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Tired of spending your hard-earned cash on gas?  Cars are important in our lives, apart from the flexibility of moving from one place to another they are also convenient. However, no matter how easy it is to go anywhere, with the gas prices continuing to rise, it’s becoming hard to freely use our cars.

But don’t worry; although gas prices continue to skyrocket, there are plenty of ways to save money on gas . This is especially on weekdays where you get to use your car often.

1.      Buy the Gas at the Particular Time and Day

Although you might not think twice about which time to gas your car, it is essential to purchase the gas at a particular time. The best time to do this is early in the morning or late at night especially during warm months. Reason being, gas is cooler earlier in the day and denser. However, as the day progresses, the temperature rise and the gas density falls and becomes less when you pump.

Additionally, according to Gasbuddy, when it comes to the best day to gas up your car, Monday wins hands down in most states in America. However, you should avoid putting gas on Saturdays as it’s the most expensive day to buy gas.

2.     Eliminate Unnecessary Weight

Did you know that every 200 pounds of additional weight in your car reduces one mile off fuel efficiency? It’s no secret that most cars carry unnecessary weight such as golf club, toolboxes or heavy materials. Another unnecessary weight comes from external attachments such as roof racks which mostly increase wind resistance and gas use.

If possible remove them when not in use. Remember that, if you have to carry something, place it in your truck and not on the rack on top of the car. By doing this you will avoid slowing your car down which makes it difficult to accelerate.

3.     Purchase Discounted Gas Gift Cards

Who doesn’t like gift cards? I know I do. There are various sites like GiftCardGranny.com and cardcash.com that sometimes sell discounted gift cards for gas stations like Mobil, Shell and Gulf.  The best part is that you get to save some money. For example, you can get a gas card worth $100 but only pay $ 95 for it.

4.     Turn Off the Air Conditioner

No matter how much you love air conditioning, remember, it is one of the biggest drains on engine power and fuel economy. Keep it turned off as much as possible as you find other ways to circulate the air and stay cool. For example, when parking your car in the open, make sure you find a well-shaded place to park and roll the window down a bit to circulate air.  Nevertheless, if it gets too hot to avoid driving around without the air conditioner, ensure you set it around 72 degrees.

5.     Avoid Buying Premium Gas

Unless your car requires you to buy the higher-octane gas for premium performance, avoid buying it. Octane has nothing to do with gasoline performance, but only provides a slight improvement in performance and efficiency. Therefore, unless your car manual specifically requires it, avoid using premium gas.

6.     Utilize Your Smartphone

Just as you use your smartphone to buy your groceries you can also utilize it to find gas. There are incredible apps like AAA Triptik or GasBuddy that assist you in finding the cheapest gas stations in your area. Aside from that, the smartphone goes a little further by providing you with the Maps app that also shows you traffic. This enables you to check the traffic before leaving the house or office and enables you to avoid idling for long thus wasting gas.

7.     Consider Carpooling

If your neighbors happen to work near your workplace or you live in  the same area with some of your work colleagues then you can consider carpooling. This move will not only save you on gas but also reduce the cost of parking space. However, before you put the idea in motion, you need to agree on which days are ideal for all of you to carpool and whose car you are using.

8.    Maintain Your Car

Did you know proper maintenance increases a car’s fuel economy? Therefore, don’t waste another moment and get your car serviced. For example, make sure you maintain engine efficiency by using the correct engine oil, keep the tires inflated to the proper pressure. This increases your traveling distance on a tank of gas.

Furthermore, keep the air filter clean since a dirty one clogs an engine’s air supply which causes a higher fuel to air ratio thereby increasing gasoline consumption.

Conclusion

So there you have it, the 8 great ways to save gas on weekdays. For the chance to save some money, you can start implementing them immediately and see what difference it makes.

Are you getting frustrated because you’re living from one salary to the next?  According to CareerBuilder, 78% of the United States workers are in the same boat as you. It’s sad to note that many people find it hard to budget on their low income since most have no clue where the money disappears to.

Well, there is a solution to that, but it can only be achieved by creating a plan on how you spend your money. With a budget, you get to track your money as well as be able to avoid debts.

Here are the 6 creative ways to budget on a low income.

1.      Create a Detailed Budget

Before you start monitoring your spending you need to know how much money you are earning and how much you spend per month. The reason being, with a low income, it’s easy to get distracted and spend more than you can afford.

However, you can change this by creating a spreadsheet on your laptop; use a downloaded app from your phone or just a pen and paper. Figure out as much as you can how much income you receive and how much you spend every month.

Although budgeting is not fun for most people, you should ensure you keep an accurate track of all your expenses for a month or two. Once you know how you spend your money, it will be easier to balance your income since you get to reduce specific expenses.

2.     Cut Back on Unnecessary Expenses

In every household, there are usually four important things budgeted for which are food, clothing, gas, and housing. Once you budget for them make it a priority to cut back on unnecessary expenses such as gym membership, magazine subscription, cable bills among others.

If you are a fan of eating out or ordering take out, its time you start cooking more often. On the other hand, when it comes to gas, you can save by sometimes taking public transport, walking or cycling.

3.     Always Use Cash When Paying Your Bills

If you are shopping for groceries, clothes or other personal stuff, it’s advisable to carry cash with you. You can separate the money by putting it in different envelopes and naming each of them to ensure you don’t overspend on the other items.

Start by making a list of the necessary items when going grocery shopping to avoid picking up on anything you don’t need. Also, before you leave the house make sure you search for the stores offering the lowest prices, discounts or special deals.

Note that, if you don’t spend all the money in one envelope, you can decide to add some extra non-perishable items or save the money instead.

4.     Avoid Shopping with Your Credit Card

I know it’s tempting to want to purchase something although you can’t afford it at the moment. No matter how credit cards are good when it comes to earning points, you should try to avoid shopping with your credit card.

If you get used to purchasing everything with a credit card, there is a high possibility of finding yourself in a cycle of debt. This will not only force you to find ways to pay the money but also you will have to pay for it with interest.

5.   Search for Free Activities and Events

Everyone likes to have fun once in a while. However, if it comes with costing you a lot of money and leaving a dent on your budget, then it’s not worth it. But hey! That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself even if you are on a tight budget.

If you’re a lover of sports, there are free tournaments such as soccer games, baseball or tennis open to the public within the year. You can also go for comedy shows, gallery openings near your home as well as free outdoor screenings, or live concerts in parks.

6.     Make Sure to Pay Off Your Debts

No matter how much you want to stick to a budget, nothing ruins that than multiple debts. To ensure you stick to your budget, you should make a list of all your debts and start paying them off every month.

Start with the high-interest ones, especially personal loans and credit card debts. By doing this every month, you get to be debt-free in no time. Remember, without any debt, it possible to accomplish your financial goals as you tend to save more often.

Conclusion

It’s true creating and sticking to a budget can be hard. Nevertheless, that should not stop you from being smart and spending within your means. Be determined to leave the life of living from paycheck to the next behind and use the above creative ways to budget on your low income.  Keep in mind, just create a budgeting method that works for you and stick with it.