I’m gassed by the high price of fuel these days. When rolling into the gouging gas station I can’t help but feel fumed by the price at the pump. Just lifting the gas nozzle into my car’s fuel tank exhausts my wallet.

Since I don’t think cheap gas can be had anytime soon, I’ve decided to fill up on a few tactics to help counter the price at the pump. There are many simple ways to save money on gas by improving gas mileage that don’t require you to shell out for a hybrid or more fuel efficient car (although ideal for the environment).

In my quest to burn less fossil fuel I’ve also discovered some minor lifestyle adjustments you can make to help cut down on gasoline expenses.

Here’s how to counter high gas prices, improve gas mileage, and save money on gas:

1. Track Your Gas.

There’s no sense in complaining about high gas prices or looking to improve gas mileage if you don’t know how much gas you use. Besides, it’s impossible to tell if your attempts to save on gas are actually successful without tracking and measuring your fuel consumption and gas mileage. I have two methods for tracking gas mileage, the Pen and Paper Method and the ScanGauge Method.

Tracking Gas Mileage: Pen and Paper Method

I like simple. Tracking fuel efficiency is pretty simple with just a notebook and a pen.

1. Fuel up. Each time you fill your tank write down the distance you drove on this tank, the amount of fuel purchased, and the price per litre or gallon.
2. Clear trip odometer. Reset your car’s trip odometer to start measuring the distance before the next fueling.
3. Calculate. When you get home calculate the fuel efficiently for that tank. The miles per gallon (MPG) is the total miles for the tank divided by the gallons of gas used. I created a Gas Mileage Calculator to help you with the mathy math.
4. Record. Write and record these values in a notebook or logbook. My “better half” keeps this logbook in his car to better help keep track. You will soon see if your attempts to improve mileage are paying off.

Tracking Gas Mileage: ScanGauge Method

My “better half” is a bit of a gadget guy and went and got a gas mileage measuring device called a ScanGauge II. At first I was skeptical with this computer thinger. But since seeing it in action I’m kind of amazed by the very detailed information to be gleaned by gadgets like these. Basically, my “better half” hooked this computer into his Subaru (without any tools) and now measures fuel consumption, cost-per-mile (or kilometer), and much more in real time. It’s kinda cool.

If you are looking to save money, then the Pen and Paper gas mileage tracking method works just fine.

2. Drive Less.

The most fuel efficient vehicle is the one that is not running. A Hummer parked in the driveway consumes less fuel than a Prius driving on the road. It’s simple math. By staying home Saturday nights, walking to the gym instead of driving, reading a book over driving to the video store, and commuting to work or school on a bike you can save a lot of moolah on gas. You’ll probably save money on doing more frugal activities at home as well.

3. Take the Bus. Ride a Bike. Take a Hike.

I hate to call taking the bus, riding a bike, and walking alternate forms of transportation. Many cities and organizations refer to bus riders and bike peddlers as alternate transportation types. But to me, these forms of transportation are essential methods to keeping my wallet fat and my butt lean.

• Take the bus. Compared to driving a car, the amount of fuel used per person on a light-rail train or on a bus is astoundingly small. Commuting to work using public transit will save you a significant amount of fuel and wear-and-tear on your vehicle. It may not be super glamorous, but it is affordable. Plus, you can arrive at work somewhat relaxed, not having battled through morning traffic.

• Ride a bike. For shorter distances, consider riding a bike. Biking is very fuel efficient as bicycles require no gasoline to function. Plus, you’ll get to fuel up on more calories burned!

• Take a hike. If your final destination is close-by, then get on your walking shoes and hoof it! You’ll not only save on gas but you’ll save on parking costs as well.

I’ve been a wealthy and wise bike commuter for over 10 years now. I have a size 26 waist and buns of steel. Sure, getting into walking or biking mode takes a little planning, but the benefits of getting physically fit and saving big bucks are huge. Unfortunately, many cities in North America have done very little to support good public transit or have built little infrastructure to be bike-friendly. As the price of fuel continues to climb, my hope is this will change for the better.

4. Combine Trips.

Stop diving millions of miles doing millions of errands everyday. All this extra mileage adds up! Rather than spin your wheels and consume lots of gas, try taking a few minutes in the morning and plan your daily activities. Here’s how:

1. Start by listing all your fixed appointments.
2. Schedule all other non-fixed activities around your fixed appointments.
3. Get your car in gear and get everything done on one single trip.

You may just find you’ll end up saving both gas and time!

Tip: Plan your trip so the longest drive is done first. This tactic lets your car warm up properly and can increase overall fuel efficiency, more-so than making several cold starts.

5. Carpool.

Ready for some simple and frugal math? One vehicle traveling with four people consumes about one quarter of the gas as four vehicles seating one person each. Carpooling is an awesome method for increasing the number of butts sitting in your car while decreasing both the number of vehicles on the road and the gasoline consumed.

Even if you carpool once weekly with just one other person, you will still save ten percent of your commuting gas costs! Many larger towns also have carpool or “high occupancy vehicle” lanes which makes your commute both faster and cheaper. To arrange a carpooling group:

• Colleague connection. Talk to the people you work with and see who lives near you.

• Neighborhood watch. Talk to your neighbors and discover who drives near your destinations.

• Connect with carpooling services. Most bigger towns and cities have carpooling hot lines and websites looking to connect cars with people. Try the StumbleUpon Carpool Websites to get a handle on the information available near you.

6. Slow Down. You move too Fast.

All cars have a “sweet spot” at which they perform at optimal fuel efficiently. While this “sweet spot” will vary from vehicle to vehicle, I can guarantee it’s not at 90MPH! Whether you do most of your driving on a highway or in the city, the money to be saved on gas from slowing down is considerable.

• Highway drivers. When cruising on the highway, your car burns lots of fuel just punching a hole in the air. While breaking wind may sound like fun, it’s actually very expensive. The faster you drive, the harder your car has to work to just to move forward against wind resistance. Since your car’s work increases exponentially with the speed, slowing down just a bit can save a significant amount of gas and do wonders for fuel efficiency.

• City drivers. When driving in the city, most of the gas consumed is through acceleration. The constant speeding up and slowing down during city jaunts is the reason why city cars have inferior gas mileage to highway cruisers. To save in town, accelerate gently from a stop leaving lots of space between your car and the one in front of you.

Besides, slowing down is just safer for everyone on the road.

7. Maintain Your Vehicle.

Clogged air filters, sludgy oil, and under inflated tires are all things that will guzzle up your gas. A properly maintained vehicle can save you big bucks on gas, keep you safe, and increase the life of your ride. Some quick tips on better car maintenance:

• RTFM. Read your car’s freaking manual to schedule what maintenance needs to be done and how often.

• Get filtered. Change the air filter as scheduled, even if it looks clean. Tiny dust particles can easily reduce the air your engine needs to breathe, increasing the amount of gas it burns. It’s easy to change the air filter yourself. This involves opening a few metal snaps on your car’s engine. The car user manual should have detailed instructions.

• Get oiled. You will drive further on less fuel when your car is well lubed. The car user manual should say how often oil changes are required. Modern engines and oils can go longer distances with less changes. Just don’t neglect to change it!

• Under pressure. Check the pressure in your tires each time you get gas. Inflate your tires to at least the recommended pressure stated in your car’s manual. To increase fuel efficiency, try inflating to the higher pressure listed in the user manual. Just don’t go higher than the maximum pressure printed on the tire! Higher tire pressures will help save a bit of gas, but may result in a harsher ride on rough roads.

8. Idle Threats.

An idling car is an expensive gas guzzling vehicle. A car parked with the engine running can use anywhere from 1/4 gallon (1L) to 3/4 gallon (3L) every hour while doing absolutely no work. To help ease any idle threats to your pocketbook, here are some idling tips:

• Morning warming. When starting out in the morning, don’t let your car sit and idle to warm up. Start the car, wait a few seconds, and gently drive off. Modern cars warm up much faster and more efficiently when being driven than they do when sitting and idling.

• Stop sitting. If you’re going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds, perhaps turn the car off. If you’re idling to pick someone up or waiting to drop someone off, consider turning your car off.

Many cities in Europe have installed countdown timers at longer lights to allow people to turn off their cars instead of sitting and idling.

9. Lighten Your Load.

Harness the power of aerodynamics and lighten your load to improve fuel effiency and save. With these few simple tricks, you can get zoomy like a race car while consuming less gas.

• Lose the rack. If you have a roof rack on your car, remove it. Unless you are hauling cargo, roof racks add extra weight and increase drag on your fuel efficiency. Only mount a roof rack when it’s needed and you can save a lot on gas money.

• Got junk in your trunk? Are you packing lots of extra pounds in the trunk of your car? Remove it. Every extra bit of unnecessary weight burns extra fuel each time you drive up a hill or increase speeds. Return overdue library books, toss out the trash behind the seat, and remove the sandbags and chains from last winter. Not only will you save gas, you’ll also feel happier driving in a clean vehicle! Just keep the spare tire, just in case.

10. Telecommute.

Not everyone has a job or an employer who allows logging in from home, but if you can, try telecommuting. Working from home as little as once per week can save you 20 percent of your commuting gas. Telecommuting does require some discipline. The distractions found at home are different (and often greater) than those in the workplace.

Are you fuming over the prices at the pump? Got any suggestions for saving some bucks on gas? Got any fuel efficiency tips? What’s your gas?

I’ve gone and made some friends. Through writing here I’ve discovered that blogging is not a lone activity but rather a big blogospheric conversation. We read articles. We comment on posts. We participate in conversations. We link to both tasty and unsavory ideas. We meet people. It’s all funeroodle fun.

So through my interwebing travels I’ve met some fine fellow bloggers and together we’ve created a little group called the Personal Finance Network.

The Personal Finance Network is a group of six friendly blogs. We plan to share some ideas, do some group writing projects, and work together to create some top notch articles pertaining to personal finance. I’m pretty darn excited meeting new people so I’d like to introduce you to the Personal Finance Network:

• Blunt Money: I’m going to be blunt. The world of personal finance blogging tends to be a big sausage party. Lots of guys, not many gals. So it’s fun to meet fabulous female bloggers like Ms.Blunt at Blunt Money. Ms. Blunt is a remarried mom with over 15K in credit card debt. She’s been “divorced, employed, unemployed, self employed, and underemployed.” She has an interesting story to tell and is well worth the follow.

• Canadian Capitalist: Looking for a Canadian blogger? Look North and you’ll find the Canadian Capitalist. The Canadian Capitalist lives in my former home town of Ottawa, Ontario (the nation’s capital). He is a married father of twin boys and is debt-free save his small mortgage. He’s been blogging since 2004. I’ve been a reader of his for several years now.

• Clever Dude: The Clever Dude is a late 20-something fellow from Washington, D.C. He’s married and working hard to pay down all sorts of debt. He’s been blogging since June 2006. His site is pretty clever with lots of content written in a clear voice. He writes primarily on family, marriage, finances, and life. Dooooode!

• MoneyNing: A son of immigrant parents, MoneyNing has followed his parents lead and has worked hard to become well educated and knowledgeable in matters of personal finance. His story of immigrating to Canada and then moving to Southern California is eye opening as he’s spent many years apart from his family. Be sure to follow him as he finds his way to financial independence.

• Quest For Four Pillars: I’m fond of the fine fellows at Quest For Four Pillars. This blog is run by two fellow Canadians going by the names Mr. Cheap and Mike. Mr. Cheap is a 30-something single fellow studying for his PhD in computer stuff. He’s on the prowl for a lovely lady so if you’re looking for a date, be sure to drop him a line. Mike is a married father of two. He describes himself as a “repeat baby maker” (which totally cracked me up). These guys write mostly on Canadian matters but do cover American angles for good measure.

• Squawkfox (me): You probably know about me already. I’m a little weird, somewhat wacky, but mostly a warm and friendly personal finance blogger. I’m shy in person but not intimidated to blog what I really think when it comes to money and frugal living. I believe personal finance is sexy, delicious, and fun and always do my best when writing for you.

Now What?
Keep your browsers loaded and your eyes peeled for the Personal Finance Network’s upcoming stories and group writing projects!

Let’s talk dirty. Let’s speak of the kind of filth reserved for sweaty undergarments, worn unbuttoned blouses, and stained white t-shirts. Let’s muse about the body odor smelling up fabrics, the armpit rings circling under sleeves, and the ties dipped in mustard. Let’s talk about doing the laundry.

Laundry. It’s tricky to say something clean and refreshing about such a dingy, dirty topic. But dirty laundry is something we all have in common. We all spoil our shirts, we all stink up our socks, and we all stain our slacks. Laundry is also a repetitive task which can cost us big bucks over time. When I stop to calculate the cost of laundry detergent, the power usage of clothing dryers, and the water consumption of washing machines I shudder at the total cost of cleaning filth.

Over the long haul, it’s wise to wonder how much money could be saved by laundering differently with a few fresh techniques. Since I want to spot you some dollars and still whiten your wash, lets look at some ways to save money on cleaning laundry!

1. Laundry Detergent

When is comes to laundry detergent it seems the choices are endless. Many brands boast superior cleaning power, wacky ingredients, and sniffling smells. These brands can also be costly at the till. Try these tips to save money on your laundry detergent bill:

• Buy store brands. Name brand detergents are often more expensive than store brand equivalents, even though both do the same job. Why pay more for the marketing muckity muck and packaging associated with a brand name detergent. Stick with store brands and wash for way less.

• Get powdered. Powered laundry soaps generally cost far less than the liquid variety and also use fewer environmental resources during production. To avoid powdery residue on your clean wash, be sure to fill your washing machine with water and soap before adding your laundry. This method also helps liquefy the detergent powder more evenly into your wash.

• Go green. Here’s the quick and dirty on greener laundry detergent! A green detergent should be non-toxic and biodegradable. It must contain no petroleum based ingredients, no optical brighteners, and no dyes or fragrances (clean doesn’t have a smell). Ingredients may include corn and coconut for surfactants, soda ash and borax for water softeners, and sodium gluconate and sorbitol as a natural anti-redeposition agent.

• Add baking soda. Rescue the soda from your fridge and toss it into your wash. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and works wonders on stinky gear and smelly shirts. Just add a quarter cup to your washing machine’s rinse cycle to use as a fabric softener and odor remover. To pretreat spots before putting clothes into the wash, try making a paste from a 50/50 mix of baking soda and water.

• Add white vinegar. Take a pass on greasy fish and chips and use your vinegar in the wash! Full strength white vinegar is an excellent cleaning tool for clobbering germs, bacteria, and molds. Along with baking soda, vinegar helps to destinkify and deodorize your smelly kit.

Tip: Add your laundry detergent and one cup of white vinegar and quarter cup of baking soda to whiten and brighten your wash. To remove leftover soap residue, try adding half a cup of white vinegar to the wash rinse cycle. Your clothing will smell clean and fresh. I promise, you won’t smell any vinegar after your clothing is dry.

2. Washing

Washing is a way of life. Unless you have kagillions of dollars, you’re unlikely to wear an outfit just once. So here are some ways to dwindle your washing bill.

• Wash only full loads. Stop doing half loads and start filling your washer to the brim! Half-full loads may use less water but they consume the same electrical power as full loads. Washing with the machine only half full is a sure fire recipe for flushing good money down the drain.

• Wash in cold water. Get out of hot water and save big bucks on your energy bill by washing cold. Save hot water washes for white towels, socks, and underwear. Some sites claim that as much as 90 percent of the energy used when washing clothes is used just for heating the water. By simply washing cold, an average family can save $70 per year on their energy bill. These dollars add up over the years! Try the Switch to Cold Water and Save calculator to figure your savings.

• Use shortest washing cycle. Choose the shorter washing cycles for lightly to moderately soiled clothing. Leave the normal to heavy wash cycles for the real dirty stuff. This approach can help to use less energy since the machine runs for less time. Over the year this adds up!

• Switch to a front-loading washer. Take a spin with a front-loading washing machine to save water, energy, and detergent. The efficiency of these machines is amazing. They require about 40 percent less water per load, consume up to 60 percent less energy, require less detergent to clean, and are more effective in removing water during the spin cycle - so less time in the dryer. These machines are more expensive to buy than top loading machines, but the savings do add up over the years. I am so saving for one.

3. Drying

Sometimes wet clothing needs a good drying. Here are some drying alternatives as well as ways to optimize your dryer.

• Hang dry. Get hung out to dry by skipping the clothes dryer. By using clothing racks in place of a clothes dryer you can save lots on energy costs. I’ve found my clothing lasts longer and fades less when hung out to dry. Alternatively, place clothing in a dryer for just 15 minutes on high heat to fluff, then pull out the still damp laundry and hang it to air dry. This leads to considerable savings. I hang and air my laundry in all seasons, not just in the summer.

• Remove lint. Keep your dryer lint free. A full lint trap doesn’t allow the moist air to escape properly, which slows down the drying cycle and uses more energy. While you’re at it, check your belly button too.

4. Ironing

Stop getting your wallet flattened by ironing costs. The irony is ironing can be done faster with less effort for less bucks by trying these simple pressing tips.

• Less dryer time. Rescue your wardrobe from the dryer sooner by removing your clothes promptly. Leaving clothes in the dryer sets terrible wrinkles, which require way more ironing time. I find removing ironables when still very slightly damp helps to lessen ironing time as well.

• Get foiled. Try inserting aluminum foil between the ironing board and the cover. This helps to conserve heat and gets the job done faster.

• Get spritzed. Get an inexpensive bottle sprayer and add some water. Spraying to moisten ironable items helps to soften wrinkles and requires less time to press.

5. Clean Conclusions

Getting dirty things clean doesn’t have to be a drag. By employing these few wonderful washing techniques, you can save big bucks over the years.

Do you have some tips for washing your wardrobe? Any tricks for saving cleaning dollars? Want to talk dirty?