How to Postpone Buying Gas

There is nothing quite like needing to buy gas at the end of the pay period.  If you need to maximize the little amount of gas that you have left, there are a few things you can do.

1.  Drive Gently.  Fast starts and heavy acceleration drinks gas quickly.  Instead, accelerately slowly and steadily.  Strive not to use the brakes.  Coast to stops whenever rather than braking heavily.

2.  Minimize Stops.  It's better to travel continuously than it is to stop.  You don't want to sit at traffic lights so take the highway.  Choose travel times when the highway is less congested so that you don't get caugt in stop and go traffic.

3.  Minimize the Number of Trips.  If you are traveling somewhere, it is better to stop along the way and get things you need instead of making a separate trip later.

4.  Don't Buy More Gas Than You Need.  If you know you need to make a 20 mile round-trip commute two more times during a pay period and that you ger 20 miles per gallon, you only need a little over 2 gallons.  Depending on the price of gas, that's probably only $7 or $8. So buy $10 worth of gas instead of $20 or $30.

5. Buy Gas With Cash. If you are low on funds, the automated card reader on the pump might not authorize you to purchase an indeterminate amount of gas.  If you plunk a $10 bill down inside and pay cah for gas, you won't have that issue.

With these tips, you should be able to make it through til the end of the pay period.  But, don't drive on fumes that may leave you stranded in a dangerous area.  When you get paid again, buy the gas you need.

Eight Ways to Take A Shorter Shower

How To Save Money Buy Taking Shorter Showers

[I first published this article October 22, 2007 on Yahoo Contributors Network.  Today, the advice still sound.  You can still save a lot of money on water and electricity or natural gas buy taking shorter showers.]

Due to the severe drought conditions in much of the Southeastern United States, Georgia's Governor Sonny Perdue has declared that October 2007 is "take a Shorter Shower" month. But, many of us morning zombies don't wake up until we've actually been in the shower for a full ten minutes.

We often find that we have wasted plenty of precious water before we are even fully conscious. Clearly taking a shorter shower is an acquired skill. But, as Atlanta's reservoirs drain precipitously below 120 days of water, the skill of short shower taking is clearly worth acquiring. Here are eight easy ways to take a shorter shower:

1) Don't Perform Any Extra Rituals in the Shower. Some people shave in the shower. Some people brush their teeth. There are many things to do in the shower other than wash, shampoo, rinse, and get out. If you drop the extra rituals and stick to the essential business of getting clean, you are bound to save time and water.

2) Pretend You Are in the Navy. On Navy ships, water has traditionally been a precious commodity. To conserve it, sailors were advised to turn on the water, get wet, turn off the water, soap up, shampoo, and then turn on the water again to rinse off. The entire operation should only take five minutes. At least this is what my dad, a Navy veteran, always told my brother and me when we were growing up. Since I've never served in the Navy, it's entirely possible that my dad was just trying to save money on the water bill.

3) Watch the Clock. If you have a wall clock, place it where you can see it from the shower. You may have to replace your current shower curtain with one of the transparent variety. If your bathroom gets so steamy that you can no longer see your clock, it's long past time to get out of the shower.

4) Race the Timer. If a wall clock isn't motivation enough, get an inexpensive kitchen timer. Give yourself seven minutes and try to complete your shower before the egg timer bell goes off. If you are successful, try shaving a minute or two off of your time each week. Eventually, your shower should take no more than 15 seconds. However, if you get soap suds in your eyes on the way to work, you may have to give yourself more time.



5) Dance to the Music. Play a single track on an MP3 player in the bathroom. When the song is over, so is your shower. But, remember it's not fair to play Golden Earring's "Radar Love."


6) Shower with the Dog. You could always try locking your dog in the bathroom with you. If your dog has been sleeping all night and has to go out, he'll let you know. You can probably count on him barking at you within two or three minutes. The thought of your dog using your bathroom as a bathroom should provide extra motivation to get out of the shower and let him out quickly. Make sure you wear a bathrobe when you let your dog out. Otherwise, the PETA protestors outside your door may see you naked.

7) Have Your Spouse Make it Cold. If you have been cheating with these other methods and giving yourself a little too much extra time, you obviously need someone to stage an intervention. Have your spouse sneak in and turn the water to cold after five minutes. Fear can be a powerful motivation to take a quick shower.

8) Keep it Cold. Nothing makes you move quicker in the shower than running out of hot water. If you start your shower cold and keep it cold for the entire shower, you will find yourself showering at a frenetic pace. By using the polar bear alternative, you will be in and out in no time and you'll be sure to take the shortest possible shower.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, showering accounts for about 17 percent of all indoor residential water use. So, if these tips don't work for you, go out and find a low-flow showerhead!

Saving Money on Gas

If you are running low on cash, a tank of gas can really hit your wallet hard.  It can be worth it to change your driving habits to squeeze every last mile out of a thank of gas.  I often coast down hills and even cut the car off sometimes at long lights.  But, there is a group of people called hyper-milers who really take it to the limit and make dramatic improvements in fuel economy.

You can make big improvements even if you drive what could be considered a gas guzzler, consider John Teach's article on maximizing the fuel economy of his Corvette.

Dr. Hyper-Mile Or:  How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Save Fuel

Even if you don't have a Corvette, you can save gas by easing up on the gas, coasting down hills, and taking 55 mile an hour bi-ways instead of 80 mile an hour highways.