DIY Life

Yesterday, I put $20 worth of gas into my car. I can remember the day when that would have filled it up, but instead it gave me just over 5.5 gallons. Gas prices are definitely at a high point, and it's predicted they could rise further by summer.

Though you can save money at the pump by reducing the number of miles you drive, sometimes it's impossible to cut back enough to make a difference. You can, however, save a few bucks by following these few tricks from Yahoo Finance.

• Consider checking a website like GasPriceWatch.com, which is fed by tipsters but also has a Certified Pricing Program. (Driving all over town looking for low prices, however, will burn any pennies you save. Look for a station near where you'll be anyway on your daily travels.)
• Fill up at low peak times when prices are likely to be their lowest -- before sunrise, late at night, and -- in some states -- mid-week.
• Fill up when you hit 1/4 tank. Make sure the price on the sign matches the one on the pump and that it's set to zero when you begin fueling.
• Investigate ways to improve your gas mileage.
• Take good care of your car. Check your tire pressure regularly and unload seasonal items such as snow tires.
• Though many financial experts don't recommend using credit cards, according to Yahoo Finance, using a credit card with cash rewards can help you earn rebates when you buy gas.
  

It may not take all of the sting out of today's rapidly rising gas prices, but by planning ahead, you may be able to save a few dollars off your monthly gas bill.

We all know how important vehicle maintenance is. Keeping up on regular service appointments or doing the maintenance yourself is key to your car's continued performance. Most of you will diagnose and fix your car problems independently and quite successfully. The real problem is that if you wait for an issue, you've already lost time and money. Maintenance is key and it is so easy to lose track of our maintenance schedule. Dumb Little Man points us to the perfect solution: Service Beacon.

For car owners it's completely free. You can store all your car maintenance records on their site. While the idea is that you can book your service appointments through your dealer online, most of you will opt for the DIY method. I know it would be useful to us having a reminder each time we're due for a service. The site will also keep you up to date on all of the recalls and notifications relevant to your vehicle. Let Service Beacon track your car maintenance schedule so that your car keeps serving you. Take the tour, it's quite impressive.

[via: Lifehacker]