several more to use up before the end of the year. The other days I took off were just regular days off for me. But, I did have a few days' rest at least, and I was glad for that.
I'm off today, but that doesn't mean it's time to relax too much. I'll be heading into town after awhile to pay my car payment and do a little shopping. Gas jumped yesterday from 3.73/gallon, which is what it was when I filled my car, to 3.95/gallon. That's the price of it when I was on my way home from work.
I tell you, the rapid rise of gas prices sends me into shock every time it happens. Yet, we still have to drive to get to work and to places for shopping, don't we? This means very carefully planning each and every trip. For instance, when I go to work, I try to also run a short errand on my way. That way, I don't have to make an extra trip into town and use gas faster.
I shop locally as much as possible. Driving in stop-and-go traffic in Big Town just uses my gasoline up that much faster, besides making the car run a little hot. By shopping at stores in Small Town, I can save some gas. Small Town doesn't offer every single thing I can find in Big Town, but it offers a pretty wide variety so I can pretty well do all my shopping there.
Any time you save money, it's as good as earning money. The old saying "A penny saved is a penny earned" was never truer than it is now. Becoming frugal is a must.
