Pinching pennies

Local folks share tips on what you can do to stretch your finances

By Leah Weissman

The Times, Nov 13, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

Saving for the holidays

When it comes to saving that extra cash for gifts for family and friends (and perhaps a gracious employer), it comes down to willpower. Usually that means cutting back on food purchases and personal habits.

That $3 latte you always buy on the way to work is one example of something you don’t need, just really, really want. Caffeine or extra money for presents? You decide.

As for getting great holiday deals, Sharon Colburn of Hillsboro suggests the age-old tactic of using coupons. When buying presents for her grandchildren at Toys “R” Us in Tigard, she goes to the giant store knowing exactly what she wants and how much it will cost.

“I’m not one to buy something because there’s a coupon for it, I use coupons for things I already know I want to buy,” she said.

Saving $10 on a $70 gift doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up. Good places to find coupons include newspapers, store mailers and Web sites such as coolsavings.com, coupons.com and startsampling.com.

More holiday-savings tips include:

The Web site bfads.net offers shoppers a sneak peek on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) sales at stores from Dell to Tommy Hilfiger. You can also sign up to receive e-mails on deals and up-to-the-minute blowouts.

Some stores are already selling items at Black Friday prices such as Kmart, which also offers customers a layaway service where shoppers can pay for items over an eight-week period. Search around and see what deals department stores in your area are offering.

For those whose wallets are almost bare, the best present comes from the heart. Knit something, paint a picture, offer an experience like going to the zoo rather than buying an expensive gift.

At the pump and on the road

According to AAA, the Oregon state average for a gallon of unleaded gas is $2.37 — that’s almost half of what it was in July. A substantial drop, but not enough to even out a recession.

Conrad Van Nostrand, manager of the Tigard Chevron station at 13970 S.W. Pacific Highway, said he sees customers drop $5 to $10 worth of gas on a regular basis rather than fill up their tanks.

“If you don’t drive much, it will actually save you money,” he said.

But what about those who have long commutes to work and don’t feel like riding a bike in the rain, what money-saving tactics can they latch on to?

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have several tips on their Web site www.fueleconomy.com:

Combine errands into one trip, especially when driving to work or back home. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel than a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance.

If you have a flexible schedule, stagger your work hours to avoid peak rush hours and consume less fuel. Idling in traffic equals zero miles per gallon.

Take advantage of carpools and ride-share programs. Get several coworkers together and commute to work together while cutting your weekly fuel costs in half, third or quarter.

Drive the speed limit. It may sound like a police tactic to cut down on speeding, but actually each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional 24 cents per gallon.

To find the cheapest gas in your area visit the Web site Gasbuddy.com.

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