5 Gas Saving Tips

With fuel prices skyrocketing, here are 5 easy tips to help you conserve gas and ultimately money:

1) Lighten up!

Aerodynamics can become quite significant at highway speeds. Carrying luggage on the roof of your car or towing equipment can be costly.  Any time you do something like that, your fuel economy is going to tank.

When ski season ends, take the rack off your car.  Racks produce a lot more aerodynamic drag, so your car has to work harder to slip through the air.

Weight is the biggest pitfall when it comes to maximizing a car’s fuel efficiency.  The more weight the car has to move, the harder the engine has to work. If you are carrying around stacks of National Geographic magazines in your trunk, take them to the recycling center.  All that extra weight is costing you miles per gallon.

2) There is no magic bullet

When gas prices spike, products claiming to boost fuel efficiency pop up. Avoid them, experts say.

Companies come out of the woodwork and try to sell you gizmos to add to your car to add fuel economy.  If there was a magic bullet, then the car companies would use them. When gas prices go up, people prey on greed and fear. Don’t fall prey.

3) Plan your trips

To save on gas, try to run all of your errands in one trip and avoid backtracking.  If you take four trips with a cold engine, that takes more gas than when you try to do it all at once with a warm engine.

Drivers can also plan to use gas stations with cheaper prices. There are some great Smart Phone Apps that can help you find cheap gas in your neighborhood such as www.GasBuddy.com

4) Turn on the air conditioning

Drivers with modern cars that recirculate cooled air shouldn’t be afraid to run the air conditioning.  When you roll down the windows, you start messing with the aerodynamics of the vehicle, you are not going to get maximum fuel efficiency because it creates new drag.

5) Keep your vehicle maintained

Popular gas-saving advice calls for drivers to mind the speed limit, use cruise control and avoid too much idling.  Careful drivers should also make sure to get their engine tuned, check their air filters and use the right motor oil.

Properly inflated tires will somewhat improve fuel economy, and this maintenance is easily accomplished. Check your tires once per month.  Underinflated tires compromise your car’s handling and braking, and they also wear faster.  If your tires are underinflated, there’s a lot more rolling resistance and the car will have to work harder to roll down the road.

5 Smart Ways To Increase Your Savings (without even trying!)

You might think that in these times of rising gas prices and that ugly phrase "down economy" it is next to impossible to save money.

I've come up with 5 simple and smart ways to save a little bit of cash and hardly feel it.  Over a year's time these savings can really add up!

1) Garage Sales - Look, everyone loves a good bargain these days.  Garage and yard sales are more popular than ever!  You can easily make $100 or more in just one day.  Plus you will be getting rid of all the clutter you've collected in the basement and/or garage.  Don't forget to advertise your sale on sites like Craigslist and Gee Sale-er (which has it's own Smart Phone App by the way).

2)  Pack a lunch - How often do you go out to lunch?  Did you know that the average person spends $7 per day on lunch?  Brown bagging it can cost as little as $2 per day. Try this handy Lunch Savings Calculator to see the tremendous savings impact of packing a lunch everyday!

3) Use the Library - Stop purchasing books, DVD's and even Video Games!  The library is free so go get a library card and start taking advantage of all the Public Library has to offer.  Many libraries also offer quiet spaces with free Wi-Fi to actually get things done away from the home or office.

4) Ask for Discounts - From buying airline tickets to paying a medical bill, always ask if there's a discount to be had. The worst that can happen is you'll be told no.

5) Watch Those Utilities - Changing over to energy saving light bulbs and low flow showerheads is a great start. Also, most utility companies offer a home audit you can complete online.

There are several other ways you can put a little money aside each week.  Add it up over a year’s time and the money you save can perhaps be used during the holidays for gifts or that family vacation you thought you never could afford.

The trick is to take the money you save, put it in the bank and don't touch it until you need it.