Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:40 pm Post subject: Gas tips ———————————————————————————————————————— This should open your eyes and good tips too! this is an email that I got from my Aunt in Cali. Thought it was interesting. I don’t know what you guys are paying for gasoline…. but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon. Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons. Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps. When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount. Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up—most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money. DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS! WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON Gas rationing in the 80’s worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor. An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS. Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia. Just buy from gas companies that don’t import their oil from the Saudis. Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my friends. I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil. These companies import Middle Eastern oil: Shell……………………. 205,742,000 barrels Chevron/Texaco……… 144,332,000 barrels Exxon /Mobil…………… 130,082,000 barrels Marathon/Speedway… 117,740,000 barrels Amoco……………………..62,231,000 barrels Citgo gas is from South America, from a Dictator who hates Americans. If you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel) Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil: Sunoco…………….0 barrels Conoco…………….0 barrels Sinclair……………0 barrels BP/Phillips……….0 barrels Hess…………………0 barrels ARCO………………0 barrels If you go to Sunoco.com, you will get a list of the station locations near you. All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing. Back to top

As a small business owner, all my costs have gone up. And yet, do I dare bring my prices up when I am trying to build the business. Obviously, I have to, but……., I heard a Professor Emeritus of Applied Economics discuss our current economy being very similar to what it was in 1929, where 99% of American families shared less than 80% of total income. Which means that 1% of the population has over 20% of total income. How can the economy grow if only a few people have all the money?. He argues that it is because of the breakdown of unions. I am still pondering the idea. But if his numbers are correct, it is a scary thought. His website is: www.middleclassunionmade.com

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the following costs for an Iraq war: Initial deployment of troops: $9 billion to $13 billion. Conducting the war: $6 billion to $9 billion per month. Returning forces to US: $5 billion to $7 billion. Temporary occupation of Iraq: $1 billion to $4 billion per month. I’m not an economist but I’m not blind to the facts in front of me, either. Although the seeds of the current rise in prices may have been sewn several years ago, I am convinced that the cost of funding the war in Iraq has exacerbated the economic crisis. As a retired woman, living on a static income, I resent the price-gouging of huge corporations and the billions of dollars spentfunding the war. A nation is only as strong as its middle class and I see our middle class rapidly becoming disempowered and shrinking. We’re at a tipping point, people, and we need to demand answers, transparency, honesty, and action from our legislators in order to rectify this deplorable situation.

After working in fashion for years, I’ve noticed prices drop within the first couple of weeks that an item is put on the store floor. Therefore, I only shop once the price has dropped at least 40-50%, but usually I’ll wait until it’s at 60% off. I buy at the end of a season (January or July/August) for all my son’s clothes for next year. Not that we’re spending money on clothes right now. Gas is $3.96 per gallon. The fact we’re a communiting nation is ridiculous considering the cost of gas. Something has to change with people’s work situations so that more people can telecommute. Costco, as stated before, is the best place to purchase gas. The local farmer’s market is the best place to buy produce in Los Angeles. I felt like my grandparents the other night when we had friends over for dinner. It was a pot luck and we played games. I was taken back to the stories my grandparents shared about having pot luck dinners and someone bringing a pack of cards. Now, I’m trying to remember all the tricks they told us they did when they were in the Depression. I think it’ll come in handy. My Grandparents used to say: 1. Only pay with cash. Save for big purchases 2. Never by on credit (especially with the interest rates being so high now) 3. My Grandmother (who, at the end of her life was very wealthy) only bought clothes at second hand stores or designer names on sale—she always look very put together 4. “Why pay someone else when you can do it yourself” 5. With good friends and good family, you don’t notice what your missing Like Marlo, I can’t wait until Jan. 20, 2009! Until then, I’ll look to enjoying the simple things that are right in front of me.

the rising costs on groceries, gas, utilities have all but stopped our progression in having disposable income. my husband who is self employed and paints new residential homes has felt the crunch with insurances (they now want $20000 and i mean NOW), gas, supplies and has resorted to working 7 days a week by himself to get no where. my position - who everyone thinks pays high dollars - has kept us afloat but still we have turned off the gas heat, do not go out to eat but once a month, no new clothes or incidentials. i’ve bought seeds this year rather than plants for our landscaping, hope that last year’s mulch holds out and resort to minimal dinners. my dad, born in the depression, taught me to have a full pantry - that is beginning to dwindle and i cringe. we are trying to be positive …. i was hoping that the promised income tax checks could be used for fun - now i know i will need it to keep going.

We are spending all of our money on the war in IraQ. Is it 5000 a minute or a second??? What could YOU do with that kind of money? Fix our roads? Fix our communities? Fix our schools??? I’m watching Frontline “Bush’s War” and I’m telling you this is all criminal. We need to take back our country! I’m with Marlo. January can not come a second, or is it a minute, to soon.

A Princeton-trained physicist told me that the idea of rising prices is ‘all bunk.’ I told him that not only are prices rising but also the water table.

January 20, 2009 - the end of an error. As to rising prices, other than gas: milk, eggs, flour, bread, beef, all fresh vegetables, medicine, utilities, basically everything it takes to live.

Petrol/gas in the UK is GBP1.07 per litre locally - that is US$7.90 per US gallon! Most of that is tax. Prices are rising horribly here too. All items already mentioned that are just the basic household essentials, but salaries are not rising. Stand by for a major recession.

Rent! I don’t know how my daughter (recently entered the work force) is going to survive on her very decent salary - $2K/month for a 2BR share, 3 floor walkup?

In reading these responses, I am reminded of how fortunate I am that I live in Canada with our universal health care. On the lighter side, I am reminded of how much cheaper gas is priced for the USA…today I paid the equivalent of $4.13 a US gallon. It is making me think twice about the less necessary trips that I take.