Frugal Friday

Ok so I was supposed to do a New Years Resolutions post before this one, but between a 7 month old cutting 2 teeth and a 2.5 year old only in undies this week I have been super busy and sleep deprived so that post will obviously come after this one.

BUT.....that being said, one of my new years resolutions is to really start buckling down on my frugal friday posts. I've been saving clips out of magazines and ideas I've heard from people for a couple of months now so I'm going to really try to have one up every.single.friday! Yes you heard me right!! So hold me accountable!!

Here is today's:

Most of you have probably been noticing the gas prices climbing. They are almost $3/gallon at some places right now!! Here are 4 ways you can cut back on your gas expenses in the new year.

1.) Plan the cheapest route!! Driving on the highway, rather than local roads can save you tons of gas! Cars are on average 30% more fuel-efficient on highways compared to stop-and-go city streets.

2.) Planning a road trip? Where you stop to get gas can make a difference. Gas prices can vary 40 cents a gallon from state to state! To plot out the most frugal fuel stops, log onto http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/, which gives free updates on gas costs across the country.

3.) Toting around more stuff than you need in your car? While it's easy to use your car as a mini suitcase in case of emergencies, kids stuff, etc. storing them elsewhere can save you on fuel costs. For each additional 100 pounds your car carries, its fuel efficiency drops 2% or more. That's like paying 3 cents more per gallon at the pump.

4.) Take a second look at your errands route and plan stops so that you are only making right hand turns. Avoid left hand turns. It's an insider tip from the pro's: Delivery companies such as UPS have found that routes with fewer left-hand turns result in less idling time, saving millions of gallons of gas per year!

So take a few more minutes every day to plan out your errands and take items out of your car that you don't plan on using and you could see a change in your budget in just a few months!!