I have been known to drive around town in attempt to save some money on gasoline.  Most of time I am able to save at least a couple of pennies per gallon - which makes me feel great.  I thought that I was doing myself a big favor by buying the gas at a discount, until I realized one thing:

I was wasting a lot of gas trying to “save” money.

In fact, in most cases, I was wasting more money trying to find a deal than if I just went to a gas station in my area.  After shaking my head a little bit (to try and get my brain working again), I decided that I should figure out a better way to save money on gas.

I asked the pump attendant while filling up what I could do to pay less at the pumps.  He suggested that I try getting a gas credit card and get paid for each time I put gas in my car.  I had to ask if the gas cards were new, and he said that he has had one for a long time.

The next time I am at the bank I will be inquiring about their gas credit cards.  Getting a discount everywhere I go sure seems like a good deal to me.

I remember last summer when I was preparing to start working on my dissertation. I found that it was almost as hard figuring out what I was going to do it on as it was doing the actual work involved. I was a wreck for a long time. Just ask my husband. I am pretty sure that I was not an easy person to live with at the time.

Considering I never imagined myself working on thesis writing, I knew I had come a long way in my schooling. I had done a lot better than I had thought I might, as my high school grades barely got me into college. I buckled down and started studying. I decided if I was paying so much for my education, I had better start taking it seriously.

And now, here I am, starting to work on my dissertation. I want it to be spectacular. I am going to dedicate it to all those people who said that I couldn’t do it. Apparently, there were quite a number of people who said that I was not college material. Thanks for the encouragement. But, I only had to prove it to myself. In the grand scheme of things, no one else really mattered.

I was wondering if there was a difference between college student credit cards and regular credit cards. It seems like a lot of my college friends have credit cards. I chose not to go to college for a few years and I just got my first card. It was like pulling teeth, so I was wondering how it was so easy for them to get them.

I also wondered what would happen if I filled out some student credit card applications. Other than the fact that I am not currently a student, I am working and am in the same age category as the rest of them. Could I really be turned down due to the fact that I was not a student?

I think that credit cards for students also have a lower interest rate than my credit card does. Not that it matters because I pay it off every month. But, some day I may not be able to. I think I am going to try and get one. I will not lie, but it is worth giving it a shot. If all else fails, I will be going to college next year and I can get one then.

I am looking for a place where I can buy term papers. I have way too many that are due coming up and I thought that if I bought a few than I could put more effort into others and turn in a couple of really good papers rather than a bunch of mediocre ones. I figured this was better for my education and I know I can’t do it on my own this time around.

My friend had purchased a custom written essay from her cousin and she got a great mark on it. The best part was that it freed up her time to study and work hard in her other classes and subjects. It never hurt her education at all and I think it was a good decision for her and it is a good decision for me.

I don’t feel guilty at all about the decision. I have written all of my own book reports my whole life and I have done a really good job at it. It is not as though I did not learn the stuff I am buying papers on. I just am overwhelmed and too busy to do all of them. I am only buying a couple and it is going to help me be a great student this semester.

I remember back to the day that I had to write my college application essay. More importantly, I remember having writer’s block from the moment I sat down and tried to write it. I must have scrunched up and thrown out an entire package of paper before I had one paragraph that I was happy with.

I even at one point, asked my mother if I could just do an order essay. She laughed and told me that I was making a bigger deal about it than I needed to and that I was a good writer. I am glad that my mom had so much faith in me. She had always been my biggest fan and I love her for it.

Now, as I sit here and write my MBA essay, I realize how far I have come. I wish that my mom was here to see how meaningless that one little application essay was in the whole scheme of things. The funny thing is that the tables have completely turned. I am now her biggest fan.

I wanted to ask about buying some privacy software for my computer. For the first time ever, I have a roommate. I have no problem with her using my computer, but there are some things on there that I would rather she not have access to. For example, I don not want her having access to my online banking information.

It is not as if I don’t trust her. I live with her, after all, but it is absolutely none of anyone’s business what is in my bank account. I was discussing this with my boyfriend and he suggested that I look into Paretologic privacy controls. I have no idea what that is, but he is a bit of a computer geek, so I guess that he would know what he is talking about.

I questioned him as to whether an anonymizer would be a good idea for me. He thought that there were better options out there and told me that he would take care of it for me. He is such a sweetie and I love having him around when it comes to different computer issues. Now my privacy will be protected and I can breathe easy.

There is one thing that I find funny in life, and that is some of the people that attend college.  I had many friends start of with amazing dreams of big careers and adventure as a result of their college degrees.  To be honest, some of them did succeed in their dreams.

But others just did not make it.  Sure, they got their degree in their hand, but they missed their dream job completely.  In one respect I find it funny - you know, every time you turn on the television or read the paper, they are always bragging about how much better your life would be if you went to college.  On the other hand, I feel sorry for these people and their dreams that just will never be.

For example, Julia, a girl I went to college with years ago, now works at the college we attended.  She had always had big dreams of starting her own chartered accountant firm, but that wasn’t the way things worked out.  Instead she reads all the admission essays that are mailed in for potential students.

I can’t imagine that reading an application essay would be much fun. What makes me even sadder is that they are online essays, and she is stuck in her cubicle eight hours a day reading them.  Each time I see her, she is never happy and yet she was so full of life and joy back in college.

I wonder if she knew what her eventual job would be if she would have ever attended college.  I guess she will never know.

I have had a few friends that have traveled to Murrieta, California.  From all the stories and pictures that they have brought back, I have been seriously considering taking a vacation there.

My only problem is that I know very little about what I can do or see down there.  From what I have read in the RAAS (a local magazine for the Murrieta area), it is a great little community.

Looking inside the RAAS, I found that there were a few places in the area that I thought I should go visit.  Perhaps the most exciting of them all was the Murieta hot springs.  Oh, how I would love to soak in the hot water right now!

Alright, I will just have to wait.  A plan is coming together regarding what and where I should go when I travel there.  Sure, I still have to plan how I am getting there, but those are small details.  I just can’t wait to travel to Murrieta - the trip is going to be great!

I have been considering that maybe I should be taking out some affordable individual health insurance for myself.  You see, just recently I have decided to work at home and I am no longer under the blanket insurance policy that the corporation I worked for provided.

Even though I am as healthy as a horse, I worry that if I should get sick, that I may run into problems getting any type of coverage.  Speaking of things that may happen, I should be looking at accident health insurance as well - even though I am at home, it doesn’t mean that an accident won’t happen.

I should add to my list to get individual vision insurance as well.  It would be nice to have the option to replace my glasses should I need a pair and not pay an arm and a leg for them. 

Now that I have a list, I will have to do some research on the health insurance companies before I take out a plan - but thankfully I can do that at home and online.  Once I know more about the options out there, I will talk to an insurance broker - but first I have to learn.