Watch this video about STUFF may make you feel alot better about being frugal and living without the latest gadgets.

Story of Stuff

I don’t own a car but I do tend to chip in on gas every now and then so it amuses me to see the shock on everyone’s face when they talk about how much gas is on the cape. I think because we already pay higher than most places it is something we are used to.

So when we head over to the mainland, we actually save money buying gas over there. The crazy part though is the prices on the islands which is usually .50 to .80 higher than the cape.

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS

I don’t know what you guys are paying for gasoline…. but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon..

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

• We recently replaced all of our burned out light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs that were a great deal at Costco.

• I pretty much only buy children’s clothes used.

• We use the crock pot a few times a week to save on time cooking and energy.

• I only run the heater once in the morning to heat the house and then it stays off during the day unless it gets below 64 degrees. We also don’t run the heater at night.

• My children shower with me instead of a bath by themselves. We use less water and I am guaranteed a shower. (They are only 7 months and 2 years old…I have a little more time left with this frugal strategy.)

• I do meal planning with what I know is in my freezer from the previous weeks sale.

• I am part of a freezer club. It is a group of ladies in my neighborhood that exchange freezer meals with one another once a month. It is cheaper to make a lot of one thing, than a little of many things.

• I don’t typically pay for babysitting. I will trade with another mom. For example, my neighbor and I take turns watching each others kids one night a month so the other couple can have date night.

• I make my own baby food. It is not a huge savings, but I believe it is something. I also feel better because I know exactly what goes into my child’s food. The cost of regular groceries has gone up quite a bit in the past two years, but I still thinking making my children’s baby food is some savings.

• I use a kitchen rag and not kitchen towels to wipe up. I just throw the rag in the washer once a week and I don’t waste paper towels.

I am sure I do other things, but I am tired and I can think of them right now. I appreciate all of your tips. Thanks!

Also, never leave the water running when rinsing dishes before putting them in the dish washer. Use only what is need to rinse each dish.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have proof that my water frugality works. I have a post planned for the next week or two about this very topic.

Line dry all laundry
Find/invent Crockpot recipes
Set thermostat to OFF
Cancel all subscriptions no matter what they’re for
Work on a strict grocery list with meals planned for each week