What's YOUR GYO Credit Crunch Idea?

[lynda66]

I'd never even heard of them so I've just looked them up.

EEEEUUUWWW.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol, bet you wish you hadn't now

[zazen999]

OK now - can we stop the mooncup business, I'm cooking my dinner.

There is a website where you can look up all the 20p supermarket offers; if I find it I'll post it here.

[Kristen]

"I know it sounds stupid, but I haven't heard this about increasing your MPG - as I understand it from your post, slower driving saves fuel - is that it?"

maytreefrannie: I don't really think that's the best way of defining it. My definition will be a bit lengthy, so apologies for that, but here goes:

There is a web site about Hypermiling - its all sadly Geeky I'm afraid!

Hypermiling :: Even without a hybrid car, no more need to compare gas prices

Here's what I do:

Some basics:

Accelerate gently. Change up through the gears as early as possible [without causing the engine to labour].

Make sure the tyre pressures are correct, and check often enough to stop them needing significant adjustment.

Remove all the heavy clutter from the car that you aren't using - for my People Carrier that's 3 extra seats that weight quite a bit. You don't need the Golf Club Bag unless you are actually going to play a round Take the roof and cycle racks off too ...

Don't use the Air Con if opening a window will do - but at speed apparently keeping the windows closed, and air-con on, is more efficient. I must have saved a fortune not having to use AirCon this Summer

What works for me:

I love using the trip-MPG. Doing the school run is pretty monotonous. Same cars, same people on the pavements, same corn fields ... but challenging myself to get an even better MPG for the trip is a bit different. Of course it does require that your car has an elapsed-MPG readout. Otherwise you can only do miles-per-tank-full, and it is harder to get a feel for what things make a difference.

When I started I was amazed that I could get my MPG up from 30 to 35. Then more amazed when I got nearer and nearer to 40. I would not have believed that the same vehicle on the same route would get to 50 ...

The manufacturer's "Combined cycle MPG" for my vehicle is 39MPG, so I reckon 50MPG on country roads with junctions etc. is pretty darn good

.. but I had an easy starting point, and I'm probably in the minority on that. I loved to drive, and drive fast. I have a sports car (does 15 MPG but less than 1,000 miles p.a. so I'm not going to apologise for that, its entertainment, not necessity, two different things in my mind) and consider myself to be an above average driver - along with 99.999% of the male population, of course!

So I would accelerate where the road allowed it, cruise the straights at a sensible, but generally fast, speed ... and then brake, sometimes hard, for the bends and junctions. It takes quite a lot of concentration to get that right.

Hypermiling takes WAY more of my concentration, and on short journeys adds so little to the journey time that it doesn't make any difference.

My DW gets completely exasperated though - "Why are you going so slowly we are going to be late" ... "Well, there's a huge hill coming up, and I can free-wheel down that and pick up speed, and there is a truck 400 yards in front of us, and I will have caught it up by the bottom of the hill, and there is nowhere to overtake" ...

... No, I don't think she gets it either!!

So what do I actually do?

1. I drop the clutch, or knock it into neutral, if I am on a downward slope such that the car won't lose sped [or may actually gain speed]

Side note: there are all sorts of arguments about "not being in control" with this technique. I was told that when I was taught to drive, people still tell it to me, but I have yet to have anyone explain to me WHY its not safe.

2. I drop the clutch, or select neutral, when I am approaching either a slow bend, or a junction. Its amazing to me how far the car travels, and how little speed it loses.

For example, my SatNav gives me 800 yards warning of roundabouts etc. on dual carriageways. If I'm doing, say, 60 on a dual carriageway and I select neutral as soon as I get the 800-yards-warning I am still doing 50 by the time I have to break heavily for the roundabout - and there are often vehicles stationary at the roundabout such that I have lost no ground at all.

3. I follow the car in front a huge distance. I used to leave a two second gap (the interval, as per an advert from a few years back, which is quantified by saying "Only a fool breaks the two second rule").

Now I leave 10 seconds or more. If the guy behind me is getting annoyed I either let him pass, or if there is no opportunity for that I close the gap - not everyone is going to appreciate my apparent caravan-towing driving style!

But 10 seconds enables me to drive much more smoothly. If the car in front breaks I just lift off, and I lose much of my speed before I get to whatever he was breaking for.

That's about it. Smooth driving style, gentle changes of acceleration, and maximise anticipation for upcoming road topology.

Sorry about long diatribe

[kirsty b]

oooh no, I hate those things, especially as the users use them as an excuse to use disabled toilets.

I saw them on an eco website when I was having a general browse. Just the thought of them makes my flesh creep!!

[Twinkle]

*whispers...* I have a mooncup - have done for years and it's brilliant when you get used to it. Saved me a fortune

[zazen999]

I also use hypermilling; but I do have a hybrid. I have a hybrid, not because I'm trying to be a goodie two shoes or owt; but in this job I have to have a car and decided not to buy [I've had company cars for years], and the calcs for a 2 year lease came back the best for a hybrid, esp taking into account the mileage I would do.

I don't have to take it out of gear as mentioned, but use the push and glide; and I try not to brake if I can possibly help it. This does mean planning your stops much earlier [it's a very intensive way of driving], but my MPG is 60-65 at the moment. Think about it; you use loads of fuel to get up to speed, then you brake and give it away. We can also use just electric for short journeys under 27mph; so if we do drive to the lottie [we usually cycle but if we are taking stuff round that won't fit into my basket] we can use electricity only. This is generated by utilising any braking that is done when general driving.

When I drive my OH's car, which isn't often as it's a manual gear and i can't use them for long; it changes the way I drive that as well.

[Two_Sheds]

One thing is I'm trying to make a litre of washing liquid last a year; every time it gets to half full, I add in a mix of washing soda and water. Only a few months to go, and it is surprising how little you actually need to wash clothes, you can cut the amount that they tell you to use right down and they still come out sparkling.

I forgot to put the tablet in the dishwasher* the other night ... the dishes were all clean anyway

* it came with the house, I wouldn't buy one

[Two_Sheds]

Padding out spag bol with ... a tin of lentils.

dry lentils are cheaper, and don't need soaking. Just cook for 30 mins in the stew/whatever

[Two_Sheds]

There is a website where you can look up all the ...supermarket offers

here's one: Fixtureferrets.co.uk searching for the best grocery promotions

personally, I cook what is in the fridge/garden, then just shop for what is needed to go with it.

1) think of what you've got (beans, courgettes, green tomatoes, chard)
2) look at recipes that use those things (pasta sauce, curry, soup)
3) shop for what is missing (meat, pasta, rice, lentils, wine)
4) make loads, freeze into meal-size boxes (Poundshop).

By not going to the supermarket, you aren't tempted to buy things you don't need, either. Obviously wine isn't an impulse buy, you get that in bulk from tesco.online

[marigold007]

One week out of every month when my OH goes to Ireland for business, I eat only what is in the house, and refuse to go to the store even for milk. That way, my cupboards are never clogged up with stuff I didn't know I had.

[Rhona]

By not going to the supermarket, you aren't tempted to buy things you don't need, either. Obviously wine isn't an impulse buy, you get that in bulk from tesco.online

Does everyone know about the clubcard wine deal thing? I've just discovered it! Get your clubcard points, convert them online to wine vouchers which doubles their value! So, �20.00 of points = �40.00 for a free case of wine! We got a gorgeous case of red last time which should have been about �80.00 but reduced to half price!

Barg!

[jackie j]

You can also use your vochers for fun days holidays etc and lots of other things and they are worth 4 times as much

[lainey lou]

You can also use your vochers for fun days holidays etc and lots of other things and they are worth 4 times as much

We've done this, and taken the kids to legoland (yuk!) longleat, the national aquarium, cafe rouge (double yuk!!) and the Eden project over the last 2 or 3 years.

[Starchild]

*whispers...* I have a mooncup - have done for years and it's brilliant when you get used to it. Saved me a fortune

psst..use it as an excuse to use a disabled toilet and I will shoot on site!

Peeweez are far better

[Twinkle]

psst..use it as an excuse to use a disabled toilet and I will shoot on site!

Peeweez are far better

nope - narrow loos for me... small bottle of water in the handbag is all I need.

Just looked at the Peeweez - I used cloth nappies on my little 'un but there wasn't nearly so much choice then as there is now...