Money-Saving Driving Tips for Labor Day Weekend

If a road trip is on your map for the Labor Day Weekend, consider these frugal, fuel-efficient driving tips from the Drive Smarter Challenge video contest:

"Decrease your speed. Gas mileage usually decreases rapidly above 60 mph. Each five miles per hour over 60 mph is like paying an additional 20 cents or more per gallon for gas.


Drive sensibly. Speeding, rapid acceleration (jackrabbit starts), and rapid braking can lower gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds.


Use cruise control and overdrive gear. Cruise control cuts fuel consumption by maintaining a steady speed during highway driving. Overdrive gear, when appropriate, reduces engine speed, saves gas, and reduces engine wear.


It’s a “drag.” Avoid carrying items on your vehicle’s roof. A loaded roof rack or carrier increases weight and aerodynamic drag, which can cut mileage by 5%. Place items inside the trunk when possible to improve fuel economy.


Turn down the AC. Operating the air conditioner on "max" can reduce mpg by 5-25% compared to not using it.


Avoid idling, which gets 0 mpg. Cars with larger engines typically waste even more gas while idling than cars with smaller engines.


Fill up before returning rental. Rental car companies charge higher gas prices if you don't fill up the tank before returning the vehicle."

Related Post:
Win $5,000 With Frugal Road Tips: A Video Contest

Downsized Newspaper Editor Launches Family of Frugal Blogs

Teresa Mears -- a friend and an excellent journalist -- is among the many newspaper people who have lost their jobs. She has turned her creative efforts into a series of frugal blogs. Here's the release:

In the current coupon-clipping climate, everyone is asking “how can we save money and still enjoy our lives?” Now, a collection of new local blogs is providing some answers to that question every day.

Miami FL on the Cheap , Fort Lauderdale on the Cheap (http://fortlauderdaleonthecheap.com), Palm Beach on the Cheap (http://palmbeachonthecheap.com) and Florida Keys on the Cheap (http://floridakeysonthecheap.com) help South Florida residents and tourists find daily deals on things like dining, events and activities. Florida on the Cheap (http://floridaonthecheap.com) provides tips and deals for travelers to and within Florida.

The new blogs are edited and published by Teresa Mears, a veteran South Florida journalist – downsized from her newspaper job last year – who has lived in Florida for nearly three decades.

“Everyone — including me—is looking for deals right now,” says Mears, who left The Miami Herald in July after 30 years of writing and editing for newspapers. “And they’re out there. I’m just trying to make it easy for people to find them. Plus, South Florida has so many wonderful free activities – but they’re not always easy to find.”

Over the past several weeks, thrifty readers of South Florida’s “On the Cheap” blogs have learned about deals as diverse as discounted tickets to the Miami International Film Festival, free kids’ meals on Friday nights in Hollywood, free previews of Palm Beach Opera performances and “date night” deals to the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West, plus national food discounts and freebies. That’s in addition to dozens of opportunities to experience music, art, kids’ activities and attractions for free.

The South Florida “On the Cheap” blogs are part of a rapidly growing network of independently owned and operated “Cities on the Cheap” http://www.citiesonthecheap.com websites in the United States and Canada.

Owned mostly by women, the network of blogs grew out of a series of conversation in an online writers’ network. Each editor owns his or her own blog, and the entrepreneurial journalists are working in collaboration. Most, like Mears, had never created a web site before, but nearly all the writers built their own sites. The sites are supported by advertising.

The Cities on the Cheap network is celebrating its official launch Tuesday, March 10, with contests and giveaways on some sites. The South Florida sites will be asking their readers for tips on South Florida deals and will be giving away books that mention money by South Florida writers as diverse as Dave Barry, Frugal Duchess Sharon Harvey Rosenberg and Suze Orman, plus a few Webkinz.

In Florida, On the Cheap blogs are operating in Gainesville, Sarasota and Tampa Bay, with launches expected soon in Orlando and the Florida Panhandle. In addition, Disney on the Cheap focuses on deals to the Disney theme parks.

About Teresa Mears

Teresa Mears is a veteran South Florida journalist. In addition to working as an assistant features editor for The Miami Herald, she has worked for The Los Angeles Times, The St. Petersburg Times, The Gleaner in Henderson, Ky., and The Portland (Tenn.) Leader. As a freelance writer, she contributed to The Boston Globe, The New York Times, Miami Metro, WorldCity Business, Travel & Leisure and other publications. She now runs her own project management, editing and consulting business. She doesn’t clip coupons, but she does buy her clothes in thrift stores and is a devotee of the Publix “buy one, get one free” promotions.

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10 Ways to Skip New Airline Ticket Fees

During a recent trip to Washington, D.C., each of my kids (ages 10, 13 and 16) carried a small suitcase onto the plane. We saved about $15 per person by not checking our bags. I've also saved money during flights by packing DIY snacks, thereby skipping charges for airline food.

Those are two of the money-saving tips for travelers in this MSNBC piece: Top 10 ways to avoid new airline fees. The tips include this one:

"Join the club. Several airlines — including United, American, and Continental — will waive baggage fees if you are an elite member of their frequent flyer program. Remember to sign up for your carrier’s frequent flyer program before booking your flight to start accruing points, and if you are already a member of a program, keep in mind that loyalty to them might very well pay off in the long run. "

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Latest Trend: 'Staycations' -- Ideas for Stay-at-Home Summer Trips

A Do-it-Yourself, Stay-at-Home theme park? That's one alternative to soaring pump prices. The spike in gas prices has re-fueled a frugal trend, namely the stay-at-home vacation. Basically, we become tourists in our own hometown. I've taken that trip. Here's a link to one of my past hometown vacations: $600 room for $149: Vacation Part 2.


Meanwhile, this item from CCCS has a long list of stay-at-home vacation ideas:


"School is almost out, camps are ready to start, and many families are planning a different kind of vacation this year.


"Family budgets are already being stretched by skyrocketing gas prices and higher costs on just about everything," said Jessica Cecere, president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. To cope with these rising costs, many families are opting for a vacation close to home instead of one that includes airfare, lodging, rental cars, and dining out.



CCCS clients offered their ideas for vacations in your own backyard:


Create Your Own Theme Park: Create your very own water park in your yard! Set up a slip-n-slide, fill the inflatable pool and turn on the sprinkler. Include an art area on the driveway with chalk and watercolors, and a bubble machine nearby for extra fun. A concession stand with hot dogs, chips, popcorn, cookies, ice cream, and lemonade adds to the fun. All the fun of a theme park without spending a fortune.


Fine Dining: Plan an elegant picnic at a local beach, lake, park, or in your backyard. Get out your nice dishes and glasses, and pack a tablecloth and linen napkins. Dessert and fresh flowers are great touches. Bring some fun outdoor games, such as bocce ball or badminton and make a day of it.


Throw a Party: Plan a theme party, like a luau, beach night, or the 50's and invite friends, neighbors, and relatives. Plan the menu and ask everyone to bring an item. Visit local thrift stores and garage sales ahead of time for decorations and clothing. It not only saves you a ton of money, but we all love to rummage for a great deal! You can also have it at a local city, county or state park. After the theme party, pack up all the items you purchased and sell them as a lot on eBay so you can recoup some of your expense and pass the idea on to someone else!



Look Close to Home: Research programs available through parks and recreation departments in neighboring communities. Many have great pool facilities that are like mini water parks, complete with slides and loads of things for the kids to do. You may have a small additional fee if you are not a resident or member, but the cost pales in comparison to a day at a theme park. If the facility let's you bring in outside food and drinks, pack a cooler for even more savings.

Day Trips: Many families never enjoy the wonderful places to see right in their own communities. A "staycation" provides the perfect opportunity to plan some day trips to local theme parks, gardens, and more.




Here are ten great places to spend a day this summer. [Note many of these ideas mention Florida attractions, but the same concept can be adapted to other regions.]

1. A Museum - Spend the day enjoying arts and culture at one of the many local museums. The Boca Raton Museum of Art, the Norton Museum of Art and the Flagler Museum are all great choices. Entry fees are reasonable and most offer free admission for kids under 13.

2. A Garden Adventure - Whether you visit the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, Butterfly World, or Mounts Botanical Gardens, you will appreciate the natural beauty of our area.

3. Lunch at the Lighthouse - Pack a picnic and head to Jupiter for a tour of this local landmark.

4.Learn something new - Take part in a workshop at the Armory Art Center, Old School Square in Delray Beach, or head to your local craft store or home improvement store to build something special.


5. Explore Science - Experience the Robot Zoo at the South Florida Science Museum. Be sure to visit the McGinty Aquarium and the Marvin Dekelboum Planetarium while you are there.


6. Explore Space - A day trip to the Kennedy Space Center will have the kids dreaming of becoming astronauts. Check the schedule for shuttle launches.

7. Visit the animals - Spend the day at the Palm Beach Zoo or enjoy a drive-thru adventure at Lion Country Safari and get up close and personal with giraffes, lions, rhinos and more.


8. Stay Cool in the Pool - A leisurely day at Calypso Bay or Coconut Cove can be just the ticket on a hot summer day. For the more adventurous, try out one of the 29 water slides at the Rapids.


9.Take a ride - There are many wonderful biking paths in our area, including 6 miles at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County, 5 miles on the Island of Palm Beach, and a 2 mile trail in North Palm Beach.


10. Take a swamp buggy ride through the Everglades, pack the fishing poles and head to Lake Okeechobee, or enjoy some fun in the sun at one of the many beautiful beaches.

Whatever your "staycation" plans, there are many ways to save. Check out attraction websites for discount ticket prices, annual passes, and state resident specials. Pack snacks and lunches for extra savings."


source:CCCS



Here a related link: 10 Luxe-for- Less Vacation Tips

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