31. Fiscal fitness. If you’re joining a health club, see if it offers a per-visit plan. Despite good intentions, most people work out only about once a week, and overpay with monthly or annual memberships.

32.In the doughnut hole. If you entered the Part D coverage gap this year, you’ll get a 50 percent discount on all brand-name and biologic drugs you buy while you’re in the gap. Over 10 years, you’ll gradually receive more discounts on generics as well as brands until the gap closes in 2020.

33.Cute choppers. If your whitening strips are too big for your teeth, cut them in half horizontally. Two for the price of one

34.A blanket solution. By insulating your electric water heater and its outgoing pipes, you can lower the temperature setting and save up to $200 a year. Pipe sleeves start at $2 for 12 feet, while heater blankets run about $20. Check with a plumber for safety.

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21. Travel bargains. The AARP Travel Center, powered by Expedia, offers discounts on car rentals and hotels, up to $100 in extra onboard credits on select cruises, savings of up to $450 on vacation packages and more. Explore at expedia-aarp.com or call 800-675-4318.

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For the next 10 days I’ll be posting 10 great ways to save/day as found in the July-August  AARP Bulletin.

Here’s the first 10!

Cars

1. Master the stick. Cars and trucks with stick shifts typically get two to five more miles per gallon than vehicles with automatic transmissions, according to Consumer Reports. They can cost $800 to $1200 less in the first place, and they  need fewer and less expensive brake and transmission repairs.

(Using your hand to shift makes you less apt to be using that hand for texting or other activities we should be avoiding while driving anyway ).

2. Cruise control. Use it. You’ll often get better mileage on the highway than with your right foot in charge.

3.Best time to buy. buy a car at the end of the month, when there’s a scramble to meet sales quotas. Salespeople often earn bonuses then and may share the wealth with you to close a deal.

4.Gas app. A website that drivers can use to check local gas prices, GasBuddy.com has gone mobile with free apps for Apple, Android, Windows and BlackBerry.

5. Let’s twist again. After filling up, twist the gas cap until it clicks. With older vehicles check for tightness. One in six cars has an improperly fitting or missing gas cap, which can reduce a car’s mileage by as much as 10 percent.

6.Smoke signals. Before you buy a used car, let its tailpipe tip you to trouble. White smoke often results from water or antifreeze entering cylinders, suggesting the engine could overheat. Blue smoke could be cause by a clogged PCV valve or by engine oil entering cylinders, possibly because gaskets failed. Black could indicate excess fuel in cylinders or problems with the carburetor, fuel pump or computer sensors.

7. Spare me. To ensure tire rotations are performed, place white marker on rear tires; you should find it on front tires before you pay the bill.

(I particularly like this one. I always wonder if they really rotated for me!)

8.Card savers. Choose the right credit card for the pump and cut your costs. Some cash-back credit cards offer particularly high rewards for gas purchases. Check it out at CardHub.com or Cardratings.com. Also, credit cards issued by gas chains may save you up to 5 percent.

9. Water works. Keep a full cup in the holder and make a game of avoiding spilling it as you drive. you’ll rein in jackrabbit starts, sudden stops and high speeds that can lower your in-town mileage by 5 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Financial

10. Tax Break. Many jurisdictions give property tax relief to older homeowners, base on income. Be prepared to submit documentation on your income and any Social Security benefits you may receive.

For the next ten, stop by tomorrow!

Other Money Saving Tools

Swagbucks: An online search engine that pays you!

A Guide to Collective Bargaining Sites

Vocalpoint: An online community of women who like to save money! Coupons galore!

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