What they don't tell you is electric cars, in the end, probably pollute far more and end up costing a lot more in gas. You just don't see it first hand because you're not the one polluting, and you're not the one shelling out cash for the gas.

It just doesn't make sense for a newspaper desperate for subscribers to thin out their paper, lay off reporters and distributors, and on top of all that increase their subscription fees if they are trying to better compete with online news. Sure some are switching to online models, but with so few having any amount of success, I very much doubt the strategy being undertaken by newspapers has much of anything to do with thicker competition.

Yes, I'll admit, I'm addicted to nicotine and would like to go from place to place in a somewhat expedient form. You see, I live in the boonies of the Bible Belt, and they don't believe in buses here. The only way to get around is to buy into that overpriced commodity they call “gas” these days, and it's amazing what those prices do to our mood.

But if your kids won't sit still for that, have a look at part 4 to get in on the sneaky ways to teach them about money. However, there are a few things you probably shouldn't do in the interest of teaching your kids to be responsible with money.

Yes, taking a week long vacation at home has suddenly become very popular. Many are using their time around the house to catch up on projects, organize files, discard old junk, and consolidate their finances. But just as many use their staycation to actually relax.

For the kids that just won't sit down long enough to get what is good for them, here's a few ways I have found to sneak some peas and carrots into their financial dinner.

Still pondering whether the punchline of a certain cartoon is even possible. Bum on the street panhandling for change says he used to steal gas out of people's cars by switching hoses at the gas pump. "A" - I don't understand why that's funny and "B" - I don't think pump hoses can even be switched in mid-fill.

Do gas pump hoses stretch farther than the car parked right next to them? And if so, how is it possible to make said switch without the purchaser realizing his hose is pumping gas into someone else's car?

Technicalities, shmecknicalities. Don't bore us with the details, right?

Except when the details matter.

I'm sure your kids are pretty eager to get some money in their hands so they can finally buy all that stuff you've denied them all these years (oh you're such a cruel person!) - but before you hand over one thin dime, I recommend you teach them how to make a budget first.

You know what skill I'm talking about – money management. But how do you make a good example, how do you teach your kids something that you might not be too keen at yourself? The good news is they can learn it all on their own – you don't have to be a financial pro, you just have to teach through a few basic methods.

• Stretch your dollar by controlling expenditure on what you spend
• Make sure your pennies are not pinched by preventing expenditure on what you don’t spend

Several frustrating months later, no dice. I've needed a laptop for quite a while, but it just wasn't worth the minimum $400 to $700 to get a super cheap refurbished or ultra-portable laptop. Until lucking out with a $70 steal, I just made myself as portable as possible with a thumb drive containing all the documents and programs I might need on the go.

Think about it – what happens in August? School goes back in session. And what do they do every year when school goes back in session?

Nevertheless, I don't believe working the best 40 years of your life for a few easy golden years to be a necessarily healthy idea. It's an ideal based in pure hypocrisy.

Contrary to what you must be thinking, I am not playing with a short deck.

A former co-worker let me in on this privileged secret and it has served me well ever since. Start preparing for Christmas around the 4th of July. Because before you know it, Labor Day will be upon us, then back to school shopping for those of us blessed with the pitter-patter of little street urchins. You won't have a chance to even catch your breath before it'll be time to start thinking about Halloween costumes and candy, and you know what that means ... Thanksgiving!