Frugal Living Today

Fuel costs are probably the biggest financial concern I hear about these days. In fact, it is the rising cost of fuel that affects the rising cost of everything else, since it takes fuel to transport those items to your local supermarket.

Here are a few tips to help you save some extra money at the gas pump:

• Use the lowest octane fuel recommended for your vehicle. The vast majority of cars will run perfectly on standard 87 octane “regular” fuel. See the inside of your fuel door or check your owner’s manual. If it recommends regular fuel, you are wasting money on anything more.
• Consolidate your trips. Make sure to keep lists of anything you need to do or purchase while you are out in the car. Try to pick up groceries while you are already in the car, on the way home from work or picking the kids up from soccer practice. Avoid running to the store for a single forgotten item whenever possible.
• Keep your car tuned up. You will save tons of fuel by making sure that you keep your oil and air filters changed regularly. Don’t forget to check your tires regularly for proper inflation. The PSI rating is imprinted on the tire itself.
• Run the Air Conditioner. For years, people thought that it would save them money if the rolled down the windows, but the truth is that this decreases fuel economy by reducing the aerodynamics of your vehicle.
• Don’t Drive if you don’t have to! This one seems like common sense, but if you don’t have to get behind the wheel, don’t. Carpooling can save you lots of money. Riding your bicycle with the kids on a nice day can be much more fun than driving them to the park and save you some gas at the same time.