It seems as though the price of everything is going up right now. That’s especially true when it comes to buying gas. The prices are awful, and not expected to improve anytime soon.
Just call it more motivation to cut back on how much gas you and your family uses. It’s not always easy, but you can often find areas where it’s worth changing your routine to save some gas.
1. Daily commute.
For family members who work outside the home, how is that daily commute? Do you have any alternatives? Carpooling, public transportation, riding a bicycle, even walking? Depending on the distances involved, one or another of these could be worth it. My sister carpools to her job with two other people, which has cut her costs to about a third of what it would be if she drove only herself to work daily. Pretty nice deal, and the added time isn’t too bad.
Public transportation is great when you’re in an area with a good quality system. Not everyone is so fortunate. If this is going to be a regular thing, see what a monthly pass costs versus paying each day, as this can make the difference in whether or not you’re saving enough money to be worth the additional time public transportation costs.
Not everyone can bike or walk to work. The distances or road conditions may not allow it, and arriving at work all sweaty isn’t always the best image to bring forth.
This also goes for students in the family headed for school. Walking or biking is usually far more possible for students.
2. Running errands.
How often do you really run your errands in an efficient way? Do you combine errands and make a list so you won’t forget something and have to go shopping again too soon? These are some of the things you need to be more careful about in order to save gas.
You may be able to walk some errands or ride a bike when they’re local enough. Grocery shopping can be a little challenging, but not impossible depending on weather conditions and just how far you have to go.
3. Other trips.
When it comes to the other reasons to drive, think about when it’s really worth it. Can you walk that far and will it still be worth it? What options do you have? Are there any more efficient ways to get there?
Increasing gas prices are really hard on a tight budget, and even those with more room in the budget don’t particularly like paying more for it. If you haven’t done so already, now is a great time to start using some of the alternatives you have available so you don’t drive as much.