Uniroyal Tire and Savings Expert Camilla Cornell Offer Six Easy Tips for Saving Over $3,100 on Your Yearly Gas & Grocery Expenses
With gas prices continuing to fluctuate at high rates, and food and family costs on the rise, Uniroyal has teamed up with savings expert Camilla Cornell to help Canadian families and seniors save money on two of their biggest nondiscretionary “budget busters” – gas and groceries. By following just six easy tips, consumers can subtract a potential savings of $3,100 or more from their yearly gas and grocery expenses.
“I’m excited to be working with Uniroyal to share these money-saving tips on gas and other key areas,” Cornell said. “With grocery costs rising, I want people to know that you don’t have to pay a fortune to eat well. If you’re able to save money on the things you must pay for— such as gas and groceries—you’ve got a lot left over for the extras that make life fun, whether that’s dinner out or a family vacation.”
Uniroyal and Cornell have worked together to develop the following six easy tips for maximum yearly savings.
For a potential savings of over $1,000 on annual gas costs, follow these top three fuel-savings tips:
- Check the inflation pressure of your tires. Many Canadians may be surprised to learn that they are driving around on under-inflated tires. You need to check your tire inflation pressure once a month and adjust accordingly. The proper inflation pressure can be found in the owner’s manual or on the placard, usually found on the door jamb. The pressure indicated on the tire sidewall is the maximum pressure allowed, not what is recommended for your vehicle. For accurate pressure, always check the pressure when the tires are "cold" - at least three hours after the vehicle has been stopped and before it has been driven one mile. (It's best to inflate your tires in the morning before the day's heat.) This simple step can save up to three cents per litre. “Making sure tires are properly inflated is one of the easiest and most important maintenance procedures drivers can do,” says Celine Messiha, Uniroyal marketing communications manager. “Properly inflated tires not only contribute to greater fuel efficiency, but also last longer and perform better.”
- Replacing clogged air filters is a biggie! A clean filter versus one that is severely clogged can mean savings as much as nine cents per litre. Air filters also keep impurities in the air from damaging internal engine components.
- Research also shows that a poorly tuned engine can greatly increase fuel consumption. Following the recommended maintenance schedule in your vehicle’s owner's manual may save as much as three cents per litre, help the car run better and contribute to a longer life.
With your car running in cost-saving mode, now it’s time to cut your grocery bill in half in less than 30 minutes each week. By implementing Cornell’s value shopping program in these three simple steps, shoppers can potentially save over $2,100 a year:
- Plan your menu around the flyers – When the grocery flyers land on your doorstep, take the time to sit down and go through them. Outline a menu for each day of the upcoming week based on the sale items. Is ground beef on special? Plan to make spaghetti sauce on Monday and shepherd’s pie on Thursday. Include all of the items you’ll need to make those meals on your grocery list, to save expensive trips to the convenience store. What’s more, having a detailed meal plan means you’re not scrambling for something to make at the last minute or relying on pricey packaged food. Eliminate just one pre-made meal, at an average of $8 and a few extra bucks for trips to the corner store, and you’ve saved an additional $10 a week.
- Shop the perimeter – Analyze your grocery bills by highlighting non-essential items with a coloured pen. You may be shocked to discover that about 20% of your purchases are impulse buys. A good rule of thumb: essential foodstuffs like milk, meat and fruits and veggies, are usually displayed around the perimeter of the store, while costly ready-made meals and pre-packaged items lurk in the middle aisles. Stick to the outer edges of your grocery store and save, save, save. Cut out just half of your impulse buys and save up to 10% on your grocery bill—that’s $16.90 a week, given that the average Canadian grocery bill is $169.
- Go generic – A quick comparison of 15 generic grocery store items with their brand-name competitors found average savings of about 30%. That’s nothing to sniff at, particularly since generic brands frequently stand up well in terms of taste. Consider too, what you’re spending to have the manufacturer add sugar to your cereal, instead of sprinkling on a spoonful yourself. Pre-sweetened cereal often costs about 30% more. Another budget buster: expensive premium-brand juices. They are no more nutritious than their canned, frozen counterparts, but can cost almost four times as much. Replace a few pricey brand names with their no name counterparts and chalk up savings of $15 or more on your weekly grocery bill. That adds up to a whopping savings of $780 a year.
Uniroyal and Cornell will continue to work together throughout the year as part of the Uniroyal “More Mileage for your Money” campaign. “We view this campaign as a logical extension of the Uniroyal mission,” said Messiha. “We’re helping Canadians save money already by providing good quality tires at affordable prices, and through this campaign, we are thrilled to partner with Camilla Cornell to inform consumers on ways they can save money in other areas as well.”
During the “More Mileage for your Money” campaign, Cornell will make stops across Canada to educate consumers on easy ways they can save money throughout every season of the year. Future topics will include how to save on summer travel, back-to-school expenses, getting ready for winter, and holiday savings.
About Camilla Cornell
Camilla Cornell specializes in helping consumers become savvier about finding everyday bargains and value. She knows all the tricks of the trade when it comes to maximizing value and slashing spending in many areas, including automotive, travel, clothing, restaurants, groceries, gifts, theme parks, gardening and entertainment. She is a regular contributor to Reader’s Digest, Today’s Parent, MoneySense, Canadian Family and National Post, and a spokesperson for Uniroyal Tire.
Sources: Natural Resources Canada, Car Care Council and, GasBuddy.com. Estimates based on an average of 2 cars per household, using a 2007 Dodge Caravan with 75.7-litre gas tank- gas efficiency of 11.8 city/9.0 highway, and a 2007 Ford Focus with a 53 litre gas tank- gas efficiency of 8.7 city/5.9 highway. Using an average of 24,140 kilometers driven annually. Savings based on average cost of 86.5 cents per litre (1/30/07) for unleaded gasoline. Grocery statistics from Statistics Canada, 2005-06 household expenditure data. Grocery savings tips from collaboration with savings expert and author, Camilla Cornell.
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