Tuesday’s Tips: Gas Saving Tips

Today, we are taking a look at some tips that will help you save gas in light of the rising prices!

Skip the prolonged engine warm-ups in the winter time, and getting the car cooled down for your passengers in the summer. 30-45 seconds is good enough to warm up the engine and get going. It will avoid wasting fuel. In the summer time, get in and go. As long as you roll the windows down you are good. Using the A/C kills gas mileage!

Avoid starting and stopping the engine more than you have to. Starting your engine uses gasoline that idling the engine for one minute uses. If you’ll be waiting awhile, go ahead and shut it off, otherwise, leave her running.

Keep your car tuned up and eyes on the oil. The better your car is tuned up, the better mileage you’ll get. Several things impact your gas mileage, so you need to be sure your car is in optimum condition.

Fill up at the coolest time of the day. You are charged for volume of purchase, so it is during the coolest time of day that gasoline is densest. This means you’ll get the most for your money.

Drive the speed limit! Gas efficiency decreases the faster you drive!

For more, check out this website: http://www.howtoadvice.com/savinggas

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Our premier edition of the Financial Tips Blog Carnival, with the theme “Ready for Recession” has arrived. If you’re included in this carnival, please provide a timely link back to this post.

The theme “Ready for Recession?” was not meant to merely be a statement of my personal opinion concerning the economic climate; however, it is a popular topic and many in the personal finance blog world have touched on it in some manner over the past few months, some quite regularly.

First up is Michael at Debt Prison’s post, “Why Americans Can’t Afford Credit.” After taxes (including hidden taxes in your phone bill, property taxes and sales tax), inflation and mandatory insurances, there is not much left to spend. Don’t miss this article.

Grandpa and the Great Depression, submitted by Bryce, was one of my personal favorites. It’s a first-person account of a man born in 1915 and gives a glimpse of what life was like during the Depression.

Aaron’s lengthy article on “17 Economists on recessions, stimulation plans, and what they might mean to you” is chock full of links and resources. He contends that many economists don’t think the government interference will be effective, and will likely do more harm than good. I think he’s right.

In case you’re wondering how we got into this mess, Lisa presents an extensive answer in When People Go Bad: A History of the Subprime Mess. Hint: It didn’t happen overnight.

Christine describes in detail Eating in France on 10 Euro per Day for 2 People at her blog. Given the weakness of the dollar against European currencies, this is a timely subject.

Spending less and repaying debt more quickly can help you weather a recession, and to that end Brice shares with us 3 Steps to a Lower Interest Rate on his blog.

Frugal shopping is taken to a new level with Erica’s post on “Secret” eBay and Craigslist Hacks That Will Save You Thousands of Dollars Online. Check it out–I had no idea you could get an RSS feed for Craigslist searches you save. I’m not in the market for $400 purses, but maybe it will help me snag a hard-to-find Ergo baby carrier I want.

FIRE Finance suggests Riding the Recession with Awareness, Planning and Investment.

Michael isn’t investing in Apple anymore, and explains Why I Sold My Apple Shares Today to the curious.

Steve answers What is the Mortgage Foreclosure Process? in a very detailed, informative post on his blog. Unfortunately, this process may become familiar to many in the coming months and years.

With bad credit and tougher lending standards, you might find yourself unable to get a loan. Finance Tips explains The Pros And Cons Of Personal Loans.

But then, asks Sarah, Are you Ready to buy a House? Considering the damage done by banks and borrowers who rushed the process, many would do well to consider her post.

I’ve written about growing a Depression Garden to help save on groceries, but Eric takes it a step further and suggests growing money.

If you couldn’t decide by yourself, you can read about How to Spend Stimulus Checks and Tax Refunds in 2008.

In case things get drastic, check out How to Survive Total Economic Collapse. Yikes.

Not everyone was impressed by my theme. One submitter sent a link to a blog post completely unrelated to the topic at hand, stating “Nope nothing like that! I don’t believe in recessions!”

If only it were so easy.

Preparation is important. And nobody really knows what’s next for our economy. If a recession, or depression, looms, let’s do what we can to minimize its effects on our families. Are you ready for a recession?

Carnival photo by Craig Jewell

This week, we’re looking at tips to stretch the money you do have to make the most of your budget without sacrificing much of anything.

Look for sales. Look through local circulars and find the best deals for the things you need to buy. Wherever you see the best sales, is where you need to do your shopping.

Use coupons. Find coupons for the stuff you buy and use them. Remember, coupons only help when use them on things you normally buy! If you use them on things you do not usually purchase, they will only cost you more money in the long run.

Shop at Wholesale Clubs, and stock up! When there is something you use frequently, you save money by purchasing it in larger quantities and storing the extras until you need them.

Cook meals ahead of time and freeze them. You save time and money by doing this. When there are times you do not feel like cooking and you want to go out to eat instead–you can still have a quick dinner if you have frozen something, and you do not spend the money you would have by dining out.

What are some of the ways you stretch your money?