5 Tips for Saving Money On Gas

With oil prices hitting record highs and service stations charging obscene amounts of money for that much needed gasoline, people might want to consider a few tips on how to get the most out of their fuel comsumption so they can save a few dollars at the pumps.

1. Streamiline to Save $$$

Wind resistance and aerodynamics play their part in how much fuel you burn going down the road. You may want to take off any superfluous rigging on your vehicle like ski racks, luggage mounts, roof-top storage...whatever. Reducing drag on your automobile can reduce the drag on you wallet by as much as 20 percent.

2. Relax On The Road

Using a laid back driving style with smooth acceleration and consistent cruising speeds can mean as much as a one third improvement in fuel efficiency. Use the cruise control on the highways and try to avoid the hard braking and acceleration that chips away at your pocketbook.

3. Timing Is Everything

Gas stations tend to increase their pricing as the weekend approaches, and then it levels off. Once midweek arrives, they are back down again, and by Wednesday morning they should be at their lowest. Pull in and load up on savings.

Also, the morning is a good time to buy gas since it is usually the coolest time of the day. Lower temperatures means denser gas by volume, which translates into more internal combustion bang for your buck.

4. The Right Gas

Unless your automobile requires higher octane or premium gasoline, regular octane will do the job. There is a difference between being recommended to use high grade fuel in your vehicle and being required. That diffenrce could mean extra money in your pocket when you pull away from the pump.

5. The Right Station

Full Service stations usually don't try and compete on price. That means you will be paying a premium for filling up at stations offering perks you don't need. Try and avoid the ones with tire centers, repair shops, attendants...whatever. Pump your own gas and enjoy your own savings.

You work hard for your money, so why pump it away to rich oil companies taking advantage of your need for fuel? Use some of these tips and put that money back in your pocket where it belongs.

The Dow Gets Pick-Me-Up

We all know how the well to do like a little tiramisu, so why shouldn't they get it any way they can?

Thanks to news that the Federal Reserve will be lending 200 Billion dollars to banks in an attempt to ease their grip on tight credit markets, the Dow climbed 417 points today, gaining more than it had in any single day since back in 2002.

It really is nice to see that banks, who view having made less money from one year to the next as actually losing money, have had a little nudge to help them loosen up a bit. Now their shareholders can relax...stocks are rising, and the Fed is lending you cash so you can turn around and lend it to your customers, which is supposed to be your job in the first place. If you people really were worth the money you paid yourselves, would you need all this help to aid you in making profits?

Funny how folks who need help the least often get it the most.

At least people who lost their homes in the sub-prime lending fiasco can rest at ease...the banks are now ready to make money off you again.