Saving Money as Prices Increase

[daugen]

I have a savings question about gasoline.
my local Exxon dealer, who I've known for 50+ years, when asked if it was worth putting Plus in my Ram truck when it
only called for regular. I had read the electronics might recognize the extra octane and put it to use. I'm not sure about that.
His response was that he would spend the extra ten cents a gallon for Plus because of the better additive pack/detergency of Plus.
I occasionally slip in a bottle of Sea Foam and I've never had a problem with regular gas. But a set of injectors, and the diagnosis fee, are big bucks.
I'm actually more concerned over the car's DI fuel system, a six year old Hyundai Genesis.

Regular may be a minimum but wondering for example if mpg goes up a little with 2 more points of octane. Probably not much.

I'm very low mileage in retirement so the difference in cost is not a big issue, but no one wants to throw away hard earned money.
Am very happy both my vehicles run on regular. I think a can of SeaFoam once or twice a year is a lot cheaper over 10k miles than paying ten cents more
per gallon. 10k divided by 20mpg equals 500 gallons times a dime. 50 bucks more in gas. Sea Foam is a lot cheaper particularly on a thirsty truck like the hemi.

So as long as the engine runs well my thought was to stick with regular gas plus an additive.
On my car the dealership dumps in carb cleaner at almost every visit. I'm sure they are fighting the downsides of ethanol gas. Except that five dollar can somehow
miraculously becomes twelve bucks on the bill. I've learned to buy my own.

Truck has 90k and is due for new plugs at 100k. Mpg is about the same as always so didn't think jumping ahead on plug maintenance would buy me much of anything. Anyone have experience and disagree?

 

[Larry Caldwell]

There are a number of ways to shelter from inflation. Home ownership is the big one. The day your house closes, you are sheltered from housing inflation. Learn to cook and food inflation is still there, but the impact is minimal. Fuel is the killer, or if you are a farmer, input costs including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, etc.

The shortage of nitrogen will probably push a lot of farmers into soybeans to dodge the inflation bullet, but that will deflate the price of beans. For farmers, the "safety" cushion is often equity. Banks will loan against equity, which has been going nuts thanks to loose money.

I think the best way to save money during inflation is to lock in volatile expenses at the lowest price you can negotiate.

 

[5030]

Real estate plus one. Why I own multiple homes, all with fixed rate mortgages. Anyone who buys a home with an ARM is nucking futz.

 

[riptides]

Real estate plus one. Why I own multiple homes, all with fixed rate mortgages. Anyone who buys a home with an ARM is nucking futz.

Ahh...no. ARMS can be a good tool for getting more money and or qualifying. Just watch the timing of them against the markets.

 

[Hay Dude]

Lots of good comments. I’ve been trying to build skills since covid started. Welding, wrenching, haying are the big ones. I already had some history but really focused on those. I’d like to pick up a CDL license. Not really looking for another job but would like the flexibility if needed, mostly looking for bartering material (skills) with the local folks as there are a lot of resources around and I’m sure with inflation they’d gladly do some trading for free help…right now they pretty much get my help for free but it’s worth it for the lessons, at least on my side of the deal

Getting my CDL in the early 90’s was one of my best moves.
Of course it helps you if you want to do heavy hauling for yourself, but it also makes you available for working for other trucking & hauling companies.
I can dial up more income by driving more for a couple dump trucking companies. I am friends with their owners and they cannot keep enough drivers.

 

[Hay Dude]

Real estate plus one. Why I own multiple homes, all with fixed rate mortgages. Anyone who buys a home with an ARM is nucking futz.

I have an ARM and I’m barely paying any interest at all on one of my properties. Based on Libor rate, which it up only 1/10th compared to last year.
Love it, because it got us qualified and in the door, but also realize a fixed rate refi is in my near future. Rates are headed up soon (late 70s all over again).
So mucking futz works for me sometimes

 

[riptides]

One can always make more money, one cannot make more time.

 

[Oaktree]

If you drive a lot of miles, buying gas at Costco or Sams should save a significant amount of money. I need to look up and see if Costco gas is "certified".

This of course assumes one of those stores is near where you are. They're not everywhere...nearest Sam's is 2½ hr away (and I don't know if they sell gas), I've never even seen a Cosoc.

 

[not2old]

I have a savings question about gasoline.
my local Exxon dealer, who I've known for 50+ years, when asked if it was worth putting Plus in my Ram truck when it
only called for regular. I had read the electronics might recognize the extra octane and put it to use. I'm not sure about that.
His response was that he would spend the extra ten cents a gallon for Plus because of the better additive pack/detergency of Plus.
I occasionally slip in a bottle of Sea Foam and I've never had a problem with regular gas. But a set of injectors, and the diagnosis fee, are big bucks.
I'm actually more concerned over the car's DI fuel system, a six year old Hyundai Genesis.

Regular may be a minimum but wondering for example if mpg goes up a little with 2 more points of octane. Probably not much.

I'm very low mileage in retirement so the difference in cost is not a big issue, but no one wants to throw away hard earned money.
Am very happy both my vehicles run on regular. I think a can of SeaFoam once or twice a year is a lot cheaper over 10k miles than paying ten cents more
per gallon. 10k divided by 20mpg equals 500 gallons times a dime. 50 bucks more in gas. Sea Foam is a lot cheaper particularly on a thirsty truck like the hemi.

So as long as the engine runs well my thought was to stick with regular gas plus an additive.
On my car the dealership dumps in carb cleaner at almost every visit. I'm sure they are fighting the downsides of ethanol gas. Except that five dollar can somehow
miraculously becomes twelve bucks on the bill. I've learned to buy my own.

Truck has 90k and is due for new plugs at 100k. Mpg is about the same as always so didn't think jumping ahead on plug maintenance would buy me much of anything. Anyone have experience and disagree?

I have a 1990 f250 with 438,000 km (272,000Miles) on the 460 motor. When newish I cleaned the throttle body occasionally when it idled poorly. Haven't needed to do that in years and it runs just fine without any such attention but I'm led to believe that canadian gas is better quality. My truck ran almost exclusively on U.S. gas for the first ten years of it's life. ??????

 

[5030]

I have an ARM and I’m barely paying any interest at all on one of my properties. Based on Libor rate, which it up only 1/10th compared to last year.
Love it, because it got us qualified and in the door, but also realize a fixed rate refi is in my near future. Rates are headed up soon (late 70s all over again).
So mucking futz works for me sometimes

It works until the Fed starts jacking the prime (which they will soon) and then your ARM turns into an amputation as your payment goes north at a high rate of FRN consumption. All 3 of my rentals are on fixed rate loans and stay that way.

If you are gonna refi to a fixed rate, better do it real soon or you may be unpleasantly surprised that your FR is steep.