Bangladesh won by 6 wickets (with 62 balls remaining)
Friday, December 3, 2010
5 Ways to Save a Little More Each Month
[In Pictures: 12 Money Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes]
Here are five ways to save a little more each month:
1. Reduce Your Heating and Cooling Costs
Whether it is summer or winter, it is possible to cut your utility costs. Look for energy leaks in your home, and work to plug them up so that heating and cooling are not as expensive. You can also audit your plugs and power strips, consolidating your appliances and electronics in a way that allows you to turn off power to the plugs and avoid energy vampirism. Turn your water heater down and get a programmable thermostat. Efforts to reduce your utility costs can be surprisingly effective.
2. Cut Your Water Bills
My mother-in-law does laundry almost every day. Imagine what she could save in water bills if she waited and did laundry only once a week—or when there was a full load. You can cut your water bill by filling your dishwasher before running it, and taking shorter showers. Outside, you can use native plants in your landscaping so that water is not as necessary for your yard. A timer for your sprinkling system can help. You can also get a rain barrel, and store up water that can be used for your plants, rather than relying only on sprinklers.
3. Re-evaluate Your Cell Phone Needs
Many of us have cell phones now. But do you really need a huge plan? We have a pay as you go plan that does really well for us, saving us a bundle. You can also reconsider your need for a land line if you decide that your cell phone plan is necessary. Figure out whether VoIP services like Skype might be helpful, and how you can combine these types of phone services with a reasonable cell phone to save money.
[Visit the U.S. News My Money blog for the best money advice from around the web.]
4. Cancel Subscriptions
Do you really need those publications? Can you find them online? Is there a cheaper online subscription? What about downsizing your current subscription? Our family would never dream of canceling our Netflix subscription, but we are thinking of downsizing it to a streaming-only version. With the ability to have rentals available instantly, without discs, we may not need more expensive versions. Of course, our desire for certain shows means that we still have cable, but we have the most basic package. Consider where you can cut back, go to the library, or just forget subscriptions altogether.
5. Plan Your Meals
This is a big one. Actually planning your meals can be a good way to save money overall. You won't be scrambling to buy take out or use pre-packaged foods that are often more expensive. Meal planning also requires that you create a grocery list—something that has been shown to help you keep costs under control while shopping. Learn how to use the crock pot, or make simple meals that take little time to prepare. This can help you save a little money on food costs.
Bottom Line: These ideas are pretty simple and seem kind of obvious. However, sometimes we forget to go back to simple financial basics, making things more complex (and expensive) than they have to be.
Pinyo is the owner of Moolanomy Personal Finance Blog, which covers a wide range of personal finance and investing topics, with features that include reviews, comparison guides, and Q&A sections.
Snow batters Europe as Britain grinds to halt
Fresh snowfalls swept northern Europe, causing misery for travellers as airports remain closed, roads were blocked and Eurostar international rail services were cancelled
- A British Airways plane is seen parked as staff clear snow on the runways to reopen the airport at the London City Airport.
- Image Credit: AP
London: Fresh snowfalls swept northern Europe, causing misery for travellers as airports remain closed, roads were blocked and Eurostar international rail services were cancelled.
The unseasonable cold snap, which has lasted nearly a week, has brought Britain grinding to a halt, with thousands of schools closed and commuters stranded as rail services were cancelled and icy roads deemed unsafe.
Gatwick Airport, Britain's second busiest airport after Heathrow, closed for a second consecutive day, sparking outrage at the nation's apparent inability to cope with the cold.
The London airport said it hoped to reopen early Friday, but warned travellers to expect further delays and disruption.
Ministers have promised a review of how the transport network is coping, as newspapers said Britain had become a "laughing stock" abroad, but pointed out that the rest of Europe was also faring badly as temperatures plummeted.
Eurostar, which runs trains between London and Paris and Brussels, cancelled more than 20 trains Thursday and said it would operate a significantly reduced service until Sunday.
There would be no more tickets on sale until Monday at the earliest, it said.
Geneva international airport only reopened Thursday morning after heavy snow caused it to close for a day and a half, but its schedule was still subject to heavy delays.
Flights resumed at Dublin Airport late Thursday after it was closed to allow snow and ice to be cleared from the runways.
Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed Thursday at airports in Paris, Prague and Frankfurt - one of Europe's key air hubs.
The freezing weather has claimed 28 lives across central Europe this week, including 18 deaths since Tuesday in Poland, mostly of homeless men, as temperatures there plunged to minus 33 degrees Celsius (minus 27.5 Fahrenheit).
Snow storms that have swept the continent in recent days intensified in many places Thursday, including in London, where the first proper falls of the season left landmarks such as the British Museum covered in a layer of white.
But the pretty pictures belied the misery felt by many commuters stuck as services into the capital failed, a situation condemned as "unacceptable" by Jo deBank, communications officer for rail passenger watchdog London TravelWatch.
"After severe disruption in the last two years, we were assured that lessons had been learnt and contingency plans put in place, so we are bitterly disappointed at the delays and cancellations suffered by passengers," she said.
Many people gave up - one survey suggested that two in five staff across Britain were not able to get to work on Thursday morning, while a similar number were late arriving.
Insurer RSA estimated that the bad weather could cost the British economy up to 1.2 billion pounds (1.9 billion dollars, 2.3 billion euros) a day.
Others who braved it had trouble getting home, and hundreds of passengers were forced to bed down for the night in a freezing train which failed amid heavy snow at a station in Sussex, southeast England.
In Germany, Berlin woke up to more than ten centimetres (four inches) of snow, while almost 40 centimetres fell in Gera in the southeast, causing disruptions on train services and the closure of numerous roads.
Forecasters warned temperatures were likely to fall even further overnight Thursday, plunging to as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius in Brandenburg, the region surrounding the German capital.
In the northern French region of Normandy, snow measured 60 centimetres near the city of Cherbourg, the biggest snowfall in more than 40 years.
In the western Balkans, heavy rain caused flooding in Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, with more than 1,000 people evacuated from their homes, local media said.
While most of Europe shivered, residents of the Bulgarian capital Sofia enjoyed a seasonal heatwave with temperatures topping 20 degrees Celsius, while unseasonably high temperatures were also recorded in Greece.
"A record - 21.3 degrees - was established Thursday, the highest temperature for the month of December ever since measurements began in Sofia over 100 years ago," Krasimir Stoev from Bulgaria's national institute of meteorology told AFP.
The unseasonable cold snap, which has lasted nearly a week, has brought Britain grinding to a halt, with thousands of schools closed and commuters stranded as rail services were cancelled and icy roads deemed unsafe.
Gatwick Airport, Britain's second busiest airport after Heathrow, closed for a second consecutive day, sparking outrage at the nation's apparent inability to cope with the cold.
The London airport said it hoped to reopen early Friday, but warned travellers to expect further delays and disruption.
Ministers have promised a review of how the transport network is coping, as newspapers said Britain had become a "laughing stock" abroad, but pointed out that the rest of Europe was also faring badly as temperatures plummeted.
Eurostar, which runs trains between London and Paris and Brussels, cancelled more than 20 trains Thursday and said it would operate a significantly reduced service until Sunday.
There would be no more tickets on sale until Monday at the earliest, it said.
Geneva international airport only reopened Thursday morning after heavy snow caused it to close for a day and a half, but its schedule was still subject to heavy delays.
Flights resumed at Dublin Airport late Thursday after it was closed to allow snow and ice to be cleared from the runways.
Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed Thursday at airports in Paris, Prague and Frankfurt - one of Europe's key air hubs.
The freezing weather has claimed 28 lives across central Europe this week, including 18 deaths since Tuesday in Poland, mostly of homeless men, as temperatures there plunged to minus 33 degrees Celsius (minus 27.5 Fahrenheit).
Snow storms that have swept the continent in recent days intensified in many places Thursday, including in London, where the first proper falls of the season left landmarks such as the British Museum covered in a layer of white.
But the pretty pictures belied the misery felt by many commuters stuck as services into the capital failed, a situation condemned as "unacceptable" by Jo deBank, communications officer for rail passenger watchdog London TravelWatch.
"After severe disruption in the last two years, we were assured that lessons had been learnt and contingency plans put in place, so we are bitterly disappointed at the delays and cancellations suffered by passengers," she said.
Many people gave up - one survey suggested that two in five staff across Britain were not able to get to work on Thursday morning, while a similar number were late arriving.
Insurer RSA estimated that the bad weather could cost the British economy up to 1.2 billion pounds (1.9 billion dollars, 2.3 billion euros) a day.
Others who braved it had trouble getting home, and hundreds of passengers were forced to bed down for the night in a freezing train which failed amid heavy snow at a station in Sussex, southeast England.
In Germany, Berlin woke up to more than ten centimetres (four inches) of snow, while almost 40 centimetres fell in Gera in the southeast, causing disruptions on train services and the closure of numerous roads.
Forecasters warned temperatures were likely to fall even further overnight Thursday, plunging to as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius in Brandenburg, the region surrounding the German capital.
In the northern French region of Normandy, snow measured 60 centimetres near the city of Cherbourg, the biggest snowfall in more than 40 years.
In the western Balkans, heavy rain caused flooding in Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, with more than 1,000 people evacuated from their homes, local media said.
While most of Europe shivered, residents of the Bulgarian capital Sofia enjoyed a seasonal heatwave with temperatures topping 20 degrees Celsius, while unseasonably high temperatures were also recorded in Greece.
"A record - 21.3 degrees - was established Thursday, the highest temperature for the month of December ever since measurements began in Sofia over 100 years ago," Krasimir Stoev from Bulgaria's national institute of meteorology told AFP.
Fortune 500
Fortune on CNNMoney.com
The companies in this year's list slashed costs so fast and so deeply that even in a feeble recovery, their earnings soared.
Best Places to Live 2010
Money on CNNMoney.com
These small cities offer the optimal combination of job opportunities, top-notch schools, low crime, diversions, and more.
America's Best Colleges
| Find out which Ivy League school came out on top in the 27th annual rankings of national universities. |
The Richest Americans
Forbes.com
The Forbes 400 regained lost ground in 2010, while most were still smarting from the recession.
Financially Fit
Yahoo! Finance
Navigating today's unique challenges isn't easy. Here are five key areas to focus on as you get your finances back on track.
Talking Numbers
CNBC
A look at the top business news stories of the day, stock picks from the pros, and what investors should be watching in the week ahead
Oil hovers near $88 in Asia amid economic optimism
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Oil prices hovered near $88 a barrel Friday in Asia, with losses tempered by hopes of strong growth in demand for crude and Europe's progress in containing its debt crisis.
Benchmark oil for January delivery was down 35 cents to $87.60 a barrel at late afternoon Kuala Lumpur time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.25 to settle at $88 a barrel on Thursday, just shy of the 2010 high of $88.29.
Signs the U.S. economy is gaining strength have spurred a rally on Wall Street this week, and that in turn drove oil prices up. U.S. manufacturing activity, retail sales and the housing market all improved. And while more Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, the average over the past month fell to a two-year low.
Strong manufacturing data from China, a major crude importer, also lifted sentiment and turned attention away from European debt problems to the underlying strength of global oil demand, Barclays Capital said in a report.
"The momentum in global economic growth remains strong," it said. "Overall, the latest U.S. data remain consistent with our view of continued steady demand increases ahead."
Europe's progress on containing its debt crisis added to the optimism. The European Central Bank calmed markets after saying it would extend the availability of emergency loans and offer credit at a super-low rate through the first half of next year.
The European Union agreed on bailout loans for Ireland last weekend, the second country after Greece following soaring budget deficits. There are fears Portugal and Spain may have to follow suit.
Analysts said the crude market will take cues from monthly U.S. unemployment figures later Friday.
Ritterbusch and Associates foresaw rosy prospects for crude. It predicted prices could drift before hitting $90.50 a barrel in the near term. Goldman Sachs was even more sanguine, forecasting crude prices to hit an average $100 a barrel in 2011 and $110 in 2012.
In other Nymex trading in January contracts, heating oil fell 1 cent to $2.45 a gallon while gasoline shed 1 cent to $2.35. Natural gas fell 1.1 cent to $4.33 per 1,000 cubic feet
In London, Brent crude fell 18 cents to $90.51 a barrel on the ICE futures exchange.
Benchmark oil for January delivery was down 35 cents to $87.60 a barrel at late afternoon Kuala Lumpur time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.25 to settle at $88 a barrel on Thursday, just shy of the 2010 high of $88.29.
Signs the U.S. economy is gaining strength have spurred a rally on Wall Street this week, and that in turn drove oil prices up. U.S. manufacturing activity, retail sales and the housing market all improved. And while more Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, the average over the past month fell to a two-year low.
Strong manufacturing data from China, a major crude importer, also lifted sentiment and turned attention away from European debt problems to the underlying strength of global oil demand, Barclays Capital said in a report.
"The momentum in global economic growth remains strong," it said. "Overall, the latest U.S. data remain consistent with our view of continued steady demand increases ahead."
Europe's progress on containing its debt crisis added to the optimism. The European Central Bank calmed markets after saying it would extend the availability of emergency loans and offer credit at a super-low rate through the first half of next year.
The European Union agreed on bailout loans for Ireland last weekend, the second country after Greece following soaring budget deficits. There are fears Portugal and Spain may have to follow suit.
Analysts said the crude market will take cues from monthly U.S. unemployment figures later Friday.
Ritterbusch and Associates foresaw rosy prospects for crude. It predicted prices could drift before hitting $90.50 a barrel in the near term. Goldman Sachs was even more sanguine, forecasting crude prices to hit an average $100 a barrel in 2011 and $110 in 2012.
In other Nymex trading in January contracts, heating oil fell 1 cent to $2.45 a gallon while gasoline shed 1 cent to $2.35. Natural gas fell 1.1 cent to $4.33 per 1,000 cubic feet
In London, Brent crude fell 18 cents to $90.51 a barrel on the ICE futures exchange.
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