Saving money at the pump is not a savings plan

Today is Canada day, and in Ontario, Canada’s most inhabited province, consumers woke up to celebrate the countries birthday and the HST, a tax that means everything in life is now on the hit list. Including gas…

Last night I was on my way home and as I passed by gas stations, I could not help notice, LINE UPS of cars at the pump.  I did not connect the dots till later, these people where lined up, possible for 15 minutes to get their last fill of gas before the evil HST hit.

The average car will take 40 liters of gas if it rolls in on empty. At $1 a liter, your 15 minutes of pain will save you a grand total of $3.2. So come to think of it, on an hourly basis that is $12.8/hour not bad, but….

What bugs me the most about this gas thing is, the gas price watchers, they really bug me. That is all they talk about, the price went up, the price went up, they watch the gas price like its the stock market, they go to gas price watch websites. They go to across the street, make an illegal U-Turn to get a savings of 0.1 penny per liter (4 cents on the fill up)… Its a game against the big bad gas companies….

I am all for saving money, saving money is about the most important thing you do for yourself and actually for the economy in general. You have to save, are you listening, YOU HAVE TO SAVE. BUT I am willing to bet some money, that these very people that chase penny’s at the pump go to the Starbucks next to the gas station and get themselves a nice, latte for $5, then go out for lunch everyday and pay $10 etc….

Save money by chasing gas prices is not a savings plan, you need a savings plan for sure. If you decide that your savings plan is one penny a liter, time to rethink your strategy. At least brew your own coffee, make a meal at home, or even better, ride your bike to work, saves you a gym membership and GAS MONEY….

Do you favor a gas station because its a fraction of a penny cheaper than the one next door? Time to fess up!

What are some good, real, practical money management tips out there?