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Its the Lifestyle that counts

Today’s economy in becoming increasingly more difficult, with the demands on resources increasing there is a resulting  increase in costs.  This is putting more pressure on countries, businesses and individuals.

As we are not in control of country and business, we need to look at our lifestyle to live within our means and provide a happy, prosperous and fulfilling life for ourselves and our family.

With increased cost of living demand for higher wages are a consequence.

In my opinion the concept of working longer will only encroach on personal and family time. This will not improve your personal well being and too often leads to conflict and family breakup. We need to live within our means by finding ways to save money and spend wisely.

The inevitable  choice of working longer or getting into financial crises will be forced upon us or we can make life style changes to live better and cheaper.

We will explore the ways to live better and cheaper.

Tips to Save Money on Gas

The cost of gasoline in already high and will continue to increase.  This is a fact of life that cannot be avoided. Tips to save on fuel cost will help keep your budget in line and reduce your carbon footprint.

Keep your tires properly inflated. The savings in fuel may not be too significant but by simply keeping your proper tire pressure your tires will last longer. Most important though is that you are much safer on the road. Keep a tie gauge handy and check when fuelling up.

Telecommute is a very cost effective way to reduce transportation time. In the right kind of job you may not need to commute to work every day. Check with your employer to see if work can be done at home and save a trip or two per week.

Vehicle  maintenance will allow your can to run smoothly which improves your gas mileage. Change your oil regularly, replace that air filter and get tune-ups when scheduled. A well maintaned vehicle will save on gas.

Avoid rush hour and busy traffic peaks as stop and go traffic , long idling time or worse a traffic jam will eat up gas.  You can change your shopping and errand schedules to match traffic patterns and maybe change your work commute time to avoid the rush hour.

Remove extra weight from your car.  Check the trunk and remove what your don’t need. Your car take more energy to get up to speed and drags with every extra pound.

Driving Slower increases your miles per gallon this saving on fuel. I find speeding will not necessarily get you there sooner with traffic light timings and/or a minute or two extra is a small price to pay for fuel economy. When driving accelerate slowly and use the brakes as little as safety permits. The cruise control is a good feature to save fuel.

Fill it up but don’t overfill or top up. Gas might spill out when filling spout is filled. Look for best gas prices. Many stations have discounts or coupons at the pump.

Park in a cool place as gas will evaporate in a hot car. Find some shade or use the garage. Park a block or two further away from work for cheaper parking fees and walking will save you.

Walk the kids to school instead of driving. A quick errand close to home might be better as a walk instead of a drive.

Consider cycling .If you live close to work, cycle the commute. The exercise will keep you healthy. When planning to relocate, consider living closer to work and save more on commuting.

Plan your driving. The best route to a from your destination can save gas and group your errand runs together to avoid extra milage.

Carpool, public transit and “Park and Ride” are great alternatives to consider for your trips to work. Less mileage.. Less Gas consumed

Go lighter on your next car purchase and get a more fuel efficent vehicle.

Love the Sun

Love the Sun

Well it`s more economical to turnoff your air conditioning unit and get our of the house on those hot days.
( See our post on Air Conditioning Savings for ways to keep your house cool).

Rather than fleeing to the shopping centre for the air conditioned environment and be tempted to buy stuff you might not need, the best thing to do is move the activities outdoors. There are lots of great and inexpensive places to go and things to do.

Patio Furniture

Patio Furniture

Setup up a nice place in the back yard, in a shady area or under a patio umbrella.  Fire up the barbecue  and enjoy an economical day alone or with friends and family. I fondly remember playing in the sprinklers as a kid. You don`t have to spend the big bucks and take the kids out to the pool or water slide park.

Other options to save money and still have a great time is pack a lunch and go to the beach, a park or community center. Notice I said `Pack a lunch` Save by avoiding the high priced eateries while out and about.

Things needed for the back yard..

Portable BBQ – Great addition as you can take it with you to parks and beach
Cooler for drinks and food – Not too big so you can take it with you
Portable music player -  Load enough to hear and portable for trip away from Yard
Children Entertainment – Pool, slip and slide, croquet, … something to keep them occupied

Hanging at the Beach

Hanging at the Beach

If you live near the ocean, a lake or a river. likely your community has a park attached. It is an economical excursion as usually there are no admittance fees. Again pack a lunch in your cooler with drinks and enjoy the day out. You and the family will have a memorable and fun time with minimal expense. As a kid I remember these family outings with   fondness.

Things to bring:

Cooler for drinks and food
Sunscreen, hats and sun protective clothing
Umbrella, beach chairs
Towels and blankets

© 2012 An Economic Eye Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha