Why Do Some People Choose To Pay A Premium For Gasoline?
I’m not sure what’s going on these days. I drive past a particular local gas station every day and continually see lines at each of the pumps. It’s not surprising to see people filling up, but it is surprising that they’re doing it at this particular station. After checking Gas Buddy, I know for a fact that they have the highest prices in the area. A quick search shows that another station 5 blocks away sells gas for about 18 cents/gallon less. For the life of me, I can ‘t figure out why people would pay so much for gas when a cheaper option is just down the road.
Perhaps some people don’t enjoy saving money. You’ll find me driving the extra 5 blocks to save a little money.
Three Tips to Stay Focused and Keep Your Eye on that Financial Goal
Saving money can be a pretty boring activity.
I’m reminded of this often. Every time I visit my parents, they ask the same question: “When are you buying a new car?” My car might be aging - 1999 Honda Civic, 178,000 miles - but it runs well and has been paid off for nearly seven years. Buying a new car to replace my well-running older car is not in my immediate financial plan. I tell this to my parents and I’m pretty sure they think I’m being cheap. I’ve explained to them that my wife and I are saving money to buy a house. Even so, the inevitable car question comes up when we see them. It’s getting old, but I just shrug it off now.
I was reminded again today when I found out that my sister-in-law and her husband are buying a house. They’re picking up a two-story house with three bedrooms and a bath and a half. They’re already planning to repaint walls, build a deck and construct a new entryway to the dining room. They’re plunking down 3%, which is required for the mortgage they’re signing. They’re 25 years old.
I think my wife got a little bummed when she heard the news. I know that she too wishes we were buying a house. But the thing is, when it’s time for us to buy a house, we’re going to be in great shape. In fact, we’re hoping to put at least 20% down on a home, and at the rate we’re saving, it could be more. That decreases the likelihood of struggling each month to pay the mortgage. That makes me happy.
So here are some tips I came up with to stay focused on saving, even when the people around you are spending:
1. Don’t let emotions get in your way - don’t try to keep up with your neighbors’ spending habits. We’re all guilty of impulse purchases. These impulses can eat away at a long-term savings goal. Take some time to think about purchases before making them.
2. Make saving a habit - have a portion of your paycheck deposited automatically into a savings account each pay period. This money will add up quickly, and you won’t miss it. Always remember to pay yourself first.
3. Treat yourself once in a while - sitting home all the time in an attempt to save money will drive you crazy. Be sure to go out and do things you enjoy. They don’t have to be expensive things. Check local publications - they’re usually filled with fun and inexpensive things to do.
ING Lowers Orange Savings Account Interest Rate Again
Once again, ING has lowered the interest rate if its Orange Savings Account. The rate has changed to 3.10% APY. This is a 0.3% reduction from the previous 3.40% APY. Though it seems unlikely, the interest rate for the Orange Savings account could move lower if the fed decides to reduce the benchmark rate at their March 18th meeting.
Favorite Airline and Flight Delays
I’ve not said it here before, but JetBlue is my favorite airline. They have the best in-flight entertainment, free head phones and Terra Blue Chips. What’s not to like? Umm - flight delays. The last two times my wife and I have flown JetBlue, the flights have been delayed. In each instance, it wasn’t the airlines fault - but it was nonetheless annoying.
The most recent flight delay occurred this past weekend. At first it didn’t seem like it would be all that bad. I had the laptop with me, so I thought I’d get on the Web and whip out a few blog posts! Much to my surprise, the Internet access wasn’t free and I wasn’t about to pay for it. This is when the delay began to bother me. I had three hours of sitting around ahead of me. Ugghh.
My issue with paying for the Internet access is that I get it free at a coffee shop after spending a few dollars on a coffee. But after spending a bunch of money at the airport, I still have to pay to access the Web. I refuse to pay for it. Next time I fly, I’ll have to plan a little better for situations like this.
My favorite thing to pay for at the airport:
Parking - leave your car in a lot for a few days and - BAM - you owe the airport $30 - $60!
How do you pass the time when your flight is delayed?
How To Save Cash, Gas And The Environment
Note: While JSB awaits the delivery of car parts from an online store, Mrs. JSB talks about her recent driving – and morning – habits.
I’m not a morning person.
I wake up most days and head straight to the shower. I dig through my closet half a dozen times, throw on some eyeliner and fly through the kitchen making lunch and Chai Lattes.
I drive to work alone with the music blaring. I normally do not sing along. JSB will confirm it – I’m not much of a talker in the early a.m. My morning routine, however, is changing. For the past three months, I’ve carpooled at least once a week to work with some co-workers who live in my neighborhood. We take turns driving, chauffering each other to and from the office. We share driving duties equally. We don’t exchange gas money.
Spending Next Year’s Taxes Before Filing This Year’s Taxes
By now I’m sure you’ve heard that the economic stimulus package has been passed. However, maybe you haven’t heard that this is not free money from the government. Rather, it’s a tax credit advance.
The wife and I have decided that we’re going to save our rebate check. We could go out and spend it on something shiny and new, but that wouldn’t do much for us. We’re in the process of saving for a house so maybe we’ll just put it toward that. But then again - we should also start Roth IRAs. The money won’t be here for a while so we have some time to decide. The only thing we’re certain of right now is that we’re not spending it.
What do you plan to do with your rebate check?
Save Money On Car Repairs By Going Online
Never ever do cars require repair at a convenient time. At least mine doesn’t - it always seems to have issues when it’s cold and dreadful outside. In my younger years I would brave the cold and fix problems myself. Now that I’m older I usually have someone else do the repairs for me. This past weekend was one of those occasions. We had an inch of ice on the ground and a few inches of snow on top of the ice. Not ideal conditions for working on the car in the driveway.
The Problem - my car’s radiator had a few small holes in it. While not something that needed immediate attention, it is something that should be fixed before it completely fails. So right around the time I started this blog - I bought a replacement radiator. It costs me about $150 less than the garage wanted to charge me for it. You might be wondering how I saved so much. Well - like most anything else - buying car parts online is easy and typically cheaper. I bought my radiator from DriveWire.com because I’ve dealt with them before and have always been pleased. They always have free shipping on orders over $50.
The only other costs that I had to pay were for labor, fluid and clamps. The grand total for that was $80. The entire repair costs were $152. That, I think, is a pretty good deal. In comparison, a local garage quoted me a price of $400. I guess it pays to spend some time looking for better deals.
Have you saved money on car repairs by shopping for parts online?
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About
Just Squeaking By is a blog about my personal finances and my quest to get them in order. Read more about Just Squeaking By
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