Reader Mike writes in with a tip we just don’t repeat enough. A lot of newer appliances draw as much, or slightly less, power when “off” than when “on.” In order to really, truly save electricity you need to plug your DVR/TV/Computer/Whatever in to a power strip and shut the power strip off.
smart
![Hooray, Hipsters! The Smart Car Is Coming!](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/mein_smart003-thumb.jpg?w=200&h=150&crop=1)
Hooray, Hipsters! The Smart Car Is Coming!
Perhaps more resembling the foot of Voltron (the vehicle one, not the lions) than an actual car, I love the Smart. It can zoom right into the space between two SUVs nearly touching bumpers. It’s designed by Swatch, a company best known for making cheap plastic watches. And you can actually switch lanes on a freeway by driving under the carriage of a passing semi-trailer.