The Final Budget Tip of 2007
Today's Tip: Fill Your Gas Tank When It's Only Half Full
Everybody is feeling the pressure from the Middle East these days. It is most noticeably
evident at the pump, as gas prices spiked from a low of $1.14 per gallon in February 2002
all the way to an average of $3.05 per gallon in December of 2007. Leaving politics out of
our discussion, the increase in fuel expenses alone is enough to warrant cutbacks in
discretionary spending (e.g. Eating out less, ironing clothes as opposed to dry cleaning, etc.)
So how can you actually save money at the pump without buying a new hybrid vehicle?
The Environmental Information Administration reported in November of 2005 that the
average American household used 1,143 gallons of gasoline per year. If you multiply this
average by the average cost of fuel today, that is $3,486 per year that the average American
household spends in gasoline.
One way to save money is to not wait until the needle of your car is right up against empty.
It's a fact that gasoline evaporates rapidly. Therefore, the closer your needle gets to empty,
the more time the gasoline has to evaporate, and the more that your tank is comprised of air
versus actual fuel. While the more frequent visits to the gas station may cost you a little bit
of your time, it will actually decrease your gasoline expense (and you can pat yourself on
the back too, because naturally it was your intention to save the environment through this
strategy all along...).
A couple of other tips that might help include filling up in the morning or at night when the
temperatures are colder. Why? Well, gasoline tends to expand when temperatures are
warmer. One gallon pumped in the Phoenix desert might be a little bit less fuel than one
gallon pumped in Bangor, Maine. You can also pump a little bit more slowly to make sure
little bit of time, but might prove cost-effective in the long run.
Here's the true test though: fill up your car with a full tank of gas. After you do this, reset
your trip odometer to zero. Drive on that tank of gas until it gets down to the 1/8 line (or
the line that you usually refill on). Document the mileage that you drove during that period,
and the next time you fill up, do the same thing and then refill when it is half full. Compare
the mileage driven between trips (remembering to convert fractions...Do this before
applying to the "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader" television show). Then you can see
for yourself how much further you were able to drive and estimate the savings based on
your car's average fuel usage per gallon of gas.
This will be the last budget tip of 2007. If you missed any of the tips, you can review them
at left. If you have comments on this or any tip or suggestions for a daily budget tip,
email them to suggestion@myfinpro.com. As always, thanks for reading, and good luck
with your 2008 budget!
Have you downloaded the free budget yet? Our free budget spreadsheet is updated for
2008 and features a monthly account tracker and budget form!
Everybody is feeling the pressure from the Middle East these days. It is most noticeably
evident at the pump, as gas prices spiked from a low of $1.14 per gallon in February 2002
all the way to an average of $3.05 per gallon in December of 2007. Leaving politics out of
our discussion, the increase in fuel expenses alone is enough to warrant cutbacks in
discretionary spending (e.g. Eating out less, ironing clothes as opposed to dry cleaning, etc.)
So how can you actually save money at the pump without buying a new hybrid vehicle?
The Environmental Information Administration reported in November of 2005 that the
average American household used 1,143 gallons of gasoline per year. If you multiply this
average by the average cost of fuel today, that is $3,486 per year that the average American
household spends in gasoline.
One way to save money is to not wait until the needle of your car is right up against empty.
It's a fact that gasoline evaporates rapidly. Therefore, the closer your needle gets to empty,
the more time the gasoline has to evaporate, and the more that your tank is comprised of air
versus actual fuel. While the more frequent visits to the gas station may cost you a little bit
of your time, it will actually decrease your gasoline expense (and you can pat yourself on
the back too, because naturally it was your intention to save the environment through this
strategy all along...).
A couple of other tips that might help include filling up in the morning or at night when the
temperatures are colder. Why? Well, gasoline tends to expand when temperatures are
warmer. One gallon pumped in the Phoenix desert might be a little bit less fuel than one
gallon pumped in Bangor, Maine. You can also pump a little bit more slowly to make sure
little bit of time, but might prove cost-effective in the long run.
Here's the true test though: fill up your car with a full tank of gas. After you do this, reset
your trip odometer to zero. Drive on that tank of gas until it gets down to the 1/8 line (or
the line that you usually refill on). Document the mileage that you drove during that period,
and the next time you fill up, do the same thing and then refill when it is half full. Compare
the mileage driven between trips (remembering to convert fractions...Do this before
applying to the "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader" television show). Then you can see
for yourself how much further you were able to drive and estimate the savings based on
your car's average fuel usage per gallon of gas.
This will be the last budget tip of 2007. If you missed any of the tips, you can review them
at left. If you have comments on this or any tip or suggestions for a daily budget tip,
email them to suggestion@myfinpro.com. As always, thanks for reading, and good luck
with your 2008 budget!
Have you downloaded the free budget yet? Our free budget spreadsheet is updated for
2008 and features a monthly account tracker and budget form!
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