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Running a company can be expensive. Sure, you have to spend money to make money, but if the numbers are off, or more is going out than coming in, then your business may be in trouble. There are ways you can cut back and save money without sacrificing the quality of your goods and services. Cutting back on the amount of paper that is used for intra-office memos and switching from disposable coffee cups in the staff room are two ways you can cut back on office spending. But, what about saving money outside of the office? If your company depends on vehicles in order to run then you will want to look into ways you can save when it comes to the company cars and trucks.

Getting the best fuel price for your company vehicles isn’t impossible. While you may think there is no way to get a lower gas price, this isn’t always the case. While you can’t exactly ask for a discount at the local gas stations, there are a few ways you can save money at the pumps.

Gas up before prices change

If gas prices are regulated in your area, then odds are you will know ahead of time when the price of gas will increase. One way of ensuring you save at the pumps is to gas up all company cars and trucks before a hike in the price of fuel. Sometimes you can save quite a bit this way.

Compare prices

Not all gas stations charge the same amount for gas. Sure, the difference may just be pennies on the gallon, but that can add up greatly over time, especially if your company fleet is large. Check around and compare prices.

Always fill the tank

This may not technically get you a lower price at the pumps, but if you ensure company vehicles are full, then you will, ultimately, be saving a bit of money over time.

Fleet fuel cards

Switching from the company credit card to a fleet fuel card when gassing up may be the best, easiest and most reliable way to cut back on fuel costs for your company fleet. The great thing about fleet fuel cards is that there are many advantages to using them.

• Lower fuel prices: When you sign up to use fleet fuel cards for your company vehicles you get a discount at the pumps.
• Locked in fuel prices: You may also be able to choose to lock in at a certain, guaranteed fuel price. This means that even when the price of fuel increases, you will still only have to pay the lower, locked in price.
• Control of the card: Only want your company fuel cards to be used for gas? Not a problem. You can set them up so that they can only be used to purchase gas, something you can’t do with a company credit card.
• Fleet maintenance: Fleet cards also allow you to get the best price when it comes to maintaining your fleet.
• Instant receipts: Whenever a fleet fuel card is used, your company will receive a receipt of the transaction. This allows you to see how and where the car is being used and saves you from having to chase down receipts from company drivers.

It is possible to save money on fuel for your company vehicles: the key is to be smart about it. Look into switching to fleet fuel cards to save the biggest amount of money in the easiest way.

Before fleet cards, business owners and fleet managers faced a cumbersome task of handing over liquid cash to drivers and keeping track of the expenses incurred by them. Fleet cards changed this scenario and put the controls firmly in the hands of managers as it was no longer necessary to hand out cash for fuel expenses and maintenance work during trips.

A fleet comprises two or more vehicles of any size and combination.  By this definition, most small businesses would own a fleet.  If an owner has a car and the company has another van, delivery truck, pick-up truck or any such vehicle, this company would benefit from a fleet card system.

Today, small businesses that operate in diverse fields such plumbing contractors, florist, landscaping companies, convenience stores and hundreds of others face a common problem - undercapitalization due to poor planning. Undercapitalization is directly linked to generated revenues during the course of the business.  Therefore it is imperative that small businesses streamline their expenses to eliminate any wasteful expenditure and profit from discounts and rebates. Here is where the fleet card contributes a sizable saving for the small business owner:

We know only too well how fuel prices fluctuate and affect business. A fleet card saves money and time, both being very important factors that affect a small business.  Here are a few benefits that come from having a fleet card program in place.

Tracking every transaction undertaken by your fleet:  Fleet cards are given to your drivers to pay for fuel, maintenance and road side assistance and record every transaction that occurs during a trip.  Business owners can look up any transaction online, in real time.  The records will show the merchant address, cost of fuel, fuel quantity and type, day and date, number of transactions and even mileage to the gallon. This feature rules out any kind of fraudulent activity and saves you time as there are no receipts to be checked and accounted for.  In case of a break down, drivers can call for assistance from designated outlets where the detailed expenses are once again recorded.

Saves money, time and streamlines fuel expenses: Fleet cards used at participating outlets earn discounts and rebates for spares, tires and fuel which translate into substantial savings.  If there are several participating merchants the discounts and rewards earned increase.

Better relationships with employees: Fleet cards eliminate suspicion as no cash changes hands at any time.  There is no room for any kind of animosity or cause for unpleasantness between business owners and employees due to cash exchange.  Owners can be assured that their employees have not indulged in any fraudulent activity fostering  cordial, friendly working environments.

A fleet card to suit your needs: Fleet card companies will look at your specific business and customize a fleet card that will cater to all your fuel and vehicle maintenance needs. This ensures you are only paying for the fleet card features your company requires.

It’s no secret that vehicles need fuel in order to run. And gas costs money, right? If you own your own business and have company vehicles then this cost can add up, especially if your vehicles are a key part of your business dealings. But there are things you can do to make sure you are fueling in the best way for your company’s overhead and budget.

Are you using business gas cards to fuel up your fleet vehicles? If not, you should be. They can go a long way to helping you save money when fueling up your company vehicles. Depending on the number of vehicles in your company fleet, you can take advantage of special low prices and locked in prices when using your fleet fuel cards. When it comes to paying for fuel, any discount can make a difference, even if you are only saving a few dollars each time a company car or truck is refueled.

Do you keep track of when and where your drivers are refueling their vehicles? You may be surprised to find out they prefer to use favorite gas stations, rather than ones on their actual routes. Pay attention to refueling spots and make suggestions so there isn’t as much downtime lost while fueling up. With business gas cards there are certain places you have to fuel up, so keeping track is easier.

Fleet cards also allow you to determine how much can be put on the card and what it can be used for. If you only want it to be used for gassing up, you have that option. This is just another way you can make it easier for your financial department to keep track of money that is spent. It also means less time spent going through receipts so you are also saving the department time and ultimately, money.  Restricting fleet credit cards is also an excellent way on cutting down on the fraudulent use of company funds.

Fuel cards also produce their own receipts and even reports so you can get a clearer idea of the money being spent on fuel. It also makes balancing the fuel budget at the end of the week or month a lot easier by cutting down on the paper work. With less paper work and the paper work that does exist clearer and easier to understand, there is less chance of company money going unaccounted for and your budget will balance.

Regular vehicle maintenance is also a key part of fueling smarter. Does your company regularly send its vehicles in for check-ups? A well maintained car or truck will run at full capacity and burn up less fuel. Not only is this good for the vehicles and the environment, but it’s also good for your company’s budget.  Less money spent on fuel means less overhead costs. Besides cutting down on fuel waste, if the vehicles are looked after, it means there is less chance of them breaking down.

When it comes to how you fuel up your company vehicles, odds are there is room for improvement. By adopting a fleet fuel management system, including using fleet credit cards for all of your fuel purchases, you can help your company to fuel up smarter and save money, which means there is more cash flow to use in other areas of your business.

Many fleets are now beginning to use GPS to track their trucks.  These devices are also called electronic on-board recorders (EOBR) and track a vehicle in real-time via GPS. Not only are fleet managers able to see where their trucks are at any given time, they also provide managers with a plethora of benefits for record keeping and more.

There are some major advantages to using GPS devices to track your fleet.  Here are a few of the reasons why you should consider this time- and energy-saving technology.

• Eliminates the need for drivers’ logs - Hours of Service regulations limit the amount of time your drivers can spend driving in a 14-hour period.  In order to verify a company’s compliance, the government requires drivers to keep a detailed log of time they spend driving, on-duty time spent doing other things, and off-duty time.  GPS recorders eliminate the need for these logs, as they monitor when the truck is moving and when it is parked.
• Reduces Hours of Service violations - Despite the Hours of Service regulations, drivers who are paid by the mile are often tempted to falsify their logs in order to maximize their earnings.  GPS recorders replace the need for a log and are impossible to falsify, reducing or even eliminating violations within your fleet.
• Plan or change routes quickly and economically - With GPS tracking devices, you can be sure your drivers are following the most efficient routes for better time and fuel economy.  In addition, if you need to get a truck to a client site quickly, you can easily check and see where the closest one is, and direct that driver to the client’s location.
• Improve fuel economy - With the use of GPS recorders, you can easily identify problems that are wasting fuel, and take corrective action.  For instance, the EOBR can be set up to alert you when a driver idles their truck for more than five minutes, which not only wastes fuel, but is also against the law.  You will also be able to identify when drivers are speeding, which results in poorer fuel economy.  GPS devices therefore work in tandem with your fleet cards to help you ensure you are not wasting fuel.
• Help lost drivers or locate businesses - If your driver gets lost, you can easily help them get back on track with a GPS recorder, which tells you exactly where the truck is located.  In addition, if you want to help your driver find a business or the closest gas station that accepts your fleet gas card, you can do that with the GPS tracker.

As you can see, there are many advantages to installing GPS devices on your fleet vehicles.  From improving fuel economy and customer service to better adherence to Hours of Service regulations, the benefits to having EOBR installed make the devices well worth the cost.

We’ve all heard the usual tips and trips to saving money. Everything from cutting and using coupons to putting 5 to 10% of each paycheck into your savings account. But there are a lot of other, more creative ways that you could be saving money.  Here are a few:

In the house

You turn the lights off when not in the room, keep the thermostat down and always use cold water when washing your clothes. So you’re doing everything you can to save money, right? Wrong! With the following household tips you can keep more money in your pocket without sacrificing your lifestyle.

• Halfies - Shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, laundry detergent, dish soap. These are all things that most of us use on a daily basis. If something calls for a quarter sized dollop to be used, most of us will go the extra distance and use more. This is wasteful and you’ll end up using your products pretty fast. Try switching your hair products and your dish detergent to bottles with a hand pump and only use one pump each time you use it. This amount of soap will clean just as well and your products will last a lot longer.
• Double dip your tea bags -Even though most brands of tea are two cup tea bags, most of us will use a tea bag for one cup of tea then throw it out. Using one tea bag per two cups will cut down the cost of tea in half.
• Potluck it - The next time you have friends over, turn it into a potluck. People usually don’t mind bringing something and this will save you from having to spend money on a complete meal.

Out on the town

Just because you want to save money doesn’t mean that you can’t go out and enjoy yourself once in a while! Just make sure that when you hit the town, you’re smart about where you go and what you spend.

• Dine out earlier - If you’re going out to eat with friends, try to meet for breakfast or lunch. Meals can be twice as expensive during the later dinner hour. If schedules mean that you and your friends can only meet after work, try ordering from the appetizer menu. This will cut down on the cost of the evening but still allow you enjoy yourself.
• Water, please - Whenever you do eat out, don’t order a beverage with your meal. Replacing your usually large pop or glass of wine with some free iced lemon water can save you quite a bit of cash
• Stay in - Another option is to avoid going out all together. Whether it’s date night or girls’ night out, why not stay in? You can have just as much fun at a fraction of the cost.

The Necessities

There are some things that you have to spend money on. Whether it’s your car, your home or even your kids, there’s always an opportunity to save money.

• Cut it less - If you get your hair cut every 5 to 6 weeks, why not try going for a bit longer? Even waiting an extra week or two can save you money yearly. And if there is a beauty school in your area, you can get professional services like haircuts, colors or waxing for a fraction of the cost.
• Ask for a better price - When it comes to big purchases like cars, appliances or electronics, the advertised price may not be the best price that you can get. Always ask if there are additional discounts available. And don’t be scared to do some comparison shopping. Sometimes a store will offer an even further discount to keep your business. Regardless of what you’re buying it never hurts to ask for a further discount. The worst that could happen is they say no.
• Go for old - When it comes to TVs, desktop computers, laptops and other electronics, an older doesn’t mean that it’s ancient. In fact it could mean that it was out a month or two ago. If you are in need of a new device, don’t automatically go for the latest version. You can save a slew of money on an older model that is just as good.

What outrageous ways do you go out of your way to save money?

Author Bio:

James Hayes is a freelance writer for Credit Loan. Creditloan.com has been in the business of helping people with money problems for over twelve years. The site provides one-stop access to intuitive articles, reputable service providers and financial calculators. For example, loans come in so many varieties - from debt consolidation loans to payday loans. Creditloan.com can educate you and help you towards the right personal finance decision.

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