Hybrid vehicles are known for their ability to bridge the gap between conventional combustion engines and the newer electric technology.  The technology for electric cars has been around for many years, even longer than the combustion engine, but due to the cost and lack of range and upgrades, the conventional vehicle has always won out in sales. 

Now, due to environmental concerns, more people are looking for cleaner ways to get around.  While going straight electric isn’t always convenient, the hybrid vehicle is the next best thing, using two powertrains.  You have your typical electric motor that powers the vehicle until the juice runs out and it switches to the gasoline engine to get you the rest of the way. 

But as hybrid vehicles are becoming more popular, there are still a lot of things people don’t realize are different between a hybrid and a conventional or electric car.  This guide will help share with you important factors you need to consider before going hybrid! 

1) Hefty Price. 

Gasoline engine vehicles are much cheaper, as much as 20% cheaper, than hybrids.  That’s because the electric engine has always been more expensive.  It’s this price that has kept the electric car from gaining ultimate popularity back in the 1800s and early 1900s. 

If you want a luxury hybrid vehicle, it will most likely run about a hundred thousand dollars.  The good news is, the government wants to encourage people to drive hybrid/electric and offers some tax incentives to convince you to buy one.   

2) Added Performance. 

Typically, if you wanted to own a vehicle with a lot of torque, you’re paying through the nose for a ridiculously expensive muscle car.  Because people want speed, there’s been a myth going around that electric and hybrid models are pathetic and weak. 

If you’ve been putting off buying a hybrid because you’ve bought into the lie, then you’ll be happy to know electric vehicles are incredibly fast and have amazing torque.  It’s not odd to hit from zero-to-sixty in less than 4 or 5 seconds.  It’s just an added benefit for going hybrid! 

3) Hybrids Are Great for City Driving. 

While electric/hybrid engines are great for bursts of speed, the technology just isn’t there yet for too many long distances.  They are best used for city driving at low speed.  A lot of these models have what are called ‘regenerative braking’ systems, which means they convert the energy used to stop into electricity, and it uses that energy to recharge the electric batteries. 

This means that stop-and-go city and ‘around town’ driving will help your batteries last longer, where a long jaunt down the interstate will drain it.  Switching to gasoline might be your best bet on the open road. 

4) Less space than you’re used to.  

One of the great things about electric cars is they have more space than a conventional vehicle.  Once you remove the gas motor, you have all kinds of extra space, which translates well for a more comfortable ride. 

On the other hand, the hybrid not only keeps the combustion engine, they also must find more room for the battery pack.  You’ll find this space more limited in SUVs and sedans, losing the extra roomy trunk space you’re used to having.   

5) Return on investment.  

While we already discussed that hybrid vehicles are more expensive than conventional ones, there will be a point where you end up saving more money in the long run.  For straight-electric drivers, they save as much as $1,000 per year just on the cost of gasoline alone.  Then apply the cost of regular oil changes and maintenance. 

How much you’ll save depends on how much driving you do and gas you consume, but there will be money saved.  A lot of hybrid and electric drivers enjoy calculating the point at which they are paid back the cost of the vehicle in savings, which sometimes can be as little as eight years.   

6) Hybrids are very simplistic. 

Most of the hybrids you’ll see on the road are automatics.  There are no gears.  There is no revving of an engine.  The process of accelerating is very simple and seamless. 

We mentioned above about added performance, but when on electric mode, you will drive very quietly and it might be difficult for anyone to hear you coming.  Care must always be taken when accelerating so rapidly and quietly.  If you’ve ever enjoyed an electric toy car, they don’t need extra effort to get moving.  It’s very simple and straightforward.  

7) The batteries are stable.  

There’s another myth going around about hybrid and electric vehicles that you will have to regularly replace the batteries.  This rumor was probably started to convince those who are considering a hybrid to not take the chance because of added costs to replace the batteries.  It simply isn’t true. 

https://financialhelpers.com/americans-are-struggling-more-than-ever-to-deal-with-their-financial-stress/

The reality is, the batteries last quite a while.  That doesn’t mean you’ll never have to replace one.  At least the price has gone down to replace them anyway.  When it comes to that, it won’t cost an arm and a leg.  It’s still cheaper, though, than the regular maintenance a combustion engine goes through. 

8) Hybrids Don’t Do Well in the Cold. 

If you’ve driven any kind of car, then you know that batteries don’t hold up too well in extreme cold.  This is why if you live in the north and have frequently harsh winters, a hybrid is better for you than an electric.  Not only do you have the benefits of a 4-wheel drive vehicle, but you can use the gas or diesel powered car or truck to use when it gets especially snowy out. 

You need more power and less torque.  Be sure to keep this in mind depending on where you live.  Where hybrids and electric vehicles are the most popular is California where winters aren’t so harsh (unless you’re up in the mountains).   

Hybrid vehicles are truly the best of both worlds. With these 8 tips, you’ll hopefully have an easier time deciding if this type of vehicle is right for you. 

Both financial professionals and psychologists agree: Americans are freaking out about their money. They’re stressed to the max! The financial stress is so bad, it’s causing a number of health problems. The two areas where people are frustrated the most is healthcare costs and the rising cost of living.

It would appear as if every day average costs for groceries, gas, and other necessities keeps growing. What you could buy 10 years ago for $20 isn’t what you can buy today. Everything is getting more expensive, but wages are stagnant. Because they’re financial stress is so high, it impacts other facets of American life.

“Money is a very important component of establishing a secure life,” said Norman Anderson, CEO and executive vice president of the American Psychological Association. “When people are financially challenged, it makes sense that their stress level would go up.” A lot of it has to do with a lack of financial education.

How a Lack of Education Causes Financial Stress

A study conducted by the APA found three-fourths of all Americans worry about their finances. 22% experience extreme stress. A lot of that comes from a lack of financial education. They’re not entirely sure where they stand when it comes to their money. Are they doing well? Are they properly prepared? Will something major happen in the future?

Another study done by Prudential found that a quarter of Americans didn’t quite have a good understand of their money. They’re completely falling behind the rest of the world, but have no idea they’re doing so badly. They might make it week-to-week, but otherwise are failing. It’s causing them a lot of financial stress and anxiety.

“Our relationship with money can affect our physical health, stress levels and state of mind, family dynamics and even performance at work,” says Prudential COO Stephen Pelletier. Here’s a list of our main worries:

Rising healthcare: 59%

Unplanned financial emergency: 55%

Unplanned health emergency: 53%

Income: 48%

Level of savings: 48%

Debt: 42%

Retirement planning: 41%

Money Problems and Relationships

A lot of the financial stress can impact relationships harshly. In fact, money problems are the number one cause of divorce in the United States. 19% of couples say they argue monthly about finances. 41% say financial stress negatively hurts their relationships with their partner. 31% say they’re constantly worried about money.

https://financialhelpers.com/the-fight-for-15-and-what-it-means-for-you/

A lot of those problem are disagreements over how to spend money. Increasing debt is also a factor as more Americans are spending more and using their credit cards. Americans hold $13 trillion in debt through all facets. It’s going to be difficult to pay all of that debt back and when we can’t, it strains our lives.

Financial Stress and Personal Health

Northwestern University conducted a study that concluded that high debt is hazardous to your health. The study found financial stress was directly responsible for increasing blood pressure and poorer health overall in young adults. People aged 24-32 shouldn’t be feeling that much stress or have high blood pressure.

“We now live in a debt-fueled economy,” says Elizabeth Sweet, lead author of the study. “Since the 1980s American household debt has tripled. It’s important to understand the health consequences associated with debt. You wouldn’t necessarily expect to see associations between debt and physical health in people who are so young,” Sweet says. “We need to be aware of this association and understand it better.”

A lot of that stress is indeed current debts, but a lot of it pertains to the future as well. 49% of young Americans don’t think they’ll be able to reach their retirement goals in time. Over 1,000 adults were surveyed and only 5% were found to be prepared for retirement. That’s a shockingly low number of people.

Sadly, those wonderful golden years we were looking forward to appears more like iron. More older Americans are working longer than ever, way past retirement age, just to keep up. It’s a sad state of affairs for Americans who work so hard. Dealing with financial stress shouldn’t be a constant norm.

There’s a fight going on across America. You might have heard about it briefly on the morning news. Currently, fast food workers have been protesting their companies to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. They’re demanding higher pay to keep up with the growing cost of living. It’s an understandable position, but one that wouldn’t help in the long run.

Harri is a workplace management software company that wanted to see what impact a $15 minimum wage would have. It wouldn’t necessarily make things easier for those trying to earn more money. In fact, Harri surveyed 173 restaurants at over 4,000 locations across the United States. It found the information you’d pretty much expect.

For restaurants, they’d have to start increasing the prices of their menu items. Not to mention, cut down on employee hours. Those working a full-time schedule would be cut down to part-time. It would even result in staff being let go. Many in the Fight for $15 don’t understand that this will happen across the board. 

The Fight for $15

As more people get behind the Fight for $15, so do states. Maryland and Illinois are two states that have passed laws phasing in a $15/hour minimum wage. On the federal level, Democrats have proposed the idea, but it’s a bill unlikely to pass. It threatens to stagnate the economy and halt any current growth we’re experiencing.

Except, that’s not what the advocates are saying. They’re saying it will stimulate the economy, putting more money in people’s pockets. Overall, the goal is to reduce income inequality. It would even reduce the number of people who need government assistance programs. But opponents of the Fight for $15 say it will have the opposite effect.

Small businesses would be hurt the most by this. Jobs would ultimately be eliminated. And if prices increase across the board, then it essentially wipes out any advancement these workers would be making. Essentially, their cost of living adjustment would increase their cost of living even more and put them back where they were. 

The Results So Far

Looking at the cities and states that have increased their minimum wage, it forced businesses to make changes. These changes ultimately hurt the business and their customers. 71% of businesses raised their prices. That affects you as an everyday consumer. All the stores you shop would increase their prices dramatically.

Nearly half of the restaurants changed their menu to provide less options which reduced some costs. 64% of them reduced employee hours. 43% say they were forced to cut jobs. Only 23% of businesses made no changes overall. Those businesses were most likely nationwide chains who only had to make those changes in a few select stores.

https://financialhelpers.com/bad-credit-card-debt-on-the-rise/

Overall, we should expect to see the Fight for $15 continue to rage on this summer. You as the consumer should expect to see higher prices across the board.

What happens to the world’s largest food chain when the economy is doing well? Suddenly, they simply don’t have enough workers. After the Great Recession, everyone was begging for a job. But now, people have left fast food work for something that pays a bit more. In order to fill the over 250,000 vacancies, McDonalds is turning towards an unlikely source.

McDonalds just announced a way to make up for their worker shortage. They’ve decided to partner up with AARP to bring in older Americans who might be looking for work. These types of jobs include everything from managers to cashiers. AARP has a job board and will be posting these available jobs on their website.

AARP and McDonalds have also launched an initiative to bring in lower-income elderly folks and get them some work. The website will directly allow the interested parties apply for the position they want. It’s a good way to fill positions and give the struggling elderly a way to stay active and working as needed.

McDonalds and the Booming Economy

Currently, the national unemployment rate sits at 3.8%. That means there’s fewer people looking for work than in the past few decades. A larger part of that unemployed segment are elderly Americans. We continue to live longer than we ever have before. In fact, over the past decade, the number of people who are over 65 has grown tremendously.

By 2026, it’s estimated that 24.8% of the workforce will be people over the age of 55. Back in 2006, it was 16%. There are a lot of reasons why this is happening. Living longer is just one of them. Other challenges face older Americans that will keep them seeking work past retirement age.

https://financialhelpers.com/if-you-have-debt-you-should-probably-avoid-going-on-vacation/

“People all over the country are facing challenges that are driving them back into the workforce and we need to connect them with employers that provide respect, dignity and opportunities for advancement and connection,” says Ron Painter, president of the National Association of Workforce Boards, in a press release. “It’s encouraging to see McDonald’s stepping up to the challenge.”

While a minimum wage job probably won’t solve these problems, it helps. It even has the added benefit of keeping older Americans active. That’s important for them to remain healthy in their golden years.

If you’re hoping to tap into social security for your retirement, there’s some bad news. Money is quickly running out. In 2020, the money paid out to social security will exceed what it brings in. That means we’re about to start tapping into reserve funds. This is the first time this has happened since 1982.

Of course, the reserves aren’t slated to last forever, either. By 2035, the reserves will be gone. It’s expected that 100% of benefits can be paid out during that time. But afterward, only 80% of social security benefits will be paid out. That means lawmakers are being pushed to fix this problem. The country only continues to grow, putting additional strain on the system.

“Both Social Security and Medicare face long-term financing shortfalls under currently scheduled benefits and financing,” said the board of trustees, begging for help from the politicians in Washington. This is a dire warning that something needs to be done sooner rather than later.

Will Social Security Run Out?

By 2035, Social Security will have no choice but to lower its output. Even though people are paying into it, that can only be sustained for so long. By 2035, as stated, the program will be at 80% capacity. There will be no more reserve funds to cover the additional amounts needed to keep payments at 100%.

By 2052, the complete system is due to run out of money. But that doesn’t mean other parts of the program won’t run dry before then. For example, Medicare’s hospital trust fund probably won’t exist after the next seven years. There are various programs that make up the difference finances of the Social Security program. Many of those programs will run out of money between now and then.

https://financialhelpers.com/36-of-college-students-say-a-degree-isnt-worth-student-loan-debt/

Costs are expected to rise as well. The annual cost of Social Security is slated to rise to 5.9% of the GDP by 2039. Total costs of Medicare will rise also from 3.7% to 5.9%. Currently, 68.3 million Americans are on Social Security. In the next few decades, many more are slated to be on the program.

As Americans live longer than ever, people stay on the programs longer than they used to. That’s why Social Security is running out of money. Since people are living longer, they’re using more than they paid into it. Time will only tell whether the government will step in and fix this problem before it runs out completely.

Beyoncé is one of the biggest superstars in the world right now. If her own musical achievements weren’t enough, getting her own concert special on Netflix is good. Being a superstar is hard work and dedication. But recently, Beyoncé has been dealing with another major item on her plate: motherhood.

The 37-year-old singer revealed her latest obstacles in her movie “Homecoming”, Beyoncé revealed her struggles. Now the mother of twins, their birth wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. She called it an “extremely difficult pregnancy”. Beyoncé endured preeclampsia which caused several complications.

It was so bad the singer was forced into an emergency C-Section. She had planned on performing at Coachella in 2017, but was forced to miss out. “I was supposed to do Coachella the year prior but I got pregnant unexpectedly,” Beyoncé said in Homecoming. “And it ended up being twins which was even more of a surprise.

Beyoncé Getting Back to Work Wasn’t Easy

As you can imagine, being away from work for awhile can be stressful. Things that were once familiar to you might seem foreign. Especially after your body just enduring giving birth to twins. Being a mom and getting back into shape is difficult for any woman. For Beyoncé, she had to put on a show.

It wasn’t all physical, either. Everything the singer went through was also mentally draining.

“And you know, a lot of the choreography is about feeling, so it’s not as technical, it’s your own personality that brings it to life. That’s hard when you don’t feel like yourself,” Beyoncé confessed. “I had to rebuild my body from cut muscles. It took me a while to feel confident enough to … give my own personality.”

It can be difficult to concentrate on the work at hand.

“In the beginning, there were so many muscle spasms and just internally, my body was not connected. My mind was not there. My mind wanted to be with my children,” she continued. “What people don’t see is the sacrifice.”

https://financialhelpers.com/elizabeth-warren-is-proposing-massive-student-debt-cancellation/

In 2018, Beyoncé was back and in charge. She headlined the Coachella acts that year, the first black woman to do so. “I just feel like I’m just a new woman in a new chapter of my life and I’m not even trying to be who I was,” Beyoncé said in the documentary. “It’s so beautiful that children do that to you.”

Photo Credit: Rolling Stone

Another major crisis in America today is health care. It’s another arena the politicians promise to fix, but end up broker than before. The solutions for this problem aren’t forthcoming either. Depending on what side of the political aisle you’re on, there are ideas but no real answers. That’s dismaying for millions of Americans struggling with their health.

Thankfully, there are companies like Amazon who can do a lot to fix the broken mess. Known as the ‘everything store’, Amazon just about sells everything. The only market it hasn’t jumped into yet is healthcare. But many experts are saying that Amazon’s next big move is indeed selling prescription drugs.

Sure enough, Amazon spent $1 billion acquiring PillPack, which markets itself as an online pharmacy. Still, it’s going to take some time to get prepared, but this could be a market worth billions for Amazon. Although, it’s probably not going to be an easy road. Amazon has a lot of competitors in this space.

Keeping Drug Prices High Puts Health at Risk

There’s an effort by certain companies, even competitors, to keep the price of drugs high. That’s how they make profit. Since insurance covers a lot of medication, there’s no concern for prices to lower. It’s long been understood that drug companies put profit over the health of people. They don’t mind, for example, surging the price of lifesaving drugs like EpiPen.

EpiPen was once a few dollars and only costs a few cents to make. Mylan, the maker of EpiPen, infamously jumped the price over 400% for not other reason than pure profit. There’s no wondering why big pharma has a bad reputation. With Amazon jumping into the market, it can potentially save a lot of lives.

https://financialhelpers.com/did-you-miss-the-tax-deadline-dont-panic/

The goal is to make health care cheaper in this country. We have the most expensive care and prescription drugs on earth. People are dying because they can’t get their hands on the treatments and medications they need. If Amazon can come in and compete with lower prices, it might put some of these other profit machines out of business.

Regardless of which side of the coin you’re on, there’s no doubting that the economy is roaring like never before in our history. As we hit record numbers in the stock market with unprecedented growth, optimism is high for this surge to continue for the foreseeable future. Which is why right now is the perfect time to have a serious conversation about preparing for the next economic collapse.

Yes, it’s understandable. This post is ruining the fun. But the next economic collapse WILL happen. It’s only a matter of time. As the saying goes, what goes up, must come down, whether that’s in the form of a currency collapse, bubble popping, terrorism, or natural disasters. The problem is, a lot of people don’t know how to use prosperous times to prepare for that next downturn.

Human Nature

There’s no doubt that human nature comes into play. When we end up with more money in our pockets, our first inclination is to spend it! We get it in our heads that things are looking up, so it’s the perfect time to put a down payment on a bigger house, turn in the car for a newer model, or even invest in that new 60-inch 4K ultra high-definition TV in time for the big game.

We LOVE to spend money, especially when we have it. Yet, even when we don’t. It’s perfectly fine to take a few extra bucks and enjoy the fruit of your labor. But what are you doing to protect yourself from the next big economic collapse? You know it’s coming, so why not prepare for it?

Learning from a Past Economic Collapse

One of the biggest lessons from a past economic collapse has been how quickly everything can go down. The collapse of 1929 happened over one weekend in October, fueling what is known as The Great Depression. One Thursday, the economy decided to take a dive. By Tuesday the next week, investors had lost their life savings. It didn’t fully recover for another two and a half decades.

The 2008 crash happened in a single day. On September 28^th of that year, investors pulled over $140 billion from the market. As bad as that time was, sending America into one of the worst recessions in our country’s history, it could’ve been much, much worse. Thankfully, Ben Bernanke recognized the signs and swiftly took action.

Knowing that the collapse can come at any time, it’s in your best interest to prepare for it.

1) Have an Emergency Fund

The FIRST thing you should ever do with your finances, well before you buy anything else, is to set up an emergency fund of at least $1,000. That’s before you start paying off debt or investing your money. Even then, $1,000 will only get you so far. When you sit down to plan the bills, make sure you can afford to divert a certain amount into your savings.

If you lose your job suddenly, having a decent cushion under you will protect you for several months while you work out your options. If you live paycheck-to-paycheck, life will get immensely difficult if you get canned and you’re broke. While good times might inspire you to buy the next big toy, make sure you have a comfortable cushion first.

2) Diversify Your Investments

As the saying goes, don’t put all your eggs into one basket. When an economic collapse happens, it usually involves the stock market and the value of the dollar. While the stock market will probably take a tumble, that doesn’t mean every single stock will crash and burn. There will still be some industries that thrive, even while others struggle to breathe.

With a diversified portfolio, your chances of losing EVERYTHING goes down significantly. For example, during the 2008 crash, the value of gold rose to record levels. The same was true for silver and other precious metals. Look up depression and recession proof industries and make wise investments for the future.

3) Get Creative About Additional Sources of Income

As tough as the 2008 crash might’ve been, the internet was sort of a savior for those looking to get creative about making a few extra bucks. There are currently record numbers of people trying their hand at online entrepreneurship, learning about internet marketing, ecommerce, affiliate marketing, and so much more.

A lot of moms took to Facebook, selling various items and starting miniature businesses that helped bring in more cash for the family. Even if you don’t think you need the extra cash now, it will benefit you in the future to have an additional source of income. Start by joining Facebook groups and investing in materials written by the experts to show you how to get started.

https://financialhelpers.com/walmart-is-rolling-out-the-robots/

Despite good economic times, it’s always a good idea to be prepared for the worst to happen. Life is unpredictable and bad things can happen no matter the economy or the season. Be fully prepared before you start spending that extra money.

The fight for $15 is taking on another hit this week. Walmart has announced that it’s going to expand its robot program. For the past several years, the mega retailer has quietly been testing a handful of robots. According to Walmart, these autonomous machines do the dirty work. It allows associates to focus on helping customers while the machines do inventory and clean.

At least, that’s the company’s official position. Now they want to purchase 3,900 more robots. Walmart Associates certainly have a lot to fear. While the company says there is nothing to fear, just ask McDonalds employees. Ask baggers and cashiers across the country. Machines and robots are replacing low-wage jobs everywhere.

“Every hero needs a sidekick, and some of the best have been automated,” Elizabeth Walker of Walmart Corporate Affairs said in a press release. Still, Walmart has been testing new technology for the past few years. They have found that automated smart assistants make running their stores smoother. It relies less on human power and workers can spend less time cleaning.

Robots for the New Era

These days, robots are able to do almost everything a human worker can. They can help unload trucks, stock shelves, clean, and perform self-checkout. There’s almost no doubt that soon there will be a robot at the door to welcome shoppers. They may completely replace human associates in the future.

Still, Walmart says their workers love getting help doing the mundane jobs. “Our associates immediately understood the opportunity for the new technology to free them up from focusing on tasks that are repeatable, predictable and manual,” John Crecelius, senior vice president of Central Operations for Walmart U.S. said in a statement.

Therefore, many feel this is a direct result of the pressure for companies like Walmart to pay their employees $15. Many low wage workers have been protesting to get the minimum wage raised to what they feel is more livable. Rather than pay their 2.2 million employees $15, it’s more cost-effective to replace them.

https://financialhelpers.com/5-skills-you-can-learn-to-make-extra-money-in-2019/

Employment Problem

Another factor for Walmart is they’re finding it difficult to attract workers. With the country’s lowest unemployment numbers in 50 years, people are finding work. Jobs like Walmart Associate were certainly more popular when the economy was chugging. Now that more people have better paying jobs, Walmart is struggling.

This is leading towards Walmart having a record number of job openings in the company’s history. Raising the minimum wage would certainly help bring in talent. Yet, the long-term solution is going to be robots. We see it taking shape across the country.