Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.
Welcome to 31 Debt Free Missions! This year on Queen of Free, during each day in January, we will provide 31 concrete debt free missions or challenges for you to take on to #SlayDebt and take charge of your finances this year. Each mission will take you less than an hour (some will only require 15 minutes). Whereas, 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth (which I’m reworking this year and reposting in January, too) focused on some of the philosophical changes you need to make in order to be successful with money, 31 Debt Free Missions are action steps to put into place after you have your thinking straight. Even better, during the month of January, we’re revisiting each of these challenges in order to sharpen our money saving and debt slaying skills.
Are you ready? Your mission is as follows:
Day #22: Saving Money on Gasoline
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been feeling a ridiculous amount of relief at the pump lately. The gas prices have dropped to their lowest prices in years. Certainly, we all can breathe a little bit easier and our budgets might have a little margin. However, don’t get too comfortable. Eventually, those prices will go back up. Here are some principles to help you save when you fill up.
SET YOUR BUDGET HIGH
When a set expense decreases, there’s a temptation to immediately reduce your budget and absorb those extra dollars. Hold off there sugar pop, you need to eat a big bowl of honey bunches of nope. Instead, base your budget on an average of last year’s gasoline expenditures. Then if/when you do come in under budget, you can put the difference toward paying off debt (or if you’re debt free a different savings goal).
EVALUATE YOUR GRADE
Just because a product is the most expensive, it doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for you. Everyone’s vehicular decisions are different; however, the majority of us don’t need a high grade of gasoline. If you’ve been placing the most expensive fuel into your car, it might be time to evaluate whether or not you really need to continue doing so.
NIX THE EXTRAS
Gasoline isn’t the only way you can overspend at the gas station. Car washes, giant sodas, pizza, doughnuts, candy, coffee, and more beckon your name. Focus your eyes on your primary purpose. This is definitely one area of spending that I would encourage people to use a debit card only. Pay at the pump and stay out of the store. If you can’t see it, you can’t want it.
LEVERAGE FUEL REWARDS
Lastly, there are a variety of stores that feature fuel rewards programs. While I’d never encourage you to shop at one particular place specifically for the rewards, I would suggest if you’re already shopping there and there’s a program in place to take advantage of it. On the top of my list would be the Kroger Fuel Points (holla for those gift card deals!), Meijer’s mPerks Pharmacy Rewards program, and Walmart’s $0.03 per gallon discount with Murphy USA when you buy a gift card.
Did you see the previous Debt Free Missions? Knock them all out this month!
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Take the Restaurant Challenge
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Run Your Credit Report
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Set Up a Tax Box
- 31 Debt Free Missions: 5 Memberships to Ditch
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Adjust Your Withholdings
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Quit Using Credit Cards
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Go to the Library
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Eliminate Cable
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Pantry Prep
- 31 Debt Free Missions: 3 Phone Calls to Pay Off Debt
- 31 Debt Free Missions: The Bank Field Trip
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Make Your Own Laundry Detergent
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Hit Unsubscribe
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Stop Money Leaks
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Maintain Your Car
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Save Money on Prescriptions
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Kill the Fees
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Change Car Insurance
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Reorganize the Game Closet
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Build your Budget
- 31 Debt Free Missions: Appliance Maintenance
I’d love to hear more money saving suggestions for gasoline in the comments. What programs do you love? What do you do to save? How are maximizing the extra dollars you might have in your budget right now?
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
