Gas prices, the tipping point and tips to save money on gasoline.
‘œKilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.’ ‘“ George Carlin
About a year ago, the Washington Post conducted a poll finding:
The average price that drivers said would compel them to significantly cut back on their driving was $4.38 a gallon. In the western United States, where gasoline prices are typically higher than in the rest of the country, the average respondent said the price would have to hit $5.12 a gallon.
In California, we’re quickly closing in on the $5.12 a gallon and according to Walter prices could even climb to $8.00 a gallon.
Oil companies and analysts have long debated where the tipping point is for gasoline — the price that would cause a significant drop in consumption or prompt motorists to opt for autos with better gasoline mileage.
People used to believe the tipping point was $3.00 a gallon. Well, obviously 3 bucks didn’t do the trick. What is or was the tipping point for you?
If it’s already happened for you then here are 29 Ways to Save Money on Gas. I’ve highlighted ten below but click over to the guy’s complete list for the expanded explanation:
1. Brake the Right Way: the less you have to break, the less you have to accelerate. A car consumes more gas as it accelerates.
2. Shifting Manual: a manual transmission is supposed to be more fuel efficient.
3. Reduce Weight: keep the trunk empty.
4. Turn Your Car Off: an idling car burns fuel’¦ more fuel than it takes to restart it again.
5. Drive Slower: driving fast increases the drag and therefore increases fuel consumption.
6. Close Your Windows: opening your windows increases the drag as well and uses more fuel.
7. Fill Up at Arco: it pays to drive by Chevron and Shell and find an Arco station.
8. Pick a Better Route: avoid heavy traffic and the route with a lot of traffic lights.
9. Ride the Slipstream: don’t tailgate, but on long trips drive your car into another cars slipstream and you will use less fuel.
10. Carpool and Combine Trips: do the math.
Bonus: Buy a More Fuel Efficient Car: eventually we all need a new car… make a better choice the next time around.
Any other ideas? Feel free to list them below.
I’ve always had the philosophy that driving – although “essential” to Americans – is a luxury. Many people worldwide never get to experience driving or owning their own cars. In my opinion, driving also inflates the “I’m gonna do it / get it NOW!” philosophy of urges that leads to waste and more spending. With that in mind, I’ve always pegged $5 as my high water mark for price where I’ll really start to give up a lot… and that was when gas was $1.25. Fortunately, my budget has a lot of wiggle room I can move into with these higher prices, but I really don’t drive much as it is. My job is just far enough away on a dangerous enough path that riding my bike isn’t an option. Otherwise I’d have lost a lot of weight by now! We’ll just have to see what happens when my vacation season opens up this fall, whether I’ll be singing the same tune.
UPS recently changed its routes to have trucks avoid making left-hand turns. So if you do errands “on a circuit”, so to speak, around town, it may save money/time to do them in a clockwise direction, rather than counter-clockwise, since you would theoretically spend less time idling at stoplights. I’m sure lots of other factors come into play, but it’s something to think about.
My tipping point was $3.50 a gallon. I’ve put 50.42 miles on my car since June 1.
I live in a city, though, with excellent public transit and actual, real-live neighborhoods that are designed to cater to walkers instead of drivers.
My tipping point was 5.00$ and although our daily commute is less than 10 miles (including return trip) we used to go home for an afternoon snack earlier. After paying for the gas two weeks ago, We (me and husband) have stopped going in the afternoon. Now I just pack some snacks alongwith my lunch, and munch on them when I feel hungry.
Part of this week’s Festival of Frugality.