How to spend less at the gasoline pump

by Robert Posted on 5 January 2010

From the archives - This article was originally published in the summer of 2007 while very high gasoline prices were common. Prices may have come down from their record highs, but gasoline costs still represent a hardship for many families. Despite the fact that this list is several years old the tips are no less valuable today than when the article was first published.

18 tips for spending less at the pump

Image: Gas pump in Lodge Grass, MT
Gas pump at a station in Lodge Grass, Montana. Fall of 2009.

Gasoline prices continue to hover near record highs with no relief in sight. Even the US government, always quick to encourage spending and waste, has begun advising consumers to conserve fuel. Many of us are beginning to seriously look at ways to save money on gasoline this year. Most Americans will find themselves spending well over $2,000 this year for gasoline with some spending much more ($3.00 per gallon/20 MPG/15,000 miles per year = $2,250)

Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to high gasoline costs. The best way to save on gasoline is with a comprehensive approach. By utilizing several techniques together it is possible to see significant savings over the course of the year.

  1. Park the car. Consider ways to not drive at all. This may sound simplistic, but if you can walk, bicycle, carpool, or take public transportation you can significantly lower your gasoline costs. Not only does this save gasoline but it also saves wear on your car. You may also consider finding a job closer to home or explore telecommuting options.
  2. Plan ahead when you need to go out. Coordinating trips between family members and making all of your stops on one trip can represent significant savings. Just eliminating two or three five-mile trips each week can save you $200 over the course of the year.
  3. Fuel up with a credit card that offers rebate points. Some credit cards offer cash back incentives on gasoline purchases. Over the course of the year this can add up to several tanks of “free” gasoline. Unfortunately, some gas stations are beginning to charge extra for credit card purchases so that would eliminate the savings. This also only represents a savings if you are able to pay the balance on the card during a grace period.
  4. Don’t buy higher octane fuel than your car needs. Some cars require high-octane gasoline, but most cars will run fine on regular gasoline. Running fuel higher in octane than is necessary just wastes money. It will not make your car run better and is unlikely to increase your gas mileage enough to justify the cost.
  5. Avoid idling your engine. Letting the engine run for 30 seconds before starting a trip is enough to warm the engine. Cars burn as much as one quart of gasoline every 15 minutes while idling. That amounts to more than three dollars per hour to idle your engine.
  6. Maintain your car to save money on gasoline. A poorly-maintained engine will use as much as 25 percent more fuel than a well-maintained engine. A clean air filter can increase your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Upgrading from paper air filters to reusable air filters like those offered by K&N may save even more fuel.
  7. Check your tire pressure regularly. Low tire pressure will decrease your gas mileage as well as shorten the life of your tires.
  8. Consider purchasing fuel at membership stores in your area. Some stores offer members discounts of several cents per gallon.
  9. Consider purchasing a diesel engine if you are planning to replace your car soon. Diesel engines usually get better fuel efficiency. Additionally, many areas have biodiesel available at a reduced cost.
  10. Consider purchasing a hybrid when you replace your car. Hybrids boast impressive fuel economy and may allow you to qualify for significant tax credits.
  11. Consider purchasing a flexible fuel vehicle when you replace your current vehicle. Flexible fuel vehicles can operate on alternative fuels like E-85 (an 85 percent ethanol formulation). These alternative fuels are often far less expensive than gasoline. I have seen E-85 for one dollar per gallon less than gasoline at the same station!
  12. Streamline your cargo. Remove excess baggage from the cargo area to lighten the vehicle. Also, remove ski and luggage racks when not in use. The extra wind resistance can significantly reduce your gas mileage.
  13. Park in the first parking space you find. Driving around the parking lot trying to find a closer spot wastes fuel. Besides, most of us can use the exercise of walking a few more feet!
  14. Use synthetic motor oil in your engine. Synthetic motor oil increases fuel economy by reducing friction in the engine. Check with your mechanic before using synthetic oil though as some older cars may leak with the lighter-weight oil.
  15. Maintain speed when you are driving. Cruise control can increase your fuel economy on the highway. Slowing down in traffic while trying to anticipate traffic patterns ahead can significantly increase your fuel economy in city driving. It takes far more fuel to bring a car up to speed from a stop than to accelerate from a slow speed.
  16. Slow down. Driving 55 MPH increases your gas mileage by 21 percent as compared to driving 65-70 MPH. Increasing your speed 5 MPH is equivalent to paying an twenty cents per gallon for fuel.
  17. Consider downsizing to a more efficient vehicle. Do you really need the SUV or full-size car? It may be far less expensive to rent a larger vehicle on occasional when necessary than to maintain and drive a vehicle that is larger than you need on a daily basis.
  18. Relax and drive responsibly. Aggressive driving decreases your gas mileage by 33 percent! Not only does aggressive driving cost you a lot of money in gasoline, it also increases your likelihood of being ticketed or involved in a crash. Save some money (and maybe your life) by driving responsibly. You will not arrive at your destination any faster by tailgating the driver in front of you.

No single solution will make all of the difference in your gasoline expenses. However, taken together, these 18 steps can save you a lot of money at the gasoline pump.

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How to simplify your life with technology

by Robert Posted on 4 January 2010

From the archives – I first compiled this list in 2006. Available technology has changed and improved rapidly since the list was first published. I recently compiled an updated list also titled How to Simplify Your Life with Technology.

Technology is often blamed for our lives being too complicated. It seems that the increased pace of life is hopelessly linked to the increase in technology. But is technology really to blame? Is it possible to simplify by using technology as opposed to rejecting technology?

Most people who are serious about simplifying their lifestyle eschew technology. Thoreau wrote “I went out to the country so I could examine the simple things in life.” There is certainly something to be said for retreating to a quiet place, turning off the cell phone, and unplugging from the busyness of modern life. But does technology really have to control us or can we control technology? For instance, I’m not sure I would want to abandon my washing machine so I could wash clothes by hand! (For those who are wondering, I do actually wash clothes by hand on occasion.)

Perhaps in careful measure we can use technology to simplify our lives. I have compiled a brief list of ways we may be able to use technology to simplify our lives.

Tips to simplify your life with technology

  1. Convert your paper filing cabinet to a digital filing cabinet. Scanning and saving records digitally saves space and makes it easier to retrieve documents. I converted to a paperless, digital system two years ago and have never regretted the change. I burn an archive disc periodically for backup storage and periodically delete archived files from my hard drive to minimize security risks. Modern desktop search utilities may be freely downloaded to speed searching for archived files as well.
  2. Direct deposit and online bill pay combine to make financial tasks easier. Paychecks can be directly deposited (even split between multiple accounts) eliminating weekly trips to the bank. Most banks also offer online bill pay so you can set up your monthly bill payments once and not need to write checks and mail bills each month. Computerized money management programs further automate tasks like balancing checkbooks and tracking budget expenses.
  3. Consider upgrading your Internet connection from dial-up to broadband if you use the Internet a lot. The extra few dollars each month can be money well invested if you consider how much time you can save waiting for pages to load and files to download. You also avoid tying up your phone line for hours at a time.
  4. Using Internet-based reference material and resources (accessed via your broadband connection) saves space in your house. This also saves money on upgrading and maintaining reference materials. We all remember shelves full of dusty, outdated encyclopedias.
  5. Online shopping can save you money on your purchases, gas (always a big deal these days!) and travel time. What could be more convenient?
  6. Upgrade your old film camera to a digital camera. I find this actually saves quite a bit of money in the long run. Pictures can be stored on your computer and archived on disk; pictures can also be loaded onto other electronic devices. Digital pictures mean fewer trips to the store for prints; some photo shops allow you to e-mail your digital photos in and pick them up later at your convenience.
  7. Turn off your home phone and just use your mobile phone. Mobile carriers offer attractive packages now that are usually cheaper than maintaining two separate phones. I have no problem turning off my mobile phone when I want privacy.
  8. Another option to traditional phones is to use a VoIP service. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services like Skype allow you to talk for free or nearly free to anyone in the world. Skype allows customers to have multiple phone numbers linked to one account. Since the phone numbers can be from around the world you can choose numbers that are local calls for your family and friends. Telephone handsets are available to connect to your computer so the VoIP phone works similarly to a traditional phone.
  9. Portable music players allow all of your music (podcasts, etc.) to be carried with you. Save money on music by downloading only the songs you want to buy rather than buying the whole album. Despite Elton John being on record that he always buys the whole album, most people only want one or two of the songs anyway. Who wants a box full of old cassettes or compact discs that they can’t get rid of anyway?
  10. Modern PDAs are powerful and full-featured. Many people find they can replace their laptop with a PDA. A decent PDA allows you to remain organized at home, work and while traveling which can make life a little easier.
  11. Combining your mobile phone, portable music player and PDA into one device is also an option now. How is that for simplifying things?
  12. Upgrade your website to a blog or CMS platform. WordPress saves me a lot of time and energy compared hand coding sites like I used to. The simplicity of updating the site, coupled with the community nature of comments, does wonders to improve your search engine ranking.

The careful use of technology can help simplify life. I think that perhaps the trick is to be intentional about what technology we really want to use to accomplish our objectives.

Do you have any other suggestions? I would love to hear from you with suggestions on ways we can use technology to simplify our lives.

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Advent lessons/confessions

by Robert Posted on 24 December 2009

Advent lessons confessions

Advent is a season full of lessons. Rather like New Year’s resolutions (I gave up years ago), Advent seems to bring with it the desire to do better, the hope of a more focused season and, sadly, the disappointment of Christmas coming and going yet again without having achieved the desired spiritual focus and impact.

This year has been no exception. I planned to celebrate a meaningful Advent season. Truly. Yet, despite my best intentions, Advent arrived to find me completely unprepared. I awoke one day to discover (thanks to a Tweet from a more diligent observer) that the first Sunday of Advent had arrived and I was not ready. The rest of the Advent season has been no better.

All of this brings me to the point of this article, that of Advent Lessons Confessions for the 2009 season. I think this season has taught me at least three important lessons despite my failures – or, perhaps, because of my failures.

Lesson 1

I never manage to achieve the spiritual plane that I want to achieve. I do not mean this lightly. I desire it – yet still I fail. Some seasons are better than other seasons, it is true, but each season brings fresh recognition that I cannot arrive at the spiritual place at which I would like to arrive. This recognition, initially depressing, has brought me to the point of thanking God for his grace. I simply cannot measure up to my own goals and standards during the Advent season – yet God continues to draw me into this despite my repeated failures.

Could this be one of the lessons of Advent? God loved us even while we were still weak, failures at drawing near to God, unable to reconcile ourselves or to bridge the gulf between ourselves and God. The Apostle Paul described this scenario perfectly when he wrote, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5.6 OSB). Advent, through my own repeated failure each season, forces me to recognize grace. I cannot make it on my own and, therefore, I am completely dependent on God’s grace which he so richly gifts upon us.

Lesson 2

This life is marked by longing. We long for so many things – some essential and appropriate, some unnecessary and inappropriate. We, as humans, live in a state of chronic longing, seeking for that which we do not find and, too often, do not even realize exists. We long for God, but settle for any cheap thing to temporarily plug the vacuum and sedate the discomfort. We know what it is, when we are honest with ourselves, to live with unfulfilled longing and desire.

Advent is anticipation. The two words are almost synonymous. Advent reminds us that we long for Jesus’ return. We long for the day when all is put right in this world, when all of creation no longer groans in anticipation of restoration and renewal, when we can spend eternity with the one who loved us even while we were yet weak and alienated. Advent reminds us that we are yet strangers and pilgrims in this world which is but our temporary home as was our King, Jesus, who also suffered, experienced loss and disappointment, and longed for the Father.

Could this be one of the lessons of Advent? This world as we know it now is not our permanent home. We currently live in a world that is largely alienated from and at war with the rightful king, Jesus. We should long for the day of Jesus’ appearing, the day when the kingdom of God comes in fullness upon this earth. It is appropriate to long for the day when we can talk with God face to face as did our first parents before the great rebellion. Advent recognizes anticipation and allows us to focus our attention on the one for whom we truly long rather than the idols which we so often use as cheap substitutes.

Lesson 3

I grew up with rich traditions surrounding each Christmas season. Christmas always brought tremendous anticipation of reunion with loved ones not seen for many months, church services and Christmas programs and, in our home, always a Christmas Eve birthday party for Jesus lest we forget the reason for the season. The birth of the King has always been at the center of the season in my theology. However, even with a solid theological understanding of the season, it is easy to lose the spiritual significance of a holy day in the midst of extensive cultural traditions.

Recent years have brought changes that disrupt and threaten many of the cultural traditions that I so fondly remember. To be honest, holidays are depressing reminders that life often brings pain and disappointment – particularly once viewed through the lens of broken families. Cultural traditions become impossible to maintain when children no longer share a home with both biological parents. The mobile nature of our American society often results in families being separated by many miles during the holidays. These circumstances disrupt and threaten to destroy cultural traditions for many families.

As my experience of a culturally traditional Christmas continues to disappoint, I find that I appreciate Advent all the more. Cultural and family traditions are wonderful things that bind people together around shared experiences. There is a good reason why the holidays bring nostalgic memories for so many. Cultural and family traditions also allow children to step into a larger story that precedes them and will potentially be passed along to their own children as well. This sense of place in a family and a community is important and should not be underestimated. This is one key reason why children of broken homes exhibit adjustment problems that their peers may not. Cultural and family traditions are good things and are even commanded by God on occasion in the Scriptures. However, cultural and family traditions also have a habit of eventually bringing disappointment.

Could this be one of the lessons of Advent? Our holiday traditions will always disappoint us eventually. No matter how rich and meaningful, our own traditions will eventually disappoint. Family members move away, die, or are otherwise unable to attend holiday traditions. Children grow up and adopt new traditions that are at odds with existing traditions. Whatever the reason, traditions eventually disappoint, and we have all experienced this crisis.

Advent calls us into something much greater than a Christmas celebration with family and friends. Advent reminds us that we are waiting for the return of our King and his restoration of all things. Advent reminds us that the Christmas story, the scandalous tale of God becoming one of us, is actually so very much larger than our own family or cultural traditions. Advent reminds us that we are called into a much larger family, with much richer and older traditions, and into a story much larger than ourselves. Advent reminds us that it is alright to be disappointed because there is one who will never disappoint.

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