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Little Steps Can Add Up To Big Savings At The Pump

Everyone is looking for ways to reduce “gas pains” from high fuel costs. There are some easy things you can do to put yourself on the road to gas economy.

• Light on the Pedal-Ease on the accelerator when you start from a red light. Your car will run leaner and won’t use as much gas. On the highway, run about five miles under the posted speed limit to save.

• Crank the AC-It used to be true that not using the air-conditioning (AC) in warmer months would save on fuel economy. That’s not true anymore. With the aerodynamics of today’s vehicles, by turning off the AC the resistance created by the wind causes more drag on the vehicle when the windows are rolled down.

• Use the Right Fuel-Never use a higher octane gasoline than your engine needs. It’s like trying to put 16 ounces of fluid into a 12 ounce glass. Use the right octane and you can save about a dime or more per gallon at each fill-up.

• Keep Up the Pressure-Make sure you have the correct pressure in each of your tires. With too little air in the tires, the friction that it takes to roll the car is much greater, thus reducing fuel economy.

• Keep It Clean-Keep your engine clean of debris by changing its oil and fuel filter.

• Get It In Gear-Most modern transmissions are electronically operated by controllers. Transmission fluid that’s broken down may keep your car from going into its highest gear. Have the transmission fluid changed in the 36,000 to 50,000 mile range.

• Stir It Up-There are lots of different gadgets on the market that claim to increase fuel economy. In all of our testing, we have virtually found no improvement in anything, with one exception. It is a device called Tornado that’s put into the air intake, closest to the throttle plate, and stimulates the air to get it really turbulent. That causes a good fuel atomization within the engine itself that caused an increase in fuel economy in the applications we tested by an average of one to two miles per gallon.

With gas prices over 2 and approaching the 3 mark, if you can save one or two miles per gallon every time you fill up, that can translate to about 300 or 400 of savings per year under normal driving conditions. I think everybody’s interested in that.

Let Energy Savings Pay For Home Improvements Like Replacement Windows

In this day and age of ever-rising fuel costs, not having your home properly insulated is like throwing money out the window. Literally, in fact, as old, leaky windows are a prime source of residential heat loss. Replacement windows alone can make a dramatic difference, with energy savings of up to 40% in monthly fuel bills.

In this article I’ll explain why dual pane replacement windows and other energy-saving home improvements are like money in the bank. Contractors like to point out an almost 100% return on investment when installing more energy-efficient windows, and they are right.

The problem with windows is that glass has poor heat insulation properties. Old single pane windows are hardy better than no windows at all when it comes to heat loss. And even older dual pane windows develop leaky seals that lead to condensation and reduced thermal protection. Replacing that old glass with new Energy Star compliant windows reduces utility bills, provides better sealing to ward off pollen and other pollutants, insulates better against noise, and also drastically reduces the load on your heating and cooling system.

In addition, the replacement windows can be ordered with tempered and shatterproof glass for extra protection, tinted glass for privacy and additional insulation, and even color options for special effects. Further, the extra ultra violet protection provided by specially coated and reflective glass can keep your furniture and floors from fading. Sometimes existing frames can accommodate more efficient replacement windows. If the frames need to be replaced, you can select from high-quality vinyl that never cracks or peels, or sturdy, elegant aluminum. While you’re at it, you may consider replacing flat standard windows with bay or decorative windows or add other architectural touches and enhancements.

Windows, of course, are not the only way to save energy. Up to 40% of a home’s exterior is roofing, and properly installed roofs can reduce heating and cooling bills in a number of ways. Shingles may reflect heat instead of absorbing it. Proper ventilation removes heat in the summer and quickly cools down your home. And whole-house fans efficiently remove the heat accumulating in attics.

Siding is important as well. Exterior painting not only improves the appearance of a home, but it also seals cracks through which heat can escape. Materials like Hardi Plank fiber-reinforced concrete siding are more durable and weather-resistant than wood or vinyl, again contributing to good insulation.

Properly built sunrooms can provide warmth in the winter and, through venting at night, cooling in the summer. Covered patios can provide shade, again reducing the load on the air conditioning system. The same goes for certain types of pergolas that are both decorative and provide shade. Decks and terraces, too, can shield windows from the sun, perhaps with the addition of plants, while adding quality living space to a structure.

So, the next time you think of home improvement projects, don’t stop at replacement windows. Take it as an opportunity to make your home a more environmentally friendly place with lower heating and cooling bills. Improving the value of your home and saving money at the same time…who could argue with that?

Unfortunately your sex can make a huge difference to the amount of car insurance that you pay. Women drivers while having been the brunt of many jokes, particularity from male drivers, can in fact get cheaper car insurance than men.

Statistics have shown that women are indeed safer drivers than men, this is because women have been proven to make less claims than men do on their insurance. They also usually go for much less flashier cars than men choose, instead going for the more reserved and what is classed as the safer car.

There are many online companies now taking advantage of this fact and as such are offering deals specifically aimed at the women driver. Lady drivers can now search online for companies aimed at them and by doing so they can make huge savings on the amount of premiums they pay for car insurance.

However, there are other factors that determine how cheap you get your car insurance, regardless of your sex. The best, cheapest and quickest way to look for your car insurance is by doing so online. By looking online for your car insurance you are able to get instant quotes from many companies which ensures that you choose the cheapest deal possible.

Policy features and benefits and the cost of car insurance does vary from company to company and all policies have exclusions hidden within them so it is essential that you understand just what is included in the quote.

Other factors which are taken into account include the area in which you live. Depending on your postcode you can be charged a higher premium for your car insurance. While there isn’t much you can do to change this you can make sure you have the best security features installed on your car, by doing so you can help to reduce the premium.

Most parents want to pay for their childrens college education, or at the very least help pay for college. While it would be great for your children to be able to start like after college without student loans to pay off, the cost to parents may be too high.

The average annual cost of a 4-year public college is 12,127 (source: The College Boards Annual Survey of Colleges, 2005-2006), with 4-year private schools averaging 29,026 a year. College costs have been outpacing inflation by rising over 5% per year.

On the other hand, saving for retirement has become even more important as companies have started freezing or eliminating pension plans, and the future of Social Security continues to be uncertain.

Paying for both college and retirement will be challenging for most parents. Here are some suggestions to help you to achieve both goals:

Have a plan. You should determine how much you will need for retirement and how much you anticipate your children will need for college.

Start saving as soon as possible. Time is your greatest ally, whatever your savings goal. Figure out how much you are able to save each month, and setup an automatic plan as soon as possible.

Prioritize if you cant afford to save for both goals, retirement should take priority over saving for college. Your children can always borrow for college or earn scholarships; you can not borrow money for retirement.

Save for both. Ideally, youd like to be able to save for both goals at the same time. If youre able to, allocate money to both goals. You may wish to visit with a financial planner to determine how much should be allocated to each goal.

Research there are several different types of college savings accounts available. Find out which type of account will benefit you the most before you invest.

Use retirement accounts to save for retirement and college. Retirement accounts can be tapped into to help pay college bills (IRA withdrawals can be taken penalty free for college expenses; Roth IRA contributions can be taken penalty and tax-free). However, you should only do this if it will not sacrifice your retirement savings.

The bottom line to getting the most out of your savings – prioritize your savings goals, have a plan in place, and start early.