Clutter Busting: De-clutter your way to relief at the pump

If your family is anything like mine the price increase at the pump is a big factor in your day to day life. In the past few years we have seen the gas price jump from 99 cents a gallon to over $3.50 with no end in sight. I am frustrated, unnerved and annoyed! What is a person to do?

I have a proposal for others in the same predicament; get more organized!! Yes, you can gain some of the control back, and the savings will add up! Here are some suggestions:

Check for the cheapest gas in your area. There are many different websites that you can refer to find which station in your area has the best prices. Here is the one that I use: gasprices.mapquest.com/

Plan meals ahead and write a grocery list. The least amount of times you have to run to the store the more money you will keep in your pocket.

Take the time to make car maintenance a priority. Tuning, tire pressure, air filters, etc. can all affect your mileage with varying degrees of success.

Watch the weather forecast and dress appropriately. Air conditioning and open windows will pull back your cars mpg efficiency. Whenever possible keep the air conditioning off or turned on the lowest setting.

Coordinate a car pooling group whenever possible. I don’t live in an area where there is mass transit, but car-pooling is definitely a good alternative. It does not have to be just for work either. Take turns running kids to sporting events, go grocery shopping with your friends, etc.

De-clutter and clean out your garage so your car can be parked in there! How could an organizer write an article without mentioning clutter? If you keep your car parked in the shade of your garage it will be easier to have a cool ride!

Streamline activities and say ”No,” to the extra fluff in your calendar that leads to unnecessary travel.

Leave on time and don’t speed. Your Dad was telling you the truth when he said that speeding costs extra money in gas. Leave on time (or a few minutes early) and save a few pennies in the process.

Gas is going to continue to give us pains as long as the demand is high and the supply is low. Take back some of this control by looking at your lifestyle and see where you can clean out some clutter. Please share any additional suggestions with other readers that you have found useful.

Betsy