Don't forget about the discounts!

Be sure you are getting all the safety discounts your vehicle is entitled to: ABS, airbags, anti-theft alarm and window etching, "Onstar", "lo-jack" and so on. Have a student away at school more than 90-100 miles away and they leave the car at home?..ask for an away at school discount. Your student got good grades?...show the transcript and it could mean much savings, too.

Time for Tips

I have found some more great tips lately. Here are a few of my favorites.

• Be careful of credit card interest rates! Always verify that the gas stations you use don't charge higher prices to credit card customers.
• When you sign up for the 'loyalty' cards at your nearby store, realize that they do that to track your spending for their own benefit. That is not to say that you don't get a lot out of it. The savings can be substantial.
• Keep meticulous records of what you spend and how many miles you drive so you can quickly spot changes in vehicle performance. It will also help focus you on the goal of saving.
• Take off slowly from a full stop. This is one adjustment that will have dramatic effects on your gas mileage; don't tear off from a stoplight or stop sign!

Web site on gas prices

Have you found www.GasBuddy.com yet? GasBuddy links you to more than 179 local Web sites, each focused on a U.S. state, metro area or city. Gas prices are updated constantly by the site's 124 million users and are dropped after 72 hours, when it is assumed that spotters will have updated their information. So, be sure to check it out befor your next gas purchase.

What's your octane?

For better gas millage, try using the lowest recommended octane for your car. The lower octane gas is also cheaper. Most modern cars are engineered to run most efficiently on lower octane fuel, and often recommend not using higher-octane fuel. Check your owner's manual to be sure, as not all car engines should use lowest octane gas. And speaking of octanes, did you know that you can mix octanes? In some areas, the lower octane may be too low for your car and the mid-grade or higher octane may be more than what you need. To avoid overpaying and still get the correct octane for your car you can mix the gas. For example, if your car takes 87 octane and the pumps have 85 octane and 89 octane, then when filling your car, fill half the tank with 85 octane and the other half with 89 octane and this will give you an equivalent of 87 octane plus it will save you money because the lower octane gas costs less. Thoughts?

Best way to cool down

You want to save gas, but .... does it really save gas to roll down your windows instead of flipping on the AC? Do you agree or disagree with this??

Link to the cheapest gas by zip codes

Here is a cool thing I got in an e-mail today from a friend. You can type in your zip code and it shows you the gas stations in your area with the cheapest gas at the top of the list to the most expensive at the bottom.

http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx

Did you know ...

One should always buy gas early in the morning, when the ground temperature is cold. That's because all the gas is stored underground, and when it is colder, it is more dense. So, you literally get more gas for your money. Even one degree fahrenheit of temperature makes a difference!

What if I never changed the oil in my car?

That's a good question! For a really good answer be sure to read this at "auto.howstuffworks.com"

Reselling old cell phones

I still need gas money. Got any ideas on how to raise some? Here is one.

Did you know that CellForCash.com will buy certain models of cell phones, refurbish them and resell them as warrantee phones, pre-paid phones or emergency 911 phones provided to the elderly and victims of domestic abuse. If your phone isn't one that they will buy, you can get a free shipping label, put your phone in box and mail it to CellForCash.com for recycling.

Also, Greenphone.com cuts checks and offers you points toward gift certificates at retailers such as CircuitCity.com and Starbucks.

Now that's a good idea! Got any others?

Help!

HELP!

I NEED GAS MONEY!

Can someone help me?