We know they’re better for the environment, but do hybrid cars actually save you money in the long run?

Considering the price of the car vs. a traditional gas model PLUS the gasoline saved, this has been a hotly contested debate in the automobile world.

Several studies released by Consumer Reports and other review agencies have shown that on average, you don’t actually save money by buying a hybrid car. BUT, most of these studies only take into account the difference between gas mileages and they just don’t take into account many of the other factors that go into calculating the total cost of ownership.

A new study released by Intellichoice, a vehicle research center, shows that hybrid vehicles actually DO SAVE MONEY over time. In addition to fuel savings, these are some of the ways that hybrid vehicles save you money.

Better Value Retention

Have you ever heard the saying that your car is worth 30% less the moment you drive it off the lot? As a former wholesale automobile dealer I know that this is true of every new car – except the hybrid. A hybrid vehicle retains its value better than any other type of vehicle. Interestingly, the value retention is as true in the first year, as it is FIVE YEARS DOWN THE LINE!

Grab that Federal Tax Credits

There are numerous tax credits you can take advantage of by driving a hybrid vehicle. Yes, they change based on when and where (state) you’ll be buying the car. These tax credits can range anywhere from $250 to $3,150 depending on the state, the time period and the vehicle you’re driving, so keep an eye out for the rebates as you should be able to find both state and federal credits (to lower your tax bill in April).

Lower Maintenance Costs

Right now a hybrid costs more to purchase up front (in the next few years you should see the prices get closer to traditional gas models), and their maintenance costs are significantly lower than the average vehicle. According to the Intellichoice report, the cost of the average non-hybrid vehicle of a comparable nature to the Prius over a five-year period was $33,305. Conversely, the Prius incurred only $19,897 in costs. As someone who’s wife drove a hybrid Civic for many years (and got over 200,000 miles on that engine before trading it in), I can attest to the fact that it was a HUGE cost saver.

Financing Options May be BETTER

One big hidden cost to buying a vehicle is financing. The percent interest you pay on purchasing your vehicle is a huge part of the total cost of your purchase (unless you’re a cash buyer this is REALLY important). While there are no ongoing special rates for the Toyota Prius, the Civic Hybrid or other hybrid vehicles, the fact is that financing deals are run several times a year specifically for hybrids by most major manufacturers, so again BE ON THE LOOKOUT.

That means that if you wanted to buy a Toyota Prius and just waited until a 0.9% APR deal came around, you could save a significant amount of money.

Insurance Costs

Insurers also take the driving habits of hybrid owners into account. If you own a hybrid, your accident rates are a lot lower than other types of car owners, which in turn lowers your insurance costs.

So, taking all the various factors into account, not just the differences in fuel costs, hybrid vehicles really do end up saving money in the long run.

I received the products mentioned below for consideration of this article. 

I am an old golfer

I have been trying to hit that little ball into a hole for a VERY long time. I began playing in high school and I turn 70 in a matter of weeks. You do the math. My wife often asks me why I play if I come home hurting and frustrated. She asks why I still need to take lessons after all of this time. She obviously doesn’t play, because the love of the game is what keeps we old golfers going…swing after swing (whether at the driving range during the week or on the course on the weekend).

While the game itself hasn’t changed in my over 50 years of playing, my equipment certainly has.

Upgrading clubs and shoes are something we all do, but as we age there are a few more things that I find myself needing and one to enjoy when I get home.

Tuli’s Plantar Fasciitis Insoles

These shock absorbers for your feet are a no-brainer for golfers who suffer from foot pain. I kept thinking that a new pair of golf shoes would help, but it turned out that the paid I bought last season are FINE, all they needed was a premium arch support from Tuli’s. It’s amazing what replacing your inner sole with a product that fully supports your feet. I don’t have plantar fascitis, but I do have issues with my arches and as a result, I get heel pain. It’s amazing that I got IMMEDIATE comfort once I put these into my shoes.

They are simple to use. Simply take out your old insoles and measure your Tuli’s Plantar Fasciitis Insoles and trim to fit. Then toss your old, flat, no-good insoles in the trash and replace them with your new Tuli’s. It’s amazing how comfortable your feet will feel, and how it will improve your game. I’m not promising that they’ll take any strokes off your game, but you may just find yourself playing a full 18 holes instead of quitting after 9.

Tuli’s Plantar Fascitiis Insoles provide

• Metatarsal Cushion – with a multi-layer design to provide comfort with each step you take
• Metatarsal Arch Support – for added relief and comfort
• Arch Support – this superior medial arch support helps with plantar fasciitis and flat feet (like mine)
• Heel Cushion – with a 4″ angled heel support that will improve your posture and offer you comfort

Tule’s Insoles are available from Medi-Dyne – $39.99

Cho-Pat Dual Action Knee Strap

The knees always seem to be the first to go. One wrong twist (yes, honey, THAT is why I’m always taking lessons), and I’m done, so keeping my knee stabilized means that I can play both without knee pain or even worse, injuring it once again. That little bit of support can absorb and disperse the unnatural force that our bodies cam put on the knee and relieve it. Cho-Pat’s knee strap really helps reduce keep mobility throughout the game with great support. Why risk having to sit out another match just because your knee isn’t up to it?

Above the Knee Support

• Reduces the force of quad muscles on the knee
• Lessens the potential for misalignment

Below the Knee Support

• Improves tracking
• Reduces displacement

Relieve and Prevent:

• Patellar Tendonitis
• Weak Knees
• Jumper’s Knee
• Osgood Schlatter Disease

Order a Cho-Pat Dual Action Knee Strap (or 2) at Medi-Dyne for $27.99

2Toms Gripshield Grip Enhancer

My son (who’s a much better golfer than I am) has been asking about this product, so I was happy to have him put it to the test for me. He can go out and play 30 holes with his friends (ah, to be 30-something again), but his non-gloved hand would get sweaty and slippery. He gave it a go this Memorial Day weekend and found that it definitely made a difference in how he was able to keep the club comfortably in his hand by providing a nice dry palm to make gripping the club much easier.

Applying 2Toms Gripshield is as easy as putting on hand cream. Simply shake the bottle and put a small amount on one hand and rub the front, back, fingers, and between your fingers with the product. Unlike other grip-enhancing products, 2Toms stays on all day and doesn’t dry out with a film. The small 1.50-ounce bottle fits easily into your golf bag so that you can reapply it as you need to.

2Toms Gripshield dries your hands for a better grip

• Enhances Grip
• Provides a Natural Grip
• No Powdery Mess
• Works Fast
• Non-Sticky and Non-Greasy

Pick up a bottle at Medi-Dyne and while you’re at it, pick one up for the tennis player in your life. – Priced at $10.99

After a good day on the links, this Dad wants to come home and enjoy BBQ! But, he also wants it to be easy and delicious. That’s why I choose…

Bushwick Kitchens

Whether you like it sweet or hot, salty or tangy, Bushwick Kitchen has a sauce that you’ll love.

The pre-made gift boxes make Father’s Day gift giving easy, and you can choose from an array of trio options from

• Three Knees Spicy Set
• Weak Knees Siracha
• Trees Knees Maple Gift Set with Honey
• Trees Knees Maple Gift Set with Cinnamon
• Bees Knees Honey Gift Set
• Or make up your own gift with individual sauces and honey

They offer free shipping on orders over $35.

Order them now at Bushwick Kitchen – prices vary

We hope you have a wonderful Father’s Day! Now go out and hit some balls.

When was the last time you ditched the golf cart and walked the course? I know, it’s so much easier, the sun is off your head, etc. There are a million reasons that we take the cart, but as many reasons as we have to take the cart, there isn’t even enough space here to include all the benefits of walking the golf course. Walking is simple to do, most healthy people can do it, and most golf clubs are the perfect place to get that exercise in during a round. You can start by walking the back 9 and progress to the full 18.

Here’s why you should consider it.

1. Burns More Calories – Walking burns calories like any other exercise, but without the impact and stress that other forms of exercise can like jogging and running. Even if you’re not feeling well, you can go on a leisurely stroll and still get the benefits of the movement.

2. Builds a Strong Heart – Working out always helps your heart because you cause your cardiovascular system to work a little harder, which is good for it when you’re healthy. Keeping your heart strong will keep you alive much longer.

3. Builds Better Bone Health – As we age, our bones become more brittle and we experience more pain. This can lead to broken bones and other issues. But if you keep walking and moving, you’ll be less likely to develop those problems.

4. Improves Balance and Coordination – The more you use your body, the more it works for you. Walking more often improves your balance and coordination because your body gets used to standing upright and moving more often. It’s a matter of practice and getting the muscles and ligaments strong and balance (and coordination) are so important to the game of golf.

5. Improves Your Lung Capacity – Walking will get your breathing up and cause you to build your lung capacity. Usually, it takes about six to eight weeks of cardiovascular workouts to see the full improvement that you can experience. Even though you may not walk that fast as you walk to the tee box, you’ll still be doing your lungs some good.

6. Lower Your Blood Sugar – People with high blood sugar can see huge benefits from walking and burning off that extra sugar in their blood. It’s not a cure for type 1 diabetes but it can help people with type 2 tremendously, and it can help people with type 1 lower their insulin requirements.

7. Eases Joint Pain – Did you see that? Do you complain about how you ache when you get home from playing? As people age, they tend to get joint pain, often caused by arthritis. It might seem counter-intuitive to keep moving through that pain, but the pain from arthritis absolutely can be reduced from more movement. This is because arthritis causes a build-up of scar tissue in the joints from lack of movement, so if you move more it can stop that problem.

8. Boosts Your Immunity – Getting your blood pumping and your cardiovascular system working will also boost your immunity from regular common illnesses like colds.

9. Energizes You – Anytime you’re feeling tired for no reason, try going on a fast, ten-minute walk and you’ll find that you have much more energy. This is one reason a walk is an excellent way to take on the course.

10. Improves Your Mental Health and Mood – A nice walk on a nature-laden golf course can vastly improve your mental health and mood. If you are feeling down, getting out in nature for walking instead of taking a cart can help.

11. Helps You Live Longer and Healthier – When you incorporate daily exercise into your life, it will extend your life. Not only that, but you’ll also enjoy your life much longer because you won’t be as sick or in as much pain.

12. Strengthens and Tone Your Leg Muscles – There is no hiding the fact that walkers have good legs, but it does also improve muscle tone all over your body – especially if you work on getting your arms in on the action (just don’t hit anyone with your driver as you walk along) and pay close attention to your glutes and core muscles.

13. Boosts Your Creativity – Anytime you’re having a glut of good ideas for anything you’re trying to accomplish, going for a walk without technology, just you and nature (or just you and the treadmill), you’ll get a boost of creativity that will carry you through.

Walking is something almost anyone can do. Because of that fact, it makes it the perfect exercise to start if you want to get healthier and improve your life in every single way. When are you going to start your walking program?

There you are, minding your own business doing the things on your to-do list when it hits you…life’s gotten pretty boring. When’s the last time you had something to look forward to? When’s the last time you did something memorable or life-changing?

I know that I’m finding it more and more since we’ve been home so much due to Covid-19. It’s like a viscious cycle. You start to feel like home in front of the television is the only safe place to be. Well, that and the driving range (driving ranges were made for socially distancing).

Even during normal times, life can get pretty boring from time to time and it’s hard to put our finger on when and why it happens. What once was new and exciting has become routine and boring. What once was all you thought you wanted, somehow became not quite enough. It sounds like the blah’s have set in which can feel stifling.

When did life get so boring anyway?

That might be hard to pinpoint. For me, a lot of it had to do with retiring. When you go from having a purpose to get up in the morning (even though you may complain about it), to having no schedule, no time to get to work, no reason to even get dressed, it gets tough. For most of us, it isn’t an exact moment but a collection of moments and lackluster experiences that have become so routine and easy that they don’t account for much anymore.

One person’s boring is another person’s security. Your boredom might stem from doing the same things over and over again to the point that you are simply going through the motions without any thought about it. While other people might feel safe and secure in a routine, it might be wearing you down into a boredom abyss.

There are a lot of reasons that life gets boring. Sometimes it has to do with the stage of life we are in. There are times when life seems to stand still:

• The college years, when you’d really like to get your career going
• The young family years when you’re overwhelmed with small children
• The mid-life slump
• RETIREMENT

Each of these, and other phases of life, can cause boredom, apathy, and a sense of going nowhere fast. This doesn’t mean life won’t get better, it just signals that you may want to do something to shake things up a bit. You don’t have to make a radical change to get your enthusiasm back, sometimes all you need is a jump start.

Think of your golf game. At some point, you realize that you’ve been playing the same game of golf, making the same mistakes and a light bulb goes off in your head. YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR SWING. So, you make an appointment with a golf pro to work on it.

If you’re feeling the boredom slump, take a minute and figure out how to “change your swing” and know that it’s not permanent. There’s plenty you can do to shake things up and revive your spirit and get excited about life again. Find ways to beat the blahs and get motivated to do something new and exciting, no matter what stage of life you’re in.