Once you get into habit of turning hose you'll find yourself doing it without thinking. That extra half cup that you get each time that you fill your gas tank can add up to a lot of extra gas at end of year that you never have known about.

4. High octane gas

For most cars these days, buying higher octane gas is a waste of your money. Regular unleaded has approximately 87 octane already and is fine for your vehicle.

By avoiding buying high octane gas you'll be saving a large amount of money over a period of time.

High octane gas is always more expensive at gas pumps so next time that you feel guilty for filling up your SUV with regular gas you can be assured that no harm will come to your vehicle.

Octane is simply a measurement of how difficult it is to ignite gas in your car and has nothing to do with quality of gas. If you are experiencing engine pings, rattles, or knocks you can switch to high octane gas.

However, you shouldn't be experiencing any of those knocks and rattles if you are keeping your vehicle maintained and making sure that you don't miss those scheduled maintenance checkups.

If you are driving a new model car you definitely shouldn't be hearing any pings or rattles and if you are you should take your vehicle to a mechanic.

5. Avoid topping off

Try to avoid topping off at gas pumps. When you purchase just a bit of gas at gas station pump doesn't have enough time to really activate, resulting in short bursts of fuel that may short change you from amount of gas that you are purchasing.

The best time to replenish your gas tank is when you have half a tank or less left in your vehicle, or when you find a gas price that you just can't afford to miss.

Another idea is to trim some small expenses. For example, if you get your haircut every 6 weeks, see if you can go 7 or 8 weeks instead. This will save you cost of 1-2 cuts per year. Check out that book from library instead of buying it. Try renting a video instead of going out to movies. Purchase a ready-made meal at grocery store instead of going out to eat. Be creative and see what little expenses you can trim that will add up to big savings over time. Other ideas include clipping coupons, taking your lunch to work, carpooling (or walking, biking, or taking bus), stop smoking, and finally just don’t even open up that catalog. Toss them out immediately. If you peek inside you're bound to find something you like.

In order to make sure that you stay on track with your budget, it is important to know where you stand. To get an idea of how your spending compares to a typical budget and see where your money is going each month, take a minute to use free budgeting tools available at http://www.trimyourdebt.com/welcome_budget_short.aspx?=tips