With motorists paying around $1.66 per litre at the bowser, even higher on occasions late in the week and on weekends, it really is starting to increase the strain on family budgets.

Combine that with ever increasing council rates, higher food prices, housing interest rates and many other imposts and the money doesn't stretch very far at all.

It takes a lot of character to offer an incentive for families to fill their cars with fuel and that is exactly what took place in Ararat this week when one operator offered a 10 cent per litre discount at the bowser. The result, 250 people patiently lined up for the discount fuel, proving just how important every dollar saved can be to families.

Whether it's shopping at a variety of stores to get the best grocery bargains, buying your Christmas present at the June sales, hunting out lower fuel prices, or rethinking holidays - everyone is looking for ways to save money.

The incentive offered at the bowser this week of 10 cents per litre off fuel certainly did attract plenty of interest.

Motorists couldn't wait to get their hands on the bowser and start pumping the precious fuel...knowing quite well that such a luxury of seeing fuel prices around $1.50 a litre might not happen for some time again.

It is certainly a big problem in Stawell and unfortunately it does appear that things will get far worse before they get better. Perhaps someone, somewhere needs to take some initiative like the outlet in Ararat and provide some relief to motorists...or more important... families.