Get Free Money During Patch's Summer Essentials Contest

Summer’s here and that means it’s time for vacations, barbecues, long, lazy days with the kids out of school and a wallet that keeps getting drained thanks to extra expenses.

Patch understands!

That’s why our 19 Florida sites are teaming up to help our readers out in the financing department.

Beginning today, we’re kicking off Patch’s Summer Essentials; a weekly contest where you can win cold, hard cash courtesy of us. To be eligible, just answer our weekly question and we’ll select one winner a week randomly from the comments that have been submitted. (See the fine print for details!)*

The contest will feature a variety of questions focused on how you save up to afford some of those things that are the biggest drains on our summertime budgets – gas, food, clothing, auto repair expenses and, last but certainly not least, vacations! Win one of our weekly contests and we’ll give you some cash to help fund your expenses and make your summer just that much sweeter.

To get this ball rolling, here’s this week’s topic for you to comment on (There’s a $100 gift card for gas on the line!):

Share your tips for saving gas or saving cash to pay that big bill at the pumps. You have until noon Sunday, July 8, to share your tips on Patch. You can also upload photographs that demonstrate your money-saving techniques. Just add them right to this story (but only the comments count for the contest).

One winner will be selected at random each week from all of those who enter by commenting. We’ll announce the winner from this week’s contest as soon as the name is selected and the winner has been contacted.

Now here’s that fine print:

* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia who are 18 and older. * To enter, post a comment on this story.* All entries must be received by July 8, 2012, 12:00pm Eastern Time.* You may enter once.* 1 winner will be selected in a random drawing for each week’s drawing.* One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive the $100 gift card for Week One of the contest.* Click Here for complete Official Rules.