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.

Let's visit the topic of vehicular fuel economy. It's not realistic to believe that the cost of a gallon of gas is going to markedly decrease, given the politics and economics of the world's available supply of petroleum. This feature won't cover alternative fuels, hybrids, water or compressed air cars; we'll hit common sense stuff you can do to stretch your mileage. Admittedly, some of the items are not in the "gee whiz" category, but every little bit helps, right?

Francesca Clark, in her excellent post, covered a number of tips; I'd like to explore a couple of those in depth and add several more that are (perhaps) off-beat or not generally considered when thinking about saving fuel in your daily drive.

But first, the gallery!

Ahhh, the joys of summer. It's my favorite time of the year, and I hate to see it go, now that Autumn is in full swing. One of my favorite parts of summer is mowing the lawn. In my household, I've declared it as my summer job. My husband mows around our little trees, and also does the hard parts of the lawn, but I do the rest. We just bought a brand new, self-propelled lawnmower for me this past spring, and I would much rather be mowing the lawn right now than sitting in the house watching all the leaves fall off the trees.

Before you put your mower away for the last time this year, there are a few things you need to do to ensure that it will start for you next Spring. It's necessary to perform winterizing maintenance, otherwise you'll be tugging and pulling on the starter, and will end up wondering why your wonderful lawnmower is giving you such a problem. All you'll need is about an hour of your time, so join me after the break to learn about getting your lawnmower ready for winter.

There are all sorts of gas saving devices on the market. Many of them have some impact, while others are complete scams offering no fuel economy benefit and even damaging your engine. If you're looking for some practical tips The Federal Trade Commision offers these tips for improving gas milaege. You'll have to stop the aggressive driving and stick to the speed limits, but you'll quickly notice the savings. Here are their main headings; make sure you check out the full release for some important information.

1. On the Road: Drive More Efficiently
2. At the Garage: Maintain Your Car
3. At the Pump: Use the Octane Level You Need
4. In Advertising: Check Out Claims About "Gas-Saving" Gadgets
5. In the Showroom: Consider the Alternatives

Tip #5 talks about the hybrid alternative. This may be the right fit if you're looking for a new car. It's the perfect way to lessen the damage on your wallet along with the damage on the environment. If you're considering this option, here are some things to know before buying a hybrid car.

[via: Do It Yourself]

Engine-cooking is totally new to me, but apparently a tradition dating back to the first cars. I don't actually plan on testing this out, but I'll point you to the instructions and if you do give it a go let me know. With extraordinarily high gas prices it does make sense to double the use you get from running your car.

If you're just driving to work, get your breakfast sandwich hot and ready by the time you get to work. If you're heading out on a longer road trip you can make a roast complete with potato and veggie sides. Make sure you match the meal to the trip. Running your car any longer than you need to for the drive is a real waste since it puts out unnecessary emissions and is probably your most expensive way to cook.

If you're interested in this wacky approach to cooking, you'll need to wrap the food in tinfoil, and follow conventional oven cooking instructions. I can't help but feel that this isn't sanitary, though the food is never actually exposed to the engine. If you're interested in trying a carbecue of your own, check out these instructions (make sure you read the warnings on this one). Here are some things you might want to try, and their cooking times in miles:

• Shrimp: 30-50 miles
• Trout or Salmon: 60-100 miles
• Chicken breasts: 60 miles at 65 mph
• Chicken wings: 140-200 miles
• Pork tenderloin: 250 miles
• Sliced, peeled potatoes: 55 miles

So, next time you're headed out to a dinner party and you're asked to bring an appetizer, maybe you can throw some wings on your engine and they'll be hot and ready when you arrive.

The Garden State (where I happen to live) is one of only two states where it's illegal to fill 'er up yourself. Only gas station 'professionals' can pump gas in New Jersey and Oregon -- coming from Maine, this was a big change for me. I happen to think that everyone should know how to pump gas. With the exception of a few elderly and disabled persons, most people are perfectly capable of getting out of their car for five minutes and place a nozzle in their gas tank. It not only saves time ... it saves money.