Prices go higher every year, especially the cost of gas. Transportation is one big factor that makes the household budget difficult to cover all your expenses. Here are some guidelines to help you save money from transportation:

1. To save money, you must always check on your vehicle regularly. A well-maintained vehicle can get you out of trouble on repair expenses. You can actually spend only $50 on maintaining your vehicle and save up to $800 on repair costs in a year. You can even save more if you do the maintenance yourself and not bring your car into an auto shop.

2. If you want to save more money, it is recommended not to buy a new car. The value of a car depreciates automatically when you drive it out off the showroom of the car dealer shop. You may buy a car that is used at least one year. It will save you thousands of dollars to the actual worth of the car when it was new. The owner will then pay all the depreciated value of the car.  

3. Save money on buying used cars by comparing the prices of the car dealer and the actual price on the list of the used car dealer ads. To ensure the car that you buy is well conditioned, you may ask for the help of a mechanic to check if the car is good enough for its price. It is better to buy a used car from a person you know and trust. This will help you make sure that you have a good deal in acquiring a car. 

4. Try to compare gasoline rates. You may refuel your car with the gasoline station that offers the lowest price on gasoline. You can even save more by pumping gas yourself and use the lowest octane in your car’s manual. It is also recommended that you pay cash than credit cards that charge extra rates. Do not forget to check the gas cap if it is tightened to ensure no gas is spilled out. 

5. Always keep your engine tuned-up and have your tires inflated to their desired pressure to save you more money. A well-maintained engine consumes less gas. Keep your car’s trunk clean to save more fuel. Heavy loads in your vehicle can consume more fuel because of the excess weight it carries.

6. Try to limit the use of your car on your daily route. You may take the bus or the subway to save gasoline. You can also save time by ignoring the traffic that you encounter everyday on the streets.  

Summary:

Before starting to learn a speed reading technique you should establish your current reading speed. Knowing your starting point will allow you to measure your improvement,this will help to keep you motivated. It is also helpful to set a target which you would like to meet, make sure that this is a sensible target, if you feel daunted by the large leap from your current reading speed to the desired reading speed you can always set smaller weekly targets.

The first speed rea...

Keywords:

speed reading,speed reading technique,techniques

Article Body:

Before starting to learn a speed reading technique you should establish your current reading speed. Knowing your starting point will allow you to measure your improvement,this will help to keep you motivated. It is also helpful to set a target which you would like to meet, make sure that this is a sensible target, if you feel daunted by the large leap from your current reading speed to the desired reading speed you can always set smaller weekly targets.

The first speed reading technique we will discuss is the line technique. Most people were taught to read by growing letters into syllables, syllables into words and words into sentences. When we read as adults we are continuing the same learnt pattern, starting with the left most word of a line and working across the page or column until we reach the right hand side. This speed reading technique replaces this habit with the concept of reading a phrase, sentence or line at one glance. The idea is to look at the middle of the line and the grasp the whole line at one time, then move onto the next line. By using this speed reading technique you are effectively reading down the page rather than across the page as traditionally taught.

Some people believe that the line speed reading technique can improve your reading speed by as much as fifty percent. The second speed reading technique which we would like to introduce is called the card technique. Since we read one word at a time, there is a tendency for our eyes to be drawn back across text which we have already covered. Research shows us that this very high in primary school children who are just learning to read significantly less in students in tertiary education, implying that the more we read the less we do this. However, even university students have been recorded to regress read by as much as fifteen or twenty times per hundred words. This means that when we complete a passage, there may have been twenty percent of the text read twice. The card speed reading technique aims to reduce this wasted word absorption. This speed reading technique is simple; take a piece of card and place it above the first line you are going to read. As you read each line move the card down so that there is effectively not text to regress read to. As you are hopefully trying to apply the line speed reading technique as well you should draw a line vertically down the middle of the card, this will act as a guide to your eyes to help you apply the line speed reading technique simultaneously with the card speed reading technique.

As will all new skills it is important to practice as much as possible. When learning or practicing a new speed reading technique you must ensure that your are working in a calm and uninterrupted environment, this will help you to achieve the best results.

Good luck in you new speed reading technique.

Summary:

CAME AGAIN

Used in the formbook, this phrase is used to indicate when a horse renews its effort after dropping back in a race.

CAMERA PATROL

Introduced officially 30th June, 1960 at Newmarket.

Originally, cameras just photographed the latter stages of a race from varying different angles, often head on. Later the coverage was extended to provide a complete visual record of a race using a mobile camera.

The objective is to obtain evidence for use when an objection ...

Keywords:

horse racing terms,betfair,betting exchange,sports,articles,dictionary,advice,gambling,help

Article Body:

CAME AGAIN

Used in the formbook, this phrase is used to indicate when a horse renews its effort after dropping back in a race.

CAMERA PATROL

Introduced officially 30th June, 1960 at Newmarket.

Originally, cameras just photographed the latter stages of a race from varying different angles, often head on. Later the coverage was extended to provide a complete visual record of a race using a mobile camera.

The objective is to obtain evidence for use when an objection is filed, or when there’s a Steward’s inquiry. There is now extensive usage of closed circuit television on race courses, and the video replay is used to back up the evidence from the camera patrol.

The combination of the two has been instrumental in recent years in reducing underhand practices at race meets, that had been occurring for many years.

CARD

Short for race card, the official runners and riders program which is on sale at race courses.

The “Card” also appears in newspaper headings, for example “The Chepstow Card” or the “Card for Uttoxeter”.

Phrases may read for example “The best bet on the card” or “going through the card”, which refers to selection or association with all the winners on the card.

CARPET

For anyone who doesn’t understand John McCririck’s presentation of betting on C4, specifically the slow motion tic tac, and odd betting terms he uses, the phrase “carpet”, a favourite of his, is derived from convict slang for a three month prison term.

In other words “carpet” is three to one in the betting. John O Neill (RIP) had a huge repertoire of betting terminology and his return of the starting prices in the press room at the Northern race courses is badly missed.

CAST IN HIS/HER BOX

Sometimes when a horse lays down in their traveling horse box or stable loose box, they can have problems getting up again off the straw. They are said to be “cast in the box”. This is obviously not very beneficial on race day.

CHALK JOCKEY

Until a rider is successful i.e. has ridden a few winners, they don’t justify having their name painted onto the jockeys and riders boards, which fit into the numbers board at the racecourse.

Therefore their names are chalked or whitewashed onto a blank board and they are referred to as a “Chalk Jockey”

CHAMPIONSHIPS

The number of winners ridden, or the biggest amount of prize money won in a season determines Trainer and Jockeys championships.

There is no real recognition of championships, in fact these titles are purely a remnant of tradition, although it is still possible to wager on the outcome of these championships.

CHASE

Otherwise known as steeplechase. The derivation is from an event in Ireland, 1752, when Mr. O Callahan accepted the challenge from Mr. Edmund Blake to race four and a half miles from Buttevant Church to St. Ledger across country, with the steeple of the latter representing the winning post.

This was the origin of National Hunt Racing, which is now the basis for modern steeplechasing, except obviously without the steeples.

Todays chases are races over fences between two and four miles, usually around three. The fences are made from birch, and are open ditches, water jumps or plain fences.

The water jumps are often considered rather dangerous nowadays, but provide great spectacle. However their days may be numbered due to frequent deaths.

Horses are not supposed to be raced over fences until July of the year in which they are four years old, by law. Usually such horses do not appear in public till they are five or six, usually after having had a career in hurdles.

CLAIMING RACE

These races allow the horses to be “claimed” post race, for an advertised sum of money. Often known as “a claimer”.

If a horse’s owner requires it to race with less than the maximum weight then the claiming price is reduced accordingly. The racing rules determine that the median price at which a horse can be claimed out of a claimer is the amount published next to the horses name on the race card.

The weight carried by a horse during a race is dependent on the minimum amount for which in may be claimed, so therefore it is the trainer who in effect handicaps his own horse.

Post race, all claims have to be made in writing. All claims have to be equal or higher to the race “claiming” amount.

Friendly claims may be proposed by a runner’s connections in a race. This is usually an effort to keep a charge by making a bid which is in effect higher than the competing claims. Claims must all be sealed and placed into the claims box on the clerk of the scales table, no later than ten minutes after the ok signal has been given by the Stewards.

Claims cannot be altered or withdrawn with the horse going to the individual who submits the highest claim above the minimum price. In the event of a tie, lots are drawn.

The owner takes 15% of any surplus over the published minimum claiming price plus 90% of that minimum. The racecourse receives the remaining 85% of the surplus and 10% to a published minimum.

Connections who submit a “friendly” claim have to pay 85% of the surplus and 10% of the minimum to keep the horse if their bid is successful.

With most people, a vacuum cleaner isn't really an

inspiring machine. If you don't care about how it

works, then you probably don't want to vacuum to start

with. At the same time, no one wants to live in a

pig sty or dirty home even.

These days however, things have began to change for

the better, and people's attitudes are changing as

well. Vacuum cleaners are becoming interesting and

it's all thanks to James Dyson, the inventor of the

Dyson vacuum cleaner.

All thanks to Dyson, vacuum cleaners have taken on

a personality and life of their own. These very

same tactics are even employed by the likes of

Apple to successfully ploy their iMacs and iPods to

the masses have now been used with tremendous

results with vacuum cleaners.

Now, let's take a look at the decision that faces

you when buying a flashy vacuum cleaner. First of

all, you have the choice between the upright or

canister versions. The upright style of vacuum

cleaners will require you to use them in the

traditional push and pull fashion, although the

latest vacuum from Tyson, the DC15, has even turned

this technology on its head with "Ball Technology"

that will let you glide around your home with the

greatest of ease - in any direction you please.

Canister vacuum cleaners on the other hand come

with a hose attachment for great control and

flexibility, as you can quickly and easily get

to all of the hard to reach places. There isn't

really a lot of difference between the two, and

it's mainly down to your personal preference,

even though the upright vacuum is best suited to

larger carpets.

You should also consider the power of the motor

and efficiency of the filtration system as well.

Those that suffer from allergies will want to

pay close attention to the filtration. Dyson for

one has been very successful by marketing the

benefits of its patented "Cyclone" technology,

which doesn't use a bag nor does it ever get

clogged up.

If you feeling really daring and adventurous and

want to stay ahead of the curve, you could go

for one of the very popular robotic vacuum cleaners

such as the ZA01 from Electrolux or the cheaper

iRobot from Roomba. While you amuse yourself or

do other things, the robot will move around your

home on it's own will, vacuuming your entire

home until it is spotless. The robot even has

the technology and intelligence to return to the

base when it is running low on battery power and

recharge itself.

If you want to be different and unique, a flashy

vacuum cleaner is the way to go. There are many

different models and types to choose from, from

cheap vacuums to those that cost hundreds of

dollars. All you have to do is meet your creative

side halfway and let the fun begin!

In reality, you really do not have to spend a lot of money on expensive health club or fitness centers memberships, treadmills, or the latest fitness gadget to get moving.

However, some people find that if they make a monetary investment, they are more likely to follow through on fitness.

Fitness centers are, basically, built to provide people the proper fitness equipments, trainings, and other devices needed to keep an individual physically fit.

However, not all fitness centers are created equal. In fact, there are fitness centers that require their members to sign some contracts, which in the end will not be easy to cancel. Hence, it is important to know the characteristics of the fitness center that will work best for you.

Here is a list of some tips that you can use:

1. Make your mind up on things that you need

Before you choose a fitness center, you should first know what your needs are as far as physical fitness is concerned. This will determine the kind of fitness center that you will find.

For example, if you are so much into sports fitness rather than the typical physical fitness activities like aerobics, then it would be better to choose a fitness center that has sports facilities and not just treadmills.

2. Do not forget to shop around

It may sound so cliché-ish but it really pays a lot to a person who shops around before deciding on something. Hence, when choosing fitness centers, it is best to do some shopping first and get to compare the prices, charges, and the facilities available in a health club.

In this way, you get to choose the best and yet affordable fitness center you could ever find.

3. Consider your budget

It does not necessarily meant that just because you have plenty of money, you will eventually give in to a fitness center that you have first encountered.

It is best that you have a budget to follow so that you will know where to focus your finances before you decide on signing-up for a fitness center.

Just remember, you want to work out for your body and not working out something that you will soon be in debt just because you forgot to stick to your budget.

4. Know where your money goes

If it makes you sweat and lose those fats and cellulites, fine! Just be sure that whatever kind of fitness center that you have chosen, it is important to know that you get what you have paid for.

5. Be wary of the physical attributes and characteristics of the center that you wish to enroll in.

Make sure that the fitness center that you have chosen is clean, properly ventilated, and complete with all the amenities that you need.

Be sure also that the equipments that the fitness center has a re all in good working condition. Never use fitness equipments that appear to be worn out already. This will only cause more harm than good.

All of these things are boiled down to the fact that a fitness center does not have to be a perfect fitness center. What matters most is that the fitness center that you have chosen is good enough to generate good results in your body.