Last Money Monday I talked about how you can save some money by driving smarter and I hope that you took a look at some of the articles that are out there online. I secretly hope you took it a step farther and decided to drive smarter 🙂 If not, today is a new day.
Today, I’d like to tell you how you can take it a step farther on saving money on gas. Costco is a warehouse sized building filled with large quantities of products sold by the bulk. You can purchase a bottle of shampoo that will last you a month, or if you are a family of six two weeks. You can purchase pre-packaged and portioned chicken (my main reason for shopping there), five pounds of bananas, the latest novel, a big screen TV, lotion and your favorite pack of orbits gum. I truly believe a dirty mouth can be cleaned up with a stick of orbits…but i digress. One of the other nice features of Costco is there gas program. With the Costco membership card you can save a good chunk of change on gasoline. On average I saved 30 cents in comparison to getting gas at a regular gas station. BJ’s I believe is another place where you can also do your groceries and get you gas at the same time. Please locate you local warehouse style facility in your area to see if you to can do two things at once.
For those of you, like myself, who might not need to buy things in bulk yet, don’t fret as I have another trick up my sleeve. Costco, while it did have amazing deals and a wide range of products, buying in bulk for just myself often meant I was throwing food away that did not get eaten in time. For me that translates to shredding money, as the difference might have gone towards something else. Remember we want to save money, NOT waste money. As I continued to end up with spoiled groceries, I looked into deals at local grocery stores.
Grocery Stores! Yes, I found out that Stop and Shop has a gas rewards program. For every dollar that I spend I accumulate points. Points then turn into gas price reductions. The card alone gives you five cents off for Regular and Premium, and ten cents off for Super. For every 100 points, or 100 dollars I spend at Stop and Shop, you get an additional 10 cents off. Since I need gas every other week, I can accumulate at times 200 to 300 points. I once went longer without needing gas and I got gas for 2.46 for Super with my accumulated points. Average price in Bridgeport, CT is 3.20 to 3.30, some places even higher. If that doesn’t get you excited then I don’t know what will. See if you can find similar programs at where you buy your groceries.
Making a mental note of other things that you might need in the vicinity of where you are shopping or getting gas, will also save you money. This morning I shopped at Stop and Shop to buy lunch and breakfast for the week, picked up a Venti Hot Chocolate, did laundry across the street and stopped at Kohl’s around the corner to save on gas miles.
The more money you save yourself reduces stress and makes shopping trips feel less guilty. Stay Tuned for next Money Monday when I give you tips on when to shop and when not to shop.