Focusing on numbers is good, but to be financially successful, and to avoid money problems, you need real goals, not number goals.

Don’t make a goal to save $50 each week.  That’s a goal with no meaning.  If you save $50 per week for 100 weeks, you will have saved $5,000.  Is that important?  Is it important to save $5,000?

Here’s a better goal: I want to save $50 per week for 100 weeks so that I can buy a $5,000 car, so that I’ll have more flexibility to find a better job.  That’s a goal that has meaning; it’s not just a number.

Saving money is great, but have a reason for your savings plan.  Save money for a new car or house; save money for your child’s education, or save money as an emergency fund.  Save, but be sure you have a specific savings goal in mind.

Even if there are no errors, it’s still wise to contact the companies you deal with every few months to see if there are any better deals for you.

For example, most phone and internet providers offer “bundle” discounts if you have more than one service with them.  Insurance companies will also offer discounts if you have both your home and car insurance with the same company.

Banks offer discounts if you are over 55 or over 65 years old, so check with your bank to see if there are any other deals.

If you have good credit, your credit card company may lower your interest rate just for asking.

Review your monthly bills, and ask for discounts, because if you don’t ask, you won’t get them.

One person signed up for “bundled” service with Bell; he bundled his home phone and internet and was supposed to get a $10 per month discount.  He didn’t, until he complained.  Similar examples exist for people with equal billing on gas services, and on cell phone service.

The message is clear: even if you receive your bills electronically, and  pay your bills electronically, and have your bill payments automatically deducted from your bank account each month, you should still review your bills to be sure that you are getting the discounts and special deals you signed up for.

Big companies often make mistakes, and they will only correct them if you complain and ask them to correct their mistakes.

The ideal car pooler leaves near you and works near you, and they have the same schedule as you.  It may not always be possible to align your schedules, but don’t aim for perfection.  Even if you only car pool two or three days a week, the savings can be significant.

Even better, the drive to work is more fun when you have someone to talk to, so start a car pool today.

The only exception may be when you plan to keep a car for over seven years.  In that case a new car has a warranty, and since you have owned it since new, you can maintain it to last.

So, buy new if you plan to keep the car for many years; if not, a used car may be a better value.

Remove all unnecessary weight; it only weighs you down, and reduces fuel economy.

If you don’t need the trailer, remove it when not in use.

If you don’t need the roof rack, eliminate it as well.  It increases the weight, and also makes your car less aerodynamic.

If you live in an area where temperatures rise and fall significantly during the year (which would be anywhere in Canada), your tire pressure can also rise and fall.  The more you drive, the more pressure you put on your tires, which will also affect your tire pressure.

Proper tire inflation is important for proper fuel economy.  Under-inflated tires can reduce your gas mileage by up to 5%, and it can also cause your tires to wear unevenly, and wear out quicker.

So, to save money by making your tires last longer, and to save on gas, check your tire pressure once per month.  You can buy a simple tire pressure gauge to check your tire’s air pressure.  If it’s low, fill them up.  It’s simple and costs virtually nothing, but can lead to significant long term money savings.

If you are stopped waiting for a long train, shut your car off!

If you are waiting to pick up a passenger, shut your car off!

It sounds simple, and it is.  Your gas mileage when you are idling is zero, so whenever possible, shut your car off.  If you will be stopped for more than a minute, shutting your car off will significantly improve your gas mileage, and save you money.

It costs money to run your air conditioning in your car.  Your engine must work harder to power the air conditioning unit, so where possible ventilate your car by opening your windows, or using your vents to circulate the air without turning on your air conditioning.

However, here’s the conundrum: Driving at high speed with your windows open makes your car significantly less aerodynamic, and that reduces your fuel economy.  What’s the solution:

When you are stopped at a stop sign or red light, turn off your air conditioning and open the windows.  If you are in stop and go traffic, driving slowly, open your windows and shut off the air conditioning.  At low speeds aerodynamic efficiency isn’t a big worry.

When you get onto the highway, or when driving at speeds of 50 km/h or higher, close your windows and use the air conditioning.

Here’s a final tip: Park your car in the shade whenever possible, even if it means a longer walk to your destination.  Keeping your car cool reduces the need to crank up the air conditioning when you get into the car.  If possible, roll down your windows and let your car ventilate for a few minutes before driving off; that will save on the need to set the air conditioning on high.

Proper speed means more than just driving the speed limit.  It also means you can save a lot of money but not driving aggressively.  It’s expensive to be an aggressive driver.  You see aggressive drivers on the road all the time; constantly weaving in and out of traffic in an effort to get to their destination sooner.  What do they accomplish?  In most cases they don’t arrive much sooner, but their constant acceleration and slowing down burns up a lot of gas.  Even worse, zig zag stop and go driving increases the wear and tear on your tires and brakes, and that costs money.

So, calm down, drive in control, and save money.