This is not an article about wacky ways to get more miles per gallon, but it's about practical ways to spend less on gas. Of course, not every tip is realistic for everyone, but imagine the savings if you discover just one way to cut your gas cost.
Ways to Spend Less on Gas
Get to Know Gas Buddy
GasBuddy is a free app that finds the cheapest gas in your area. I don't advocate driving 20 miles across town to save 10¢ a gallon, but you will be surprised how much gas prices vary in your immediate area.
Pay Cash
You've likely been enticed by a low gas price on a sign only to discover it's a cash only price. The moral of this story…pay cash unless you find a great price that allows you to use you a credit or debit card. By the way, Hess stations offer the same price cash or credit. Please leave a comment if you know of any other stations that do this.
Bike of Walk Your Ride
Could you walk or ride your bike instead of driving? Could you walk with your children to school or ride bikes with them to ball practice? It's the ultimate in multi-tasking…exercise and errands! I'm an urban dweller in sunny Florida, so many days my car doesn't leave the garage because the grocery, vet, kennel, hair salon, shopping, dentist, library and just about everything is nearby. I just hop on my hot pink bike!
Consider Carpooling or Mass Transit
Give it a chance! You'll save money on gas, and you can read the paper or check email while riding the bus…you can't (or shouldn't) do that while driving!
Give Up the Gas Guzzler
OK…so this one might not be practical if you have a large family, but if you're nearing the empty nest stage of life, think about opting for a fuel efficient model to replace your gas guzzling SUV. After 18 years of driving an SUV, I now drive a small sedan. Of course, there have been a couple of times when that big SUV would have been nice like when we bought a new grill or when everyone was home for Christmas. Our solution? We rent a truck from Home Depot for less than $20 an hour to bring home large purchases – which aren't very often!
Plan It!
Here I go again…The Budget Diet girl is always harping about planning ahead, but trust me – you'll save gas. Have you ever thought about how much it costs to go to the grocery four times a week because you don't take the time to plan meals and make a list? Start thinking in terms of cost per errand. Is it worth driving 30 miles each way to save $5 on a pair of shoes? Do the math: if you get 20 mpg and gas is $3.50 per gallon, that trip costs $10.50 plus the wear and tear on your car.
Calculate It!
Have you ever calculated how much you spend on gas each month? If you fill up your thirsty SUV once a week, you could be spending $80 a week! Yikes…that's $320 a month!
In the spirit of Earth Day, let's make an effort to drive less and maybe you'll be able to buy one less tank of gas this month. I'm sure you have something better to spend $80 on.
Celebrate Earth Day by learning more ways to save money and save Mother Earth.
Please leave a comment to share how you save gas by driving less.
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image courtesy of digital art, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
