Our Safeway stores are running a really useful promotion these days. You used to be able to earn 10-cent discounts on gas for buying groceries, which were helpful, but not really enough motivation to go out of my way to a Safeway gas station. But this month they changed the program to where your discounts accumulate and can all be used at once. So technically, I could save up enough 10-cent discounts to get free gas. Now, that's worth driving a few extra miles out of my way for!

This month I had earned 30 cents in discounts, and since I was going to be near a Safeway gas station today, I decided it was OK to let the gas level in my car get close to Empty and  then fill up the tank. I dropped my kids off at track, planning to go fill the tank and then come back to watch them. Imagine my shock when I pulled up to the gas pump and found my wallet was not in my purse! I had taken it out when we went to the pool yesterday, and it was back home in my pool bag. So I said a big prayer for the gas to last until I got home, and by the grace of God I actually made it (this was close to 10 miles, and I doubt that I even had the 1/2 gallon of gas that I needed). At home, I used up the gas we keep for the lawn mower, drove to a closer gas station where I got a couple of gallons for the car and refilled the gas can, took the gas can back home (didn't want to keep it in my car in the heat while running errands all day), and went back to the Safeway gas station where I filled my tank for $3.69 per gallon. It was a lot of silly driving around to save money on gas, but I convinced myself it was worth it.

Next time I'll have to remember my wallet.