It Just Makes Cents -- a money-minded column to share tips, helpful Web sites and Internet deals. We'll find ways to stretch your dollars, methods for trimming your spending and my favorite ... free stuff!

Tip

Even with gasoline prices down more than two dollars per gallon, it's still a good time to review some tips for maximizing fuel efficiency. Here are some tactics I've adopted which will help you get the most miles per gallon possible.

* Inflate your tires to the correct recommended psi.

* Empty your trunk of unnecessary items.

* Coast toward stop signs to save gas and reduce wear on your brakes. (Of course, always come to a complete stop at stop signs.)

* Plan ahead when running errands and choose a route with few stop signs.

* Drive slower when there's room for others to pass safely. Driving 80 mph to Las Vegas will get you there less than ten minutes earlier and may cost you a ticket.

FuelEconomy.gov tells us, "assume each five mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional 24 cents per gallon for gas." Every little bit adds up; if you are able to save even one tenth of a gallon of gas per day, that's saving $75 a year at current gas prices.

Web site

Is your random shuffle becoming a bit too predictable? Visit Pandora.com, a totally free music discovery Web site.

Create up to 100 music stations filled with only music you like. Simply input your favorite artist and Pandora will begin playing from its half-million song library. Give the song thumbs up or thumbs down and Pandora will begin to learn your likes and dislikes.

You can pause songs, skip up to six per hour, and share stations with friends. I've used this Web site since September 2007, and have been delighted with many new artists I've discovered. I hardly even need to skip songs anymore because Pandora plays songs that are similar to ones to which I've given thumbs up.

Internet deal

Mmm, Quaker Rice Cakes are even more delicious when they are free. Go to www.quakerricesnacks.com/offers for a free sample of either chocolately drizzle or cheddar cheese flavored rice cakes.

Totally Free in Pahrump

This week's suggestion is a visit to Ash Meadows and Devil's Hole.

Located 15 miles outside Pahrump (take Bell Vista Avenue west), this beautiful oasis is a perfect place to visit during these pleasant spring weekends and home to 24 plants and animals that live nowhere else on the planet.

My family visited last Sunday and enjoyed walking the Crystal Spring Interpretive Boardwalk. On our way back, we stopped at Point of Rocks to see the pupfish in King's Pool. Go now, while the weather is pleasant, to treat yourself to a hidden treasure in our desert. Did I mention it's totally free?

Money Quote

"We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs." -- Gloria Steinem.

Reader's tip

Here's a helpful tip to save electricity from PVT reader Terri Nelson: Before going on vacation, "find the circuit breaker on your panel that controls your electric water heater and simply flip that switch off.

"When returning home, flip the switch to on and soon you'll have your hot water again. Maybe even during good weather, make a habit of flipping off the breaker at bed time."

Great idea, Terri. This is, ahem, a "hot" tip, since heating water can consume up to 25 percent of your electric bill. More good news: Many new water heaters have a "vacation" setting you can use if you're away for more than a few days.

I am sure many of you have some great ideas you can share with the community. Have you visited somewhere nearby that's fun and frugal? Do you know an activity in Pahrump that will entertain but not break the bank? How about a Web site you've found with cool tips and tricks? Submit your suggestions by emailing jbeaudoin@pvtimes.com. Your ideas and tips can help us all save a buck or two.