Villadom Times Weekly Newpaper Online-May 18, 2011 Issue

Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • May 18, 2011 Business New Jersey Transit rail customers who are seeking “on the go” train schedule information now have another tool in their virtual toolkit: text messaging. NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein recently announced the agency’s partnership with CooCoo, a third party text-engine company based in Long Island that already works with the MTA to provide Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road real-time schedule information via text message. “We have been working toward giving NJ Transit customers as many options as possible to access travel information while on the go, such as DepartureVision, My Bus, Twitter feeds, and the mobile version of njtransit.com,” Weinstein explained. “By partnering with CooCoo, we are providing rail customers with an additional trip-planning tool.” To access rail schedule information, customers simply text a station-to-station request to 266266 (CooCoo), and CooCoo will text back the requested information. For example, text “Trenton” to NY Penn, and CooCoo will respond with details such as fares and travel time, and any real-time information from DepartureVision. To NJ Transit train schedules available via text message receive train schedules for the next morning, include a time in the text – such as “Trenton to NY Penn 7 a.m.” CooCoo also provides customers with the ability to plan regional trips across multiple agencies. For example, text “Trenton to Jamaica” and CooCoo will provide the NJ Transit trip from Trenton Transit Center to New York Penn Station, and the Long Island Rail Road trip from New York to Jamaica, Queens. The free text-messaging service works from any phone (standard text message rates apply). No Internet access is required. “CooCoo is carrier- and device-independent and works on all cell phones without using the Internet,” said John Tunny, co-founder of the company. “This is the fastest way to get train schedules on the go. I’m thrilled that NJ Transit has adopted this cutting-edge, green technology. NJ Transit is the nation’s largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines, and 12 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country, with 165 rail stations, 60 light rail stations, and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Helpful Hints Helpful Hints from ome “Soak clay pots in water before using so they will not absorb nutrients from the potting soil”. 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Open Sundays 9-3 201-652-5666 Billy Says... For the past few years, you’ve scrimped, saved, and eaten at home instead of going out. After all, desperate economic times call for desperate measures. But now, the economy is showing signs of life, and you’re ready to throw off the chains of frugal living. Do you know if your budget can take it? The economic crisis made all of us sit back and take stock of the wants versus the needs in our lives, say financial planning experts at the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. It’s all right to indulge a little now and again, but the economic crunch has been an important reminder to live within our means. Making and sticking to a budget even as the economy is improving makes good fiscal sense. I’m not good at math. So you can’t calculate when two trains will collide after leaving the same station on the same track at the same time. Never fear. Your personal budget can be simple, and there are many basic budget programs available for free online. But even if you’re armed only with a pencil and a piece of paper, you can put together a per- Creating and sticking to your personal budget fectly good budget. Top budget tips: Determine what you earn. How much money do you have available to spend? Using your paystubs, calculate what you make each month after taxes. Determine your expenses, including mortgage or rent, car payments, insurance, medical expenses, etc. Write it all down in a list. Track casual spending. This category encompasses the $10 spent on lunch, the candy bar you picked up at the gas station, or your favorite cup of gourmet coffee. Those are all expenses that you need to start tracking as part of your budget. You’ll be surprised at how quickly a dollar here and a dollar there can add up. Calculate: Subtract your expenses and casual spending from what you earn. If you’re like a lot of people, you may be spending more than you earn. Now, take a deep breath and review your expenses and casual spending. What can you eliminate? 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