Petrol Saving Tips: Part II

For too long, Malaysians have had smooth drive due to petrol being an affordable commodity. Now, with the price of petrol being squeezed to a new high of RM2.704 per litre, there’s certainly a need to look at our driving habits and how we can go the distance with the fuel in our tank, writes CHAI MEI LING (NST).

THE fuel frenzy has begun. From the Bruneian government lashing out at its petrol–wasting citizens, to irked gas users taking to the streets in Indonesia, the world is finding the spiralling cost of oil price too hot to handle.

The time is nigh perhaps for Malaysians, cushioned still by the unrealistic fuel subsidy, to arm themselves with fuel–saving tips before weaning starts.

While there are no hard and fast rules to improving fuel economy, perhaps these pointers, when implemented collectively, might be useful in stretching the ringgit to the max as you cruise behind the wheels.

1. Keep tyres properly inflated
- Check your tyre pressure check. Under–inflated tyres wear off faster.
- And an under inflation of as little as one pound per square inch can reduce fuel efficiency, says Helen Taylors on Shell's FuelSave website.
- Helen and her husband, John, set a Guinness World Record last year for fuel efficiency by travelling an impressive 28,970km around the globe on just 24 refills of Shell Super with Fuel Economy formula.
- Regular sized tyres are best kept at 28 to 32 psi.

2. No to reckless driving
- Weaving in and out of the traffic at high speed pumps up more than the adrenaline rush. It pumps up your fuel use, too.
- Aggressive driving can guzzle up to a third more fuel than safe driving.
- The trick is to drive smoothly, keep the revs low, and not brake too hard.

3. Use air–conditioning sparingly
- Yes, we understand that sweaty armpits don't make a nice sight.
- But on rainy days, switch off the air-conditioner or use it sparingly.
- Air-conditioning puts added strain on the engine and contributes to fuel consumption.
- And if weather permits, you can wind down the window .
- Whilst you will lose some fuel efficiency through aerodynamics, it is still far more economical than using the air-conditioner, says John.

4. Slow and steady does it
- Speed is a huge factor when it comes to fuel economy. The faster one drives, the more wind resistance there is, and the harder the engine is made to work, says Taylors.
- It has been proven that driving just five miles per hour over the speed limit can dramatically increase fuel consumption.
- Ismail Abu Talib, senior technical executive with AAM, recommends cruise control on highways to maintain a constant speed of 60-80kmh.
- Most vehicles have a certain steady speed range that, if adhered to, will result in good fuel consumption.
- For example, the best fuel–efficient speed range for a 4x4 pick–up is between 60 and 80kmh.

5. Avoid excess weight
- Whenever your mother yells at you for cluttering up the car, thank her.
- Heavy load burns more fuel. That means no golf clubs in the boot, books on the floor, and half your closet on the passenger seat.
- An extra 100lb in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by 1–2 per cent, says fueleconomy.gov.

6. Avoid idling
- Your vehicle goes on a drinking binge when caught in a traffic snarl.
- Avoid congested areas by travelling outside of peak hours and use alternative routes.
- If you're in a car waiting for someone, turn your engine off. Idling gets you nowhere, but still burns fuel.

7. Select the right gear
- If you rev the engine and speed off the moment the light turns green, your car burns petrol way faster than it can pull away.
- Over–revving during gear changes, and driving in a gear lower than you need, are surefire ways of fuel wastage.
- Try to accelerate gently and smoothly, and get into high gear quickly as possible, says Isuzu Malaysia's Zaqi Zacary.
- For manual transmissions, change through the gears into top gear without accelerating harder than necessary.
- Automatic transmissions will shift up more smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car gains momentum, he adds.
- Always use a gear that corresponds to your speed requirement.

8. Think ‘aerodynamic’
- Wash it, polish it and wax it.
- A clean and shiny car doesn't just look good – it reduces resistance.
- Remove the roof rack too, if not in use, as it affects aerodynamic efficiency.

9. Service your vehicle regularly
- Don't be penny wise and pound foolish.
- Scheduled maintenance services, as determined by the car manufacturer, keep your vehicle in top notch and cut costs in the long run.
- For example, changing the engine oil reduces internal mechanical friction, which is the root cause of fuel consumption, says Ismail.
- Twice a year, get your car tuned if it's fitted with a carburettor, he adds.
- A well-tuned engine also stretches fuel consumption.
- Another recommendation is to change the clogged air filter every 20,000km.
- This cheap trick (RM12 – RM50) can improve mileage by as much as 10 per cent.

10. Switch to a Natural Gas Vehicle
- AAM proposes for more drivers to switch to NGV for better mileage and better environment protection.
- The gas cylinder and conversion kit costs between RM1,000 and RM2,000 but in the long run, it saves up a huge sum.
- Cars run on 20-30 sen of petrol per kilometre, but NGV does it on 8-10 sen. You do the math.

Petrol Saving Tips: Part I

This is a message received from a friend. Now that cost of petrol has gone up, you might want to post this and help people save some money.

1. Only buy or fill up your car or bike in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold.

Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground, the denser the fuel, when it gets warmer petrol expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening, your litre is not exactly a litre. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the petrol, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products play an important role. A 1 degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

My comment: A friend told me this a while back, but didn't get to practise this that much.

2. When you're filling up, do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode.

If you look, you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode, you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimising the vapours that are created, while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapour. Those vapours are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.

My comment: I have been practising this since I found out a few years back, and refuse to let anyone else do it.

3. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your tank is half full.

The reason for this is, the more fuel you have in your tank, the less air occupying
its empty space. Petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine. Petroleum storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimises the evaporation. Unlike service stations, every truck that we load is temperature compensated, so that every litre is actually the exact amount.

My comment: My dad told me to top up when the tank is half full, and I have followed his advice all this while. Now I know why.

4. If there is a fuel truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy, do not fill up.

Most likely the petrol/diesel is being stirred up as the fuel is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

Hope, this will help you get the maximum value for your money.

Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Pictures: www.rottentomatoes.com

Famed archaeologist Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones is called back into action when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.

Not an Indy fan, so I watched this with no expectations although I've read the reviews. Some Indy fans may be disappointed with this film. I think some scenes and props do not make sense. Cate Blanchett did well as the heavily–accented Irina Spalko, and so does Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood.

Rating: 2/5.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)

Pictures: www.rottentomatoes.com

The Pevensie siblings return to Narnia, where they are enlisted to once again help ward off an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the land's throne, Prince Caspian.

This is by far the best Disney film I have ever watched. There is a good balance of drama and humour with great cast, soundtracks, cinematography and visual effects. Love the battle scenes and tactics.

Rating: 3.5/5.

The Richest Man in Babylon

A friend lent me a book recently. She said, "Read it. It's a good book." I did, but was wondering why did she ask me to read that particular book. The first few pages were boring, but as I moved on the pages, it made sense. This is by far the best book I've read this year. Thank you dear, you know who you are.

These are some excerpts from the book.

The Richest Man in Babylon

What can a book written in the 1920s tell modern investors about their finances? A whole lot if it’s George Clason’s delightful set of parables that explain the basics of money. – LA Times

Like the law of gravity, these laws of money are universal and unchanging.

This timeless classic holds the key to all you desire and everything you wish to accomplish. This is the book that reveals the secret to personal wealth. This is the book that holds the secrets to acquiring money, keeping money, and making money earn more money.

Babylonian parables – hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth.

Money is the medium by which earthly success is measured.

Money makes possible the enjoyment of the best the earth affords.

Money is plentiful for those who understand the simple laws which govern its acquisition.

Money is governed today by the same laws which controlled it when prosperous men thronged the streets of Babylon, 6000 years ago.

Too often does youth think that age knows only the wisdom of days that are gone, and therefore profits not. But remember this, the sun that shines today is the sun that shone when thy father was born, and will still be shining when thy last grandchild shall pass into darkness.

The thoughts of youth are bright lights that shine forth like the meteors that oft make brilliant the sky, but the wisdom of age is like the fixed stars that shine so unchanged that the sailor may depend upon them to steer his course.

A part of what you earn is yours to keep. It should be no less than a tenth no matter how little you earn. It can be as much more as you can afford. Pay yourself first.

Wealth, like a tree, grows from a tiny seed. The first copper you save is the seed from which your tree of wealth shall grow. The sooner you plant that seed the sooner shall the tree grow. And the more faithfully you nourish and water that tree with consistent savings, the sooner may you bask in contentment beneath its shade.

Advice is one thing that is freely given away, but watch that you take only what is worth having. He who takes advice about his savings from one who is inexperienced in such matters, shall pay with his savings for proving the falsity of their opinions.

Learn to live upon less than you could earn. Next, learn to seek advice from those who were competent through their own experiences to give it. Lastly, learn to make gold work for you.

Say to yourself, a part of all I earn is mine to keep. Say it in the morning when your first arise. Say it at noon. Say it at night. Say it each hour of every day. Say it to yourself until the words stand out like letters of fire across the sky.

Impress yourself with the idea. Fill yourself with the thought. Then take whatever portion seems wise. Let it be not less than one-tenth and lay it by. Arrange your other expenditures to do this if necessary. But lay by that portion first. Soon you will realise what a rich feeling it is to own a treasure upon which you alone have claim. As it grows it will stimulate you. A new joy of life will thrill you. Greater efforts will come to you to earn more. For of your increased earnings, will not the same percentage be also yours to keep?

Then learn to make your treasure work for you. Make it your slave. Make its children and its children’s children work for you.

Insure an income for thy future. Look thou at the aged and forget not that in the days to come thou also will be numbered among them. Therefore invest thy treasure with greatest caution that it be not lost. Usurious rates of return are deceitful sirens that sing but to lure the unwary upon the rocks of loss and remorse.

Provide also that thy family may not want should the Gods call thee to their realms. For such protection it is always possible to make provision with small payments at regular intervals. Therefore the provident man delays not in expectation of a large sum becoming available for such a wise purpose.

Counsel with wise men. Seek the advice of men whose daily work is handling money. Let them save you from an error. A small return and a safe one is far more desirable than risk.

Enjoy life while you are here. Do not overstrain or try to save too much. If one-tenth of all you earn is as much as you can comfortably keep, be content to keep this portion. Live otherwise according to your income and let not yourself get niggardly and afraid to spend. Life is good and life is rich with things worthwhile and things to enjoy.

7 Cures for a Lean Purse

The First Cure: Start thy purse to fattening

For every ten coins thou placest within thy purse take out for use but nine. Thy purse will start to fatten at once and its increasing weight will feel good in thy hand and bring satisfaction to thy soul.

Deride not what I say because of its simplicity. Truth is always simple.

The Second Cure: Control thy expenditures

Confuse not the necessary expenses with thy desires. Each of you, together with your families, have more desires than your earnings can gratify. Therefore are thy earnings spent to gratify these desires insofar as they will go. Still thou retainest many ungratified desires.

All men are burdened with more desires than they can gratify. There are limits to your time. There are limits to your strength. There are limits to the distance you may travel. There are limits to what you may eat. There are limits to the zest with which you may enjoy.

Thy desires are a multitude and those that thou mayest gratify are but few.

Study thoughtfully thy accustomed habits of living. Herein may be most often found certain accepted expenses that may wisely be reduced or eliminated. Let thy motto be 100% of appreciated value demanded for each coin spent.

Therefore, engrave upon the clay each thing for which thou desireth to spend. Select those that are necessary and others that are possible through the expenditure of nine-tenths of thy income. Cross out the rest and consider them but a part of that great multitude of desires that must go unsatisfied and regret them not.

Budget then thy necessary expenses. Touch not the one-tenth that is fattening thy purse. Let this be thy great desire that is being fulfilled. Keep working with thy budget, keep adjusting to it to help thee. Make it thy first assistant in defending thy fattening purse.

Budget thy expenses that thou mayest have coins to pay for thy necessities, to pay for thy enjoyments and to gratify thy worthwhile desires without spending more than nine-tenths of thy earnings.

The Third Cure: Make thy gold multiply

The gold we may retain from our earnings is but the start. The earnings it will make shall build our fortunes.

A man’s wealth is not in the coins he carries in his purse; it is the income he buildeth, the golden stream that continually floweth into his purse and keepeth it always bulging. That is what every man desireth.

To put each coin to labouring that it may reproduce its kind even as the flocks of the field and help bring to thee income, a stream of wealth that shall flow constantly into thy purse.

The Fourth Cure: Guard thy treasures from loss

Misfortune loves a shining mark. Gold in a man’s purse must be guarded with firmness, else it be lost. Thus it is wise that we must first secure small amounts and learn to protect them before the Gods entrust us with larger.

Every owner of gold is tempted by opportunities whereby it would seem that he could make large sums by its investment in most plausible projects. Often friends and relatives are eagerly entering such investment and urge him to follow.

The first sound principle of investment is security for thy principal. Is it wise to be intrigued by larger earnings when thy principal may be lost? I say not. The penalty of risk is probable loss. Study carefully, before parting with thy treasure, each assurance that it may be safely reclaimed. Be not misled by thine own romantic desires to make wealth rapidly.

Guard thy treasure from loss by investing only where thy principal is safe, where it may be reclaimed if desirable, and where thou will not fail to collect a fair rental. Consult with wise men. Secure the advice of those whose experienced in the profitable handling of gold. Let their wisdom protect thy treasure from unsafe investments.

The Fifth Cure: Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment

If a man setteth aside nine parts of his earnings upon which to live and enjoy life, and if any part of this nine parts he can turn into a profitable investment without detriment to his well-being, then so much faster will his treasures grow.

Own thy own home.

The Sixth Cure: Insure a future income

It behooves a man to make preparation for a suitable income in the days to come, when he is no longer young, and to make preparations for his family should he be no longer with them to comfort and support them.

Provide in advance for the needs of thy growing age and the protection of thy family.

The Seventh Cure: Increase thy ability to earn

He must pay his debts with all the promptness within his power, not purchasing that for which he is unable to pay.

He must take care of his family that they may think and speak well of him.

He must make a will of record that, in case the Gods call him, proper and honourable division of his property be accomplished.

He must have compassion upon those who are injured and smitten by misfortune and aid them within reasonable limits. He must do deeds of thoughtfulness to those dear to him.

To cultivate thy own powers, to study and become wiser, to become more skillful, to act as to respect thyself.

If a man be lucky, there is no foretelling the possible extent of his good fortune. Pitch him into the Euphrates and like as not he will swim out with a pearl in his hand. – Babylonian proverb

To attract good luck to oneself, it is necessary to take advantages of opportunities.

Good luck can be enticed by accepting opportunity.

Men of action are favoured by the goddess of good luck.

The Five Laws of Gold

1. Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity to any man who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.

2. Gold laboureth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks of the field.

3. Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling.

4. Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in businesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.

5. Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment.

Better a little caution than a great regret.

In this day, behind the impregnable walls of insurance, savings accounts and dependable investments, we can guard ourselves against the unexpected tragedies that may enter any door and seat themselves before any fireside.

We cannot afford to be without adequate protection.

Where the determination is, the way can be found.

That man who keepeth in his purse both gold and silver that he need not spend is good to his family and loyal to his king.

The man who hath but a few coppers in his purse is indifferent to his family and indifferent to his king.

But the man who hath naught in his purse is unkind to his family and is disloyal to his king, for his own heart is bitter.

Therefore, the man who wisheth to achieve must have coin that he may keep to jingle in his purse, that he have in his heart love for his family and loyalty to his king.

Besetting a man like a whirlwind,
Driving him like a storm,
Whose course no one can follow,
Whose destiny no one can foretell.