Hi there, my friend.
Lots to talk about this week. The format is a little different from most weeks, but what hasn’t changed (and won’t ever change) is the promise behind Ask, Save, Earn: Every edition of this newsletter will have some takeaway that you can use and apply to your own financial life.
Let’s get started…
“The highest gas prices ever for this time of year”
That was the word from AAA last week. The organization, which tracks gas prices on a daily basis, said that the national average for a gallon of gas has never been above $4 per gallon on Labor Day until this year. On Labor Day Monday, the average stood at $4.15 per gallon, a record for the holiday.
Unfortunately, the news isn’t getting better. On Thursday, September 10, the average stood at $4.28, up 13 cents since Monday and more than a dollar higher than a year ago. And given that, on Wednesday, the price of oil passed $100 for the first time since July, there’s little reason to think a dramatic improvement is coming.
So what can you do? Well, if you have a magic wand that you can wave to end the war in Iran and open up the Strait of Hormuz, go for it, please. (Follow-up question: What the heck have you been waiting for?) Seriously though, as with so many topics here at Ask, Save, Earn, it is about asking the right questions and controlling what you can control.
In this case, it is primarily about the questions you ask yourself. Here’s what I wrote in a previous post about gas prices …
“Am I paying more for gas just out of habit or convenience?” We’re all creatures of habit. We tend to fill up our tank at the same place every time, much in the same way we buy our groceries in the same place or take our dry cleaning to the same place. There’s comfort in the sameness. However, it can also come with a cost. If higher gas prices are putting a squeeze on you, consider using GasBuddy, Waze or other tools to seek out better deals near you. Doesn’t mean you need to drive across town to save 3 cents a gallon, but opening yourself up to more possibilities can be helpful.
“Could I just use my vehicle less?” For many of us, the answer is almost certainly yes. Carpooling, with family, friends or coworkers, can be a low-cost alternative. Public transportation could be useful as well, though, of course, it is a far better option in some places than others. Even riding a bike could be worth considering, if you live relatively close to work.
“Do I need to adjust my budget?” Unfortunately, for many Americans, the answer is likely yes. If you’ve got a lot of breathing room in your budget on a regular basis, maybe adjustments aren’t really necessary. However, if money is usually super-tight, it probably makes sense to review your budget to see where you shift your spending to allow for some extra spending on gas. Sure, it is possible that the conflict with Iran will end soon and that gas prices will plunge shortly thereafter. Still, when it comes to a budget, I’m always a fan of planning for the worst while hoping for the best.
In that post, I also warn of the dangers of gas credit cards. In many ways, they’re like any credit cards. Used wisely, they can be incredibly useful, even saving you very real money via rewards. Used thoughtlessly, they can be trouble.
That’s especially true given that store credit cards’ interest rates are sky-high, even by credit card standards. When I looked at them for LendingTree in November of 2025, the average interest rate was over 30%. Rates may have moved since then, but there’s no reason to believe they’ve changed dramatically.
“How to become a disgustingly good conversationalist”
On a lighter note, I love this post from Grace Moser about how to talk to anyone. We talk about connection and conversation all the time here at Ask, Save, Earn, but it is usually in the context of money and looking for better deals or more money. In this post, Moser is looking more broadly at conversation, helping people feel more comfortable in many different social situations.
Still, I wanted to share it because if you feel more confident in conversation in general, you’re probably going to feel more confident when it is time to negotiate with someone or ask them for a break.
It has some thoughtful insights that I’m definitely going to keep in mind in future conversations.
Happy 80th, Dad! We’re still fighting the fight for you…
Speaking of amazing conversationalists, my late father — to whom I dedicated my book — would’ve turned 80 today. He passed in 2020 after bravely fighting multiple forms of cancer. His birthday is always one of the hardest days of the year.
In his memory, I wanted to share one of my favorite posts…
Also, I’d be honored if you’d consider donating to my fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. I started it in 2021, have raised about $7,000 for cancer research since and am nowhere near finished.
I know life’s expensive today and money is tight, but every dollar counts in the fight against cancer. Even just $8 given in honor of his 80th birthday.
If you donate, remember your employer might match your gift. Many companies, including LendingTree, have donation match programs, and the unfortunate truth is that many employees have no idea they exist. That’s why, as I wrote for CBS MoneyWatch, billions of dollars in these programs go unused across the country, which is an absolute shame. There are so many charities out there that could do so much good work with all that money. Let’s make sure more of it gets to them.
If your employer doesn’t have a matching program, ask them to create one. The programs are great for employee recruitment and morale, and companies like DoubleTheDonation minimize the effort needed to offer a program. (Plus, doing good is its own reward.)
Thank you so much for considering giving. And F cancer.
Live from Substack… It’s Wednesday evening!
I did my first-ever Substack Live on Wednesday — talking about how to lower your credit card’s interest rate — and it was a lot of fun. Here’s a snippet of the show to get a feel for what I talked about. Long-time subscribers may just recognize what the “gigantic number” in question is…
I really enjoyed the free-form nature of it and would like to do another one, but I’d love to get your take on these sorts of live events. Let me know what you think…
Until next time!
Matt