Money Saving Tips

In this article I am going to share some tips (based on my research) on how to reduce the petrol bill, even before you fill your tank - these tips are specifically about car usage:

Tyres: Pump up your tyres regularly. The tyres should neither be under-inflated or over-inflated. Your car manual will tell you what pressure your tyres should be at - Check regularly and make sure you stick to it. The tyres lose around one psi pressure per month and a tyre deflated by two psi will lead to one percent increase in fuel consumption.

Type Of Petrol: Only high performance cars require the higher grade petrol. If your car does not require high grade petrol then that petrol will usually not make any difference to the performance of the car. So check the car manual or with the manufacturer and use only the right petrol.
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Service: Service your car regularly - This will identify any problems and fixing the problems will increase your fuel economy. Not all problems with a car will be obvious - servicing the cars will uncover them.

Idle Engine: Idling for more than a minute consumes much more fuel than restarting an engine. So when you are stationary or held up for long periods of time then switch off your engine.

Strong Acceleration: Drive smoothly and at a moderate speed - don't travel at high speeds. If you need to accelerate then accelerate gradually. When the accelerator is depressed, the engine goes into a "fuel-enrichment" mode. Any speed higher than 90 kmph can waste fuel on highways, using cruise control can reduce fuel consumption.

Travel Light: Don't dump your car with things you don't need for your travel. On average, every 50kg added load in your car will increase fuel consumption by two per cent.

Right Time: If possible avoid peak times. Constant braking and constant acceleration can increase your fuel consumption.

Accessories Of A Car: Roof racks or additional parts on the exterior of a car can increase aerodynamic drag - which increases fuel consumption. Apparently even leaving the windows open can increase aerodynamic drag (aerodynamic drag was quite complex for me to understand but after reading a few pages this is my conclusion about what it is - it is simply 'resistance to motion'.)

Air Conditioning: Use air con sparingly. If you are on highways using air con is better than leaving the windows open.

Manual Car: Make sure you are using the right gear.

Short Trips: Well I guess this is common sense - Use your feet for short trips and this will not only reduce your waist line but will also save you money.

Almost There: Don't wait till your tank is all empty - If you do this then you have to drive to the nearest petrol station and you might not be able to use your Petrol Vouchers at the nearest station Nor will you be able to compare prices.

Here are some of tips to keep your grocery bills under check:

1. Make A List: Don't ever shop without a list. The Here are my tips to make a good list -

• Have a small notebook in your kitchen. As and when you run out of an item in your kitchen, you should immediately write it down on the list.



• Make a menu planner for the entire week. Before writing down the planner, look through your pantry and see if there is any menu you can cook from the items already in the pantry. If there is then include that menu in your planner. Using your menu planner as a guide, make a list of what you need for the entire week's cooking. Look through your pantry and cross out the items you already have.



• Spend a few minutes to make the list. This way the chances of you forgetting any essentials will be minimum.

The list will also prevent you from making frequent trips to your local grocer, where usually the prices are a bit higher.

2. Stick To The List: There is no point making a list if you don't stick to it. There can be very tempting offers in the supermarket but resist the temptation and stick to the list.

3. Don't Shop On An Empty Stomach: This will tempt you to buy junk food. It will not only increase your waist line but will also hurt your pockets. Apart from the junk food aspect, empty stomach also reduces your concentration on the task at hand.

4. Resist Temptation: Don't get tempted to buy the 'if you buy 2 you get a discount' kind of items - you can of course buy them, if you need them - the point is don't buy them purely for the discounted price reason.

5. When the non-perishable essentials (like oil) are on sale, stock them up.

6. Only buy vegetables that are in season.

7. Consider Store Brand Items - usually they offer good value for the same quality as other more popular branded items.

8. If you find any coupons that you can use at grocery store, keep them safe and use them.

Here are some tips that can help you slash your electricity bills:

Refrigeration

• Choose the right refrigerator. Buy only AAA energy rating refrigerator. Even if it initially costs slightly more, in the long run it will save you lots of money.


• Choose the right size refrigerator. They run at maximum efficiency when they are full.


• Make sure the seals are tight and the fridge door closes properly.


• Avoid opening the door multiple times. Get the items you want out as quickly as possible.


• Keep the refrigerator in a cool place and avoid placing it nest to your oven.


• Defrost your freezer regularly (if you don't have frost free model).


• Make sure there is enough space behind and on top the refrigerator for air flow and ventilation.


• If you don't need the second fridge that is running in your garage, then dump it.

Dishwashers

• Choose an energy efficient dishwasher.


• A half filled dishwasher uses the same amount of water as a full dishwasher. So run the dishwasher only when it is full.


• A full load dishwasher uses less water than washing the dishes manually.


• Use the right running time - if you don't need a long running cycle then choose a shorter cycle.

Ovens

• Again, at the risk of sounding repetitive, choose an energy efficient oven.


• Microwaves use almost 70% less energy than the traditional ovens.


• Keep the door closed when cooking in an oven. Resist the temptation to keep checking. It uses more energy if you keep opening and closing.


• Fan forced ovens are more energy efficient than the traditional ovens.


• Thaw before cooking.


• Check your oven seals - the door has to close properly and tightly.

Laundry

• Use front load washing machines - They not only use less water but they also use less energy.


• Use the natural sun light and your backyard clothes line to dry your clothes.


• Wash the clothes only if it is a full load.


• Change your time and water temperature setting according to the clothes you are washing. If your clothes don't need warm water then don't use warm water.


• Don't put dripping wet clothes in the dryer.


• Clean the lint filter on the dryer frequently.

Heating

• Don't allow hot water to run down the sink as you brush, wash or shave. Close the tap and start it again when you are ready.


• Install a solar hot water system.


• Portable bar radiators or kerosene heaters use up a lot of energy


• When you have a heater running in your bedroom, close all the doors, so that the heat stays where it is supposed to.


• Use timers on heaters so they switch on an off when you need them.


• Gas heating is more efficient than the electric heating.


• Install AAA-rated low flow taps.

A Few Other Tips

• Even when the appliances are in stand-by mode, they are still consuming power - Turn off TV, DVD Players, Computers, mobile phone charger etc completely when not in use.


• Use energy saving light bulbs - Compact fluorescent or low-wattage bulbs though might cost a bit more initially, in the long run the savings far surpass the initial purchase price.