Tis' the season for NOT using your credit card!!

With the holidays quickly approaching, many of you may be trying to budget for holiday gift giving. And in this crazy economy… it may be tempting to charge holiday gift items to your credit card. Don’t do it! If you use your credit card, chances are that you might overspend, buying too many items for people or buying high priced items.

Instead, try downsizing this year. Keep holiday purchases to a bare minimum.

Here are some inexpensive gift buying ideas that are effortless, but filled with a lot of love and are still very thoughtful.

1. Holiday themed platter filled with homemade baked cookies or bread, with the recipes attached
2. Personalized coffee mug filled with Starbucks coffee samples or candy
3. Photo Album or collage filled with memorable photographs
4. Gourmet chocolate bars tied together with decorative ribbon
5. Journal with some inspiring words from the giver
6. Vintage Teacups or bowls (purchased from a yard sale or thrift store) and filled with teas or bath salts
7. Subscription to a popular magazine that you know the gift receiver will enjoy (sometimes you can find great deals on these for as little as $12 for a 1 year subscription)
8. “Locally made” themed gift baskets – find great deals on items made in your city or town, including – honey, jams, sauces, dips or muffin mixes
9. Magnets with your favorite quotes on them
10. For the grandparents… frame some of your child’s artwork in a cool frame

Relief at the gas pumps – Part 2

Have you ever wondered what exactly makes your automobile more fuel efficient?
Check out these 10 fuel saving tips provided by gasbuddy.com! And be on your way to saving money with less gas consumption.

1. Avoid High Speeds
As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) vs 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.
2. Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard
By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.
3. Keep Tires Properly Inflated
Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1%.
4. Use A/C Sparingly
When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.
5. Keep Windows Closed
Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.
6. Service Vehicle Regularly
Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.
7. Use Cruise Control
Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.
8. Avoid Heavy Loads
Remove the sand bags from your trunk in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.
9. Avoid Long Idles
If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.
10. Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle
When buying a new vehicle examine the vehicle's rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission will provide you with great fuel economy.

More relief at the gas pumps!

In recent weeks, there seems to finally be some relief at the gas pumps.


Here are some other easy ways to save more money at the pump…

Applying for a credit card that offers incentives is one way to save some additional money at the pumps. JPMorgan Chase & Co. offers a BP Visa card that earns you 5% cash back on all fuel purchases from any BP location or 2% back on all other Ultimate Fuel locations.

Sites like GasBuddy.com can help you find cheap gas prices in your city. It is a network of more than 181 gas price information websites that help you find low gasoline prices. All web sites are operated by GasBuddy and have the most comprehensive listings of gas prices anywhere.



According to GasBuddy, gasoline prices change frequently and may vary by as much as 20 percent within only a few blocks. It's important to be able to find the service station with the lowest priced fuel. GasBuddy websites allow motorists to share information about low priced fuel with others as well as target the lowest priced stations to save money when filling up at the pumps!
And saving money at the pumps, means being able to put away some extra emergency cash!