Cheap Chick's Corner - 3 easy ways to save

Everyone wants to save money but don't know where to start or don't want to make huge changes in their lifestyle. Here are 3 simple small changes that will reflect big saving over time.


1) Do your running around once a week. I am sure we all know someone, even ourselves maybe, that - gulp, run errands practically daily. Even if the trips are, let's say, 5 miles round trip. That 5 miles does adds up over time. If an average car gets 20 miles per gallon and for easy math a gallon of gas is $4. That one trip just cost you $1. You are probably laughing at me right now...... a dollar isn't much but  what happens if you made the same 5 mile trip 4 times that week? You just cost yourself $4 instead of just $1. If you only went once a week instead of 4 trips a week, that would have been $3 saving for the week.

Still laughing at me?

Wait for it......

Here's the kicker that some people tend to over look. If you did this all year (52 weeks), you would have saved $156. Now that is something to think about. What could have you done with an extra $156?  AND this isn't mentioning the time wasted by making 3 extra trips or the increase of pollution in the air or the increase of wear and tear on the car. Taking a few minutes each week to plan your week could make all the difference in your wallet.



2) Budget that gas. How many of you know exactly how much gas you go through in a week? 2 weeks? A month? How about your spouse? Are you just randomly guessing numbers right now, which could be way off base for that matter? Do most of you just fill up using the debt card and be on your way, not thinking how often you fill up or how much money you are spending? I use to be that person too. Not anymore though.

I can tell you how much I spend a month. I can tell you how much my hubby and I spend a month. I can tell you how much I spend on gas in 2 weeks.

How? Let me tell you. It's easier than you think. =o)

I have a gas allowance. (Dave Ramsey taught me this via his Money Makeover book!!!) What does that mean? I get a certain amount of money to spend on gas every two weeks (when I get paid). Now it will take some trail and error to figure out how much to make the allowance. You can start with what you think you spend a week or 2 weeks on gas - base the period on when you get paid. Then every time you get paid, give yourself that allowance and see if you can make it until the next payday.

If you can with lots left over, you can:
1) budget less to allocate the money elsewhere or
2) keep it the same amount of money and be happy with the amount you spend.

If you don't make it, evaluate two things:
1) Are you being realistic with your budget? $30 for 1 week will not work if you drive a truck with a commute to work of 30 miles.
2) Are you making extra trips you don't need to? Are you "wasting" your gas?

My gas allowance is $80. That normally fills my tank once if I'm below a quarter (~$60) and then gives me another $20 to hold me over because one tank doesn't last me 2 weeks. I can push 1 tank to a week and a half, but rarely doesn't go for the full 2 week period. Therefore I have to be very care with my gas. I can't make extra trips if I want my gas to last. I have to plan and follow the rule of doing my errands once a week.

Please note, if we are going on a trip, that gas cost is figured into the trip cost (which we budget before hand) and doesn't interfere with my gas allowance.

In addition, I get my gas allowance in cash. Once the cash is gone, I get no more until the two weeks are up. <-- this takes discipline. If I did my allowance via debt card, it is very easy to go over and harder to keep track of. You would save your receipts and then at ever fill up add them to see where you are at. Yes, I know most gas stations force the prepay when paying cash and yes, sometimes if you give the cashier $60 and you only could put in $55, you have to go back for your change. Let me tell you, I have learned to guess pretty darn close to what I need to put in to where you "force" the extra $1 or $1.37 into the tank so you don't have to go back. ;o) Also I have learned there are still a few gas stations that will let you pump first before paying. Furthermore, there are even gas stations that give you a discounted price for paying cash instead of a card since you are saving them card fees.

I have been doing my gas allowance via cash for over a year and it has kept our gas budget in line. With the current gas increase (and being able to pay some debt off) we have the luxury of increasing our gas allowance this year (to the current $80/2 weeks)! We both were super excited about the increase! =oD

Last thing to note, my hubby does NOT do the cash part of the allowance. The stubborn boy won't do it BUT! He knows he has a gas allowance and I watch him like a hawk. When I get a gas receipt, I mentally figure where he's at and periodically drop hints of where he's at - hopefully not too naggingly. ;o)



3) Don't spend that change. I grew up with change jars as a kid. It was a way to save money for many different reasons. The theory is every time you buy something, you break a bill and don't use the coins. The coins then are placed in a jar, piggy bank, box, fancy container, etc. Reasons you want to do this may be:

Once the jar is full......

* a family fun day
* extra goodies when grocery shopping like ice cream or cookies that you normally don't buy
* a fun trip somewhere
*saving to put in the bank
* saving for a car, shopping spree, eating out, etc
* date night
* put on debt
* extra gas money ;o)

This is so easy even get the kids can get involved. Just resist the urge to rad the jar or spend the change when you are checking out and you will be surprised who it can add up over time. =o)

Hopefully you found these three tips useful. I do (because I do them whenever possible). Even if you only pick or two or all three, every little bit helps and does add up over time.