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saving moolah

gas it up

Posted by Monica on September 2, 2008 at 11:53 am in save money, save money with creative solutions

My mom sent me these great tips for getting the most for your buck next time you’re forced to fill up.  I don’t anyone who doesn’t want to live larger at the pump.

1. Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening …. your gallon is not exactly a gallon.

2. When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.

3. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is half full or half empty. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.

4. Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

*photo by x-eyedblonde

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clipping coupons

Posted by Monica on August 13, 2008 at 6:53 am in save money with coupons

Once a month, a grumpy USPS postal worker drops off a special treat: the SavvyShopper. Inside this magazine of mostly worthless coupons (including a special offer for a free Segway trial), there are some very worthwhile deals. In the past few months, my husband and I have saved hundreds of dollars using the coupons at various Midtown restaurants.

Here’s what’s astonishing: our neighbors throw them away! On delivery day, we find (and pick up!) dozens of these coupon books from the trash. It’s as if thousands of dollars are sitting in our trashcan and we are the only ones who notice.

I recently shared the secrets of the SavvyShopper with some colleagues of mine, one of whom said offhandly, “Oh yeah, I think I get those too. But the coupons always seem to expire.” Yes – coupons do expire – hence the need to use them before they do!

Takeaway: Coupons equal hundreds of dollars in your pocket. You just need to use them.
Total Yearly Savings: Using two buy-one-get-one-free coupons a month, you’ll rack up a savings of at least $360.

*photo by kyz

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