Get Paid to Save (And Have Fun While You Are At It?)!!

I know it sounds too good to be true, but this is the real deal and I would encourage you all to take a look. The "Pay Yourself First Challenge" is a savings contest sponsored by FNBO Direct (yes, that's a bank) that gives you the opportunity to earn free cash, learn to be a habitual saver AND offers a great, HIGH interest rate on your savings. This contest was recently written up in the Wall Street Journal and is gaining in popularity (they are relying on folks like yours truly and other Bloggers to spread the word). Here's the rundown per the contest website:

Create a one-minute video about what you're saving for (visit PYF's YouTube Channel to see what your competition is doing). Maybe you're a savings superstar — or a little savings challenged. Compel us with your original and creative video. You may be selected to join us on a six-month savings journey as a challenger in the FNBO Direct Pay Yourself First Challenge!

What's up for grabs:

$10 Gift Card for each of the first 500 YouTube Submissions*
$500 Cash Prizes for each of the Top 20 YouTube Submissions*
$7,500 Luxury Spa Vacation Grand Prize*
$25,000 in Matched Savings for the Top 5 Contestants*
Upload your video by July 31. Start shooting today!
What is PYF?

Pay Yourself First (PYF) before you pay your mortgage, credit cards or any other monthly bills. It starts with a direct deposit into your Online Savings Account, transferring only what you need for monthly bills into your checking or BillPay account. This small change maximizes your earned interest and grows your savings faster.

*See Official Rules for complete details.

P2P-Loans.com is sketching out a possible submission and I will post a link to my video assuming I ever get my production act together. Good luck and spread the word on this great program!

$140 Oil, $4.00+ Gas - Here's How to Save Some Bucks!

Wow, oil prices continue to soar and there is not much we average consumers can do about it. I used to spend $30 every week to fill my car up and now it's running me more like $65 each time (that's over $140 more per month and about $1,700 per year!). I don't know about you, but this is taking a serious dent out of my pocketbook and I don't like it. Well, there are lots of ways you can help reduce the impact high gas prices on your wallet.

For example, I recently signed up for the Chase PerfectCard (APPLY NOW), which offers 6% cash back on ALL GAS PURCHASES for the first 3 months and then 3% cash back thereafter (that's nearly $0.24 per gallon). For me, that's nearly $200 in free gas every year (and it is free since there is no annual fee). As a bonus, you 1% cash back on ALL OTHER Purchases and a 0% APR for 6 months as well.

In addition to financial tools like the one above (it's first on the list since it's the easiest one to do, by far), here are some tips for reducing the impact of high gas prices on your wallet:

Observe the Speed Limit: In addition to avoiding a nasty speeding ticket and the risk of getting into an accident, driving the speed limite can also save you big bucks on gas. As a general rule, for every 5 MPH you drive over 60 MPH, it is costing you about $0.25 per gallon! If you have a lead foot like me (like I used to have - $4 gas has cured this problem), it could save you $0.60 or more per gallon.

Don't Drive Aggressively: While it might make you feel good to stomp on the gas pedal to fly by the one car ahead of you in town or on the Interstate, it won't really get you to your distination all that much faster, but it will cost you a pretty penny. Lots of accelerating, speeding, and braking will cost you BIG MONEY when it comes time to fill up. One estimate puts the increased cost at up to 33% (or more than $1.20 per gallon!). Since most of us are not THAT crazy on the road, the cost is more likely $0.30 per gallon, but that adds up, trust me.

Maintain Your Car: Keeping your tires properly inflated, changing your air filter regularly and using the right grade of motor oil can save you over $0.25 per gallon. These are things you should be doing anyway as they will extend the life of your tires and your car thereby saving you a ton of money anyway.

I know this stuff can be kind of boring, but by signing up for the Chase PerfectCard (Click here to APPLY NOW), observing the speed limit, driving more carefully, and maintaining your car, you can reduce your gas bill by over $1.00 per gallon or over $450 per year (much more for you power drivers out there).

Of course, you could always buy a Prius...