Gas prices always fluctuate, but when the price at the pump approaches an all-time high, we all feel it. The road trip this summer feels like a budget buster, and even a quick drive to the grocery store requires a second thought.

Using less gas is smart both environmentally and economically, no matter what gas prices are doing. But when gas prices are ridiculous and every dollar counts, it becomes a necessity. “Drive less” is obviously the best approach, but that’s not always an option.

Here are 11 lesser-known ways to maximize your gas dollars:

@a_times3 Damn near $5 a gallon for premium in #houston #gasprices #crazy ♬ original sound – Torrell Tafa

Damn near $5 a gallon for premium in #houston #gasprices #crazy ♬ original sound – Torrell Tafa

1. Drive the highway ‘sweet spot’ speed as much as possible

Bad news for leadfoots: Speeding on the highway is bad for fuel efficiency. And it’s not a tiny difference.

According to the Department of Energy website, “It can be assumed that each 5 mph driven over 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.27 per gallon for gas.” But that’s assuming gas costs $3.83 a gallon. When gas prices are closer to $5.00 a gallon, or in some places over $6.00 a gallon, slowing down on the freeway becomes an even bigger savings.

2. Stop ‘topping off’ the tank

For many people, topping off the tank by giving the gas pump a few extra squeezes after it stops is habitual. Stop it.

First of all, you may actually be doing damage to your car by topping off the gas, according to Consumer Reports. Secondly, you’re wasting gas. When the pump automatically stops, it means the tank is full, so anything you pump doesn’t actually go into the fuel tank. It spills over into your vapor canister and ends up releasing toxic gas vapor unnecessarily.

At least one state, Oregon, has made it illegal to top off your gas.

3. Don’t idle more than 10 seconds

There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about how long you should let the car idle before it becomes a waste of gas. Obviously, leaving the car running for long periods of time wastes gas, but since it takes an initial injection of gas to start up an engine, how long makes sense to wait before turning the engine off instead of idling?

It might be less time than you think. According to a report shared by the Deaprtment of Energy, the threshold is only 10 seconds.

“Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel andemits more CO2 than engine restarting,” the report reads. So if you’re waiting in a drive-thru, picking up a kid, or otherwise waiting in your car, if it’s going to be longer than 10 seconds, turn off the engine.

4. Ditch the junk in your trunk

The weight of your car affects its gas mileage, and unnecessary weight just makes you waste fuel for no reason. If you have something heavy in your trunk, take it out. If you store stuff to take to Goodwill in your car for months, maybe prioritize that drop-off.

‘Whatcha gonna do with all that junk? All that junk inside your trunk?’🎶-a song about the goodwill donations that have been in my trunk since 2019— Emily ™ (@emily_tweets) March 18, 2021

‘Whatcha gonna do with all that junk? All that junk inside your trunk?’🎶-a song about the goodwill donations that have been in my trunk since 2019— Emily ™ (@emily_tweets) March 18, 2021

5. Only use Premium gas if your car requires it

Consumer Reports says that if your car manufacturer only recommends Premium gas, it can run just fine on Regular. They tested whether Premium made fuel efficiency difference and found that there was no performance or fuel-economy benefits for many cars. And the price difference can definitely add up.

So basically, check your manual and don’t feel pressured to use Premium gas unless the manufacturer requires it.

6. Check your tire pressure

An often overlooked source of fuel inefficiency is underinflated tires.

“When your tires aren’t at the proper pressure, your engine is working harder to move the same speed and distance. This means more fuel consumption and, ultimately, lower MPG,” Firestone shares on its auto care website.

Many tire companies will let you check your tire pressure and use their air pumps for free. Some will even do it for you, so make it a monthly habit for the best gas mileage.

@dadadvicefrombo Life skill in 50 seconds. Learn to check your tire pressure and know it for life. It’s SO easy. How to check and fill your tire pressure or put air in your tires. Love, Dad ♬ original sound – DadAdviceFromBo

Life skill in 50 seconds. Learn to check your tire pressure and know it for life. It’s SO easy. How to check and fill your tire pressure or put air in your tires. Love, Dad ♬ original sound – DadAdviceFromBo

7. Buy gas on Sunday or Monday

The gas price comparison app GasBuddy analyzed the data to see which day of the week gas tends to be cheapest. Here’s what they found:

Tuesday and Saturday = fluctuates, so compare prices

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday = most expensive

(Of course, these are based on averages, so good to do your own comparison in your local area.)

8. Open windows instead of using A/C

Obviously, on very hot days, windows simply aren’t going to cut it. But the more you can roll down windows instead of using your car’s air conditioning, the better when it comes to gas usage. Your car’s A/C doesn’t use gas directly, but the power it requires means the car uses more gas when it’s running.

People might ask if having the windows open creates drag that would affect fuel economy. According to Consumer Reports testing, the effect of opening windows didn’t affect fuel economy, even at 65 mph. (However, your hair probably won’t love that speed.)

@pbandjammyy I think sometimes he forgets I’m here 🥲 #fypシ #thevalley #956 ♬ original sound – Jammy

I think sometimes he forgets I’m here 🥲 #fypシ #thevalley #956 ♬ original sound – Jammy

Hard braking wastes the gas you used to get to the speed you’re driving. In other words, you held the gas pedal longer than you needed to. Adjusting your driving habits to take your foot off the gas earlier and coast more before braking means using a bit less gas overall.

Note: Coast in gear, not in neutral. Old advice would tell you to put the car in neutral to coast, but in newer cars, that actualy is less fuel-efficient than keeping the car in gear.

10. Accelerate slowly.

Some of us fancy ourselves efficient drivers by doing everything quickly. But accelarating quickly is actually less efficient when it comes to gas. According to the Department of Energy, aggressive driving (which includes rapid acceleration, hard braking, and speeding) can lower gas mileage by roughly 15% to 30% at highway speeds and 10% to 40% in stop-and-go traffic.

11. Don’t sleep on loyalty programs and warehouse discounts

While loyalty programs at gas stations and grocery stores that sell gas might seem like a gimmick, there is genuine savings to be had through them. And memberships at warehouses like Costco and Sam’s Club can also save you money at the tank. Some people like to stack those savings with credit card rewards as well, with some rewards cards offering extra points or cash back for gas purchases.

While we wait (or at least hope) for gas prices to drop, these tips can hopefully help ease the pressure on the pocketbook a little bit.

While a bottle of bubbles might seem out of place in a hospital setting, you might be surprised to learn that, for thousands of children around the world born with cleft lip and palate, they can be a helpful tool in comprehensive cleft care. Lilia, who was born with cleft lip and palate in 2020, is one of the many patients who received this care. 

As a toddler, Lilia underwent two surgeries to treat cleft lip and palate with Operation Smile’s surgical program in Puebla, Mexico. Because of Operation Smile’s comprehensive care, it wasn’t long before her personality transformed: Lilia went from a quiet and withdrawn toddler to an exuberant, curious explorer, babbling, expressing herself with a variety of sounds, and engaging with others like any child her age. 

Lilia is now a healthy five-year-old, with the same cheerful attitude and boundless energy. Her progress is the result of care at every level, from surgery to speech therapy to ongoing support at home—but it’s also evidence that small, sustained interventions throughout it all can make a meaningful difference. 

Cleft Conditions: A Global Problem

Since 1982, Operation Smile has provided cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries to more than 500,000 patients worldwide with the help of generous volunteers and donors. Cleft conditions are congenital conditions, meaning they are present at birth. With cleft lip and palate, the lip or the roof of the mouth do not form fully during fetal development. Cleft conditions put children at risk for malnutrition and poor weight gain, since their facial structure can make feeding challenging. But cleft conditions can have an enormous social impact as well: Common difficulties with speech can leave kids socially isolated and unable to meet the same developmental milestones as their peers. 

Surgery is a vital step in treating cleft conditions, but it’s also just one part of a much larger solution. Organizations like Operation Smile emphasize the importance of multi-disciplinary teams that provide comprehensive, long-term care to patients across many years. This approach, which includes oral care, speech therapy, nutritional support, and psychosocial care, not only aids in physical recovery from surgery but also helps children develop the skills and confidence to eat easily, speak clearly, and engage in everyday life. This ensures that each patient receives the full range of support they need to thrive. 

A Playful (and Powerful) Solution

Throughout a patient’s care, simple tools like bubbles can play a meaningful role from start to finish. 

Immediately before surgery, children are often in a new and unfamiliar environment far from home, some of them experiencing a hospital setting for the first time. When care providers or loved ones blow bubbles, it’s a simple yet effective technique: Not only are the children soothed and distracted, the bubbles also help create a sense of joy and playfulness that eases their anxiety. 

In speech therapy, bubbles can take on an even more important role. Blowing bubbles requires controlled airflow, as well as the ability to form a rounded “O” shape with the lips, which are skills that children with cleft conditions may struggle to develop. Practicing these skills with bubbles allows children to gently strengthen their facial muscles, improve breath control, and support the motor skills needed for speech development. Beyond that, blowing bubbles can help kids connect with their parents or providers in a way that’s playful, comforting, and accessible even for very young patients. 

Finally, bubbles often follow patients with cleft conditions home in the “smile bags” that each patient receives when the surgical procedure is finished. Smile bags, which help continue speech therapy outside of the hospital setting, can contain language enrichment booklets, a mirror, oxygen tubing, and bubbles. While regular practice with motor skills can help with physical recovery, small acts of play help as well, giving kids space to simply enjoy themselves and join in on what peers are able to do.

Bubbles at Home and Beyond

Today, because of Operation Smile’s dedication to comprehensive cleft care, Lilia is now able to make friends and speak clearly, all things that could have been difficult or impossible before. Instead of a childhood defined by limitation, Lilia—and others around the world—can look forward to a childhood filled with joy, learning, discovery, friends, and new possibilities.  

CTA: Lilia’s life was changed for the better with the care she received through Operation Smile. Find out how you can make an impact in other children’s lives by visiting operationsmile.org today. 

Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky’s works are known for their deep psychological and philosophical themes. His writing offered insights on topics ranging from what it means to live a meaningful life to the meaning of life itself.

According to Dostoevsky, an essential part of leading an authentic life involves avoiding self-deception and resisting the urge to run from pain. Staying true to oneself can lead to a fulfilling life rooted in personal freedom, though not without suffering.

Dostoevsky’s personal experiences helped shape the insights he shared in his novel The Brothers Karamazov. In it, he offered powerful advice to anyone pursuing an authentic life.

Dostoevsky on living an authentic life

Dostoevsky believed that to live an authentic life, one must be honest with oneself and endure suffering. He wrote:

“Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect for anyone or anything he ceases to love.“

Dostoevsky also wrote:

“To be a human being among human beings, and remain one forever, no matter what misfortunes befall, not to become depressed, and not to falter–this is what life is, herein lies its task.”

Dostoevsky faced many trials in his life (1821–1881). One of the most notable was being sent to a prison labor camp in Siberia for his political beliefs. After eight months, he was sentenced to death by firing squad. But the execution was staged for dramatic effect. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica:

“There a sentence of death by firing squad was pronounced, last rites were offered, and three prisoners were led out to be shot first. At the last possible moment, the guns were lowered and a messenger arrived with the information that the tsar had deigned to spare their lives. The mock-execution ceremony was in fact part of the punishment.”

His life was not free from pain or mistakes, and from 1864 to 1865, “his wife and his brother died, the magazine folded, and Dostoevsky found himself deeply in debt, which he........

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