gooddecisions
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Post by gooddecisions on Sept 6, 2011 13:26:43 GMT -5
I put $50 in my 15 gallon tank on July 16 and still have a quarter of a tank left. So, that means 7 full weeks and counting. If I stay the course on conservation, I may be able to get through the month of September before I refill.
I've been especially aware since the thread about the woman on disability spending $100 in gas a month.
Has anyone else been successful in reducing their gasoline consumption and reducing the amount spent on fuel?
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Post by Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ on Sept 6, 2011 13:35:33 GMT -5
Well I use mass transit to get to work each day. I drive roughly 9500 miles per year and that has not changed much over the last 15 years, though last winter I started driving more.
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cronewitch
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Post by cronewitch on Sept 6, 2011 13:36:16 GMT -5
When I didn't own a car I spent zero on gas, oil, car repairs, car insurance. When I was 18 without a car I lived where I worked so walked everywhere into the city and shopping all day then back home it might have been 10-15 miles total walked.
Now I spend about 50 every 2 weeks or so because I drive to work. To reduce I would have to take a bus or quit my job or car pool. I don't want to and can afford to drive so will.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Sept 6, 2011 13:37:10 GMT -5
I drive about 20-25k miles a year, and fill up at least once a week. I hate driving.........
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Sept 6, 2011 13:40:12 GMT -5
Yeah if I quit going places I could. I like visiting my family and friends though. Staying home and staring at the walls has no appeal.
Since I bought a new car in late October 2008 I have done 30k miles a year. This year I am looking at being a bit over 30k.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2011 13:40:27 GMT -5
I drive 2 hours round trip to work 5 days a week. I fill up about 3 times a week, and costs me $120-150/week. So about $600/month just on fuel
My wife fills her car up for $50 or so (Honda Civic) and it lasts her about 2 weeks, she has a 30-45 minutes round trip commute to work.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Sept 6, 2011 13:42:13 GMT -5
I've done what I can... I live about 50 miles from work so there is a certain amount of consumption that is inherent. Still, I use my Kroger card to get $0.10 per gallon off at Shell stations (unless the Pilot on the interstate is cheaper that day) and drive to conserve fuel. My car gets 35-40mpg, so I usually go through about 14 gallons a week.
DH just bought a Honda Shadow that gets about 60mpg, he plans to drive it to work next summer.
If gas goes much higher than $4, I may look into carpooling. One of my coworkers does this 3 days/week (she and her carpool buddy switch off every other week) and she says it's saved her quite a bit.
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gooddecisions
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Post by gooddecisions on Sept 6, 2011 13:48:34 GMT -5
Yeah if I quit going places I could. I like visiting my family and friends though. Staying home and staring at the walls has no appeal. Since I bought a new car in late October 2008 I have done 30k miles a year. This year I am looking at being a bit over 30k. I haven't actually quit going places, I've just been more strategic about how I get there. My quality of life hasn't been compromised as a result of conserving. I like to test out doing stuff we recommend to the folks who are in dire need to reduce their budget but don't feel like they can make the change. My household income is approximately 5 times expenses, so I don't really have budget issues.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2011 13:50:22 GMT -5
When we moved to Germany we purposefully chose a house which was close to shopping and the subway. It's also walking distance for DH other than off-site meetings. We fill up less than 1X per month unless we are taking driving trips. Our relo package included a company car and a gas card; both of which I'm grateful for. Between the higher European taxes and the currency exchange we would be paying close to $9.00/gal!
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Sept 6, 2011 14:32:10 GMT -5
Yeah I can't see walking to my aunt's house in Knoxville. That 1000 miles might take awhile. Flights are generally over $300 and that is from the DC airports.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Sept 6, 2011 16:14:34 GMT -5
We last put gas in my car on August 12. It's September 5 and I'm at 1/2 a tank. But I tend to stick pretty close to where I live and do my best to combine errands and carefully plan my outings.
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bring in the new year
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Post by bring in the new year on Sept 6, 2011 17:27:08 GMT -5
About $40 bucks every 2 weeks, depending on where I have to travel to.
Works out to 370 miles roughly per tank. 410 if most of it is straight highway driving.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2011 17:38:25 GMT -5
When I was commuting I'd fill up my corolla twice a week. Now I fill my behemoth once a week or so.
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TD2K
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Post by TD2K on Sept 6, 2011 19:42:31 GMT -5
I spent about $200 a month on fuel, more on some months. +/- $50 isn't a deal breaker for my budget so I don't tend to worry 'gee, should I take that trip'. I do try to pool my trips and I'll try to drive for fuel consumption. Well, until the urge overtakes me to unleash the turbo that lies sleeping in my WRX I do love that car.
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TD2K
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Post by TD2K on Sept 6, 2011 19:43:19 GMT -5
Yeah I can't see walking to my aunt's house in Knoxville. That 1000 miles might take awhile.
Yeah, but you'd have buns of steel
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cronewitch
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Post by cronewitch on Sept 7, 2011 8:41:49 GMT -5
Yeah I can't see walking to my aunt's house in Knoxville. That 1000 miles might take awhile.
If you had to not fly or drive you would find another way. Grayhound, train, hitchhike come to mind. You could offer to drive someone else in their car if they couldn't drive or deliver a car for someone who had one they needed to get their.
You could also not go at all or reduce the amount of times you go. You might find cheaper airfare if you wait for sales. If you have family near you that goes to see someone there you can offer to pay for half the gas and go with them.
Sometimes it works to think outside the box and sometimes it doesn't but unless you think you won't know.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Sept 7, 2011 9:23:02 GMT -5
I take public transit to work, but we do go places on the weekends in my car (I prefer to drive). $25 in gas lasts me one to two weeks depending on where we go. If I have to put in an extra $20, so be it.
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Sept 7, 2011 9:41:46 GMT -5
I work 40 miles from where I live. I work in the office three days a week (80 miles roundtrip), work from home the other two days, and sometimes carpool (depending on whether both of us can). We alternate every other day so we don't get confused whose turn it is and whether we are each driving the same number of times, etc. Carpooling and working from home have helped. I fill up once every 7-9 days and it is about $60 each time.
My DH drives to school every day, 40-45 mile roundtrip. We spend around $400 a month on gas. If we cut down our weekend trips (just to get out of the house and do stuff, we could probably save $30 or so, but it is more fun to go places). We really cut down back in June when my DH's unemployment ran out but no matter how often we don't drive or how often we do, we seem to spend the same amount of money.
We both drive pretty fuel-efficient cars. About 25 mpg for me and 30 mpg for him.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Sept 7, 2011 13:08:00 GMT -5
I put so many miles on my car lately that I'd rather not think about how much fuel I'm using.
Today I'll put just a touch under 90 miles on my car just driving from home to work, school, and back. I didn't pack a lunch, so it'll actually be a few miles over that since I'll probably run out and get something.
Weekdays without class are 75 miles just getting back and forth to work.
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Post by rmtvbrooks on Sept 7, 2011 15:45:31 GMT -5
I live in a town big enough that you need a car to get around, but not big enough to have public transportation. So I have no choice but to drive. Where I used to live, though, I had to drive 19 miles to take the kids to school (sorry, I was not going to make them be at the bus stop at 6:15 in the morning when school didn't start until 7:50!); I had to repeat that route in the afternoon to pick them up. It was insane. Since we moved here, though, it's about 8 miles to take them to school and go to work. DS is going to daycare now, which is right on my way home, so it only adds about half a mile to my commute home. DD is brought home by my sister (I take her daughter to school in the morning, and she does the afternoon run). Before I was filling up at least twice a week. Now, I can go 7-10 days before filling up again, depending on how much running around I have to do in addition to normal school and work run.
What I want to know is how in the world you've gone 7 weeks without having to fill up? Do you have public transportation where you are?
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bring in the new year
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Post by bring in the new year on Sept 8, 2011 0:25:35 GMT -5
I would never rely on anyone or any other means of transportation. WhenI decide to go, I go. The cost of driving is always cheaper Really? Have you ever been to NYC? Sometimes there are cheaper ways.
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Peace77
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Post by Peace77 on Sept 8, 2011 0:39:20 GMT -5
BridgetC is right. It is much cheaper to NOT drive to New York City.
When we go, we take Megabus. The cost of the ticket is less than the freeway tolls that we would have to stop and pay along the way.
When you arrive in NYC, the cost of parking is astronomical, if you can even find it.
We use the subway in NYC, if you miss one, there will be another one in a few minutes.
The same for going to Washington, DC. Parking is such a hassle that it is usually easier to use the Metro (subway) than try to hunt for on street parking. Garage parking is just too expensive.
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