Quick and Easy Kaizen #9 - Free antibiotics

Quick and Easy Kaizen is an improvement that you can easily do for yourself that improves a process by improving quality, saving time, and so forth. The book, The Idea Generator, by Norm Bodek addresses quick and easy Kaizen and I have been practicing this technique at work for some time. Using the ideas from Norm's book, I have added improvements at home and here are some that have made my life better but didn't require that much time and effort to implement.

#9 Free antibiotics

I guess I am the last one to know but Wal-Mart, Meijer, Publix, and other store pharmacies are giving free antibiotics(see store for details). Yesterday, I had to go to the doctor and he gave me a script for an antibiotic. Meijer then filled my script and I paid nothing for a 14 day supply. This saved me some money and was only about a two mile trip from the doctor's office.

I guess doctors really can hand out antibiotics like candy! If they would only waive my co-pay...

Before: Pay for Antibiotics

After: Get them for free!

Benefit: Free. I'm just about out of my flex spending account money med expense money for the and this was great!

What have you improved today?

Dan Lafever
Kaizeneer

My $8,000 Hybrid(or reasonable facsimilie)

Ok, so I tricked you into reading this posting. I don’t have an $8,000 hybrid but I did purchase a 2003 Honda Civic LX last year for that amount and I’m getting excellent mileage by using various hypermiling techniques and filling up with summer blend gas. My 1998 Plymouth Voyager was getting pretty high on the ODO anyway so we started looking for a more economical auto. Also, I have been carpooling with a co-worker whom drives a Toyota Prius and she has been getting about 42mpg. At this point I’m at 90% of the hybrid mileage benefit for a third of the car price. Since I purchased my civic, I have recorded 90%+ of all my trips and mileage and keep a regular pulse on my mpg.

Here’s a sample of my MPG readings since January 2008:

1/2/08 34.7 mpg
1/11/08 35.3 mpg
1/21/08 30.79 mpg
2/10/08 33 mpg
4/20/08 36 mpg
5/19/08 41.4 mpg
5/28/08 40.5 mpg

I believe that that there are reasons for the mpg improvement:

1) Switch from winter to summer blend gasoline
2) Improved hypermiling techniques
(You can learn more than what you ever wanted about hypermiling at http://ecomodder.com/forum/EM-hypermiling-driving-tips-ecodriving.php)

So far, I’m spending about $25 a week for gas with my civic and absorbing the fuel price hike(so far). Last fall when gas was lower, I spent about $25 a week with my minivan that got about 22mpg. This is certainly an improvement and just in time as petrol soars. I am still looking for ways to improve the feul economy on the civic and I’ll blog more about that soon. Our family have an active project migrating to better fuel economy cars and this is the fruit of these moves. Changing your behavior, your car, and improving your driving habits can make a huge difference in your fuel economy. This kaizen definitely has saved me some cash. Thank God for that.

Improving the plug cover on my electric bike.

I have an electric bike, an eGO, that I have been improving.

One of the first things I noticed was that the rubber plug cover was not attached the eGO bike. If I took it off and set it on the deck of the bike, it would roll off under something. I improved it by attaching it to another part of the bike with a black dress shoestring and got two improvements:

1) The plug cover is attached to the bike and won't get lost.
2) I don't have to remember where I laid the plug when it charges.








It looks pretty nice too when it plugged in.






It costs $10 to replace the AC plug cover plus shipping so this improvement will help me in the future. Keep on improving!!

Dan Lafever
Kaizeneer

Use Kaizen to beat high gas, inflation

Everyday we hear the masses cry about the high cost of everything. Gas prices are scaling Mt. Everest as the politicians claim that if elected they can do something about it. Instead of empty promises, families are using kaizen, or make simple and small changes, to cut their expenses...they just don't realize it. When you are forced to make changes you can...but why wait until the gun is at your head?

Check out this NY times articles where people in Alaska "Kaizened" and dropped their electric bills:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/us/14juneau.html?ei=5087&em=&en=22550e6f60b60a8c&ex=1210910400&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1210871779-c7jh+3Alwb/PE9tAvZ8hTw

Too bad their utility bills have jumped from $.11 to $.56!

Dan Lafever
Kaizeneer