29 May 2013

25 Strategies to Stretch Your Money No. 15 - Reduce Driving

I commented to Wayne last night about just how cheap (in the grand scheme of things) a particular car was. His comment made me stop and think: "That's because it costs so much to run, it's the most fuel thirsty car on the market".  And that led to a discussion about just how much we spent on petrol each week and how we could keep it under control.

With the skyrocketing prices of petrol, diesel and LPG, try alternate methods of transportation, especially for frequent or shorter trips. Get a bike and a helmet and ride, the exercise is great and now the weather has cooled down it's a comfortable way to travel.  Try the bus or train when you travel.  I use the tram to get into the city. Sure it takes a little longer, but I hop on, sit down and enjoy the ride. I arrive at my destination relaxed and I don't need to waste time looking for parking.  Or walk if you’re heading somewhere closer.  Hannah and I often walk to our local shopping centre if we're just going to the post office or to pick up one or two things. Take some time and really analyze where your fuel money is going.

If you can’t use public transport to get to work, consider carpooling with someone else in your company. This reduces the wear and tear on your car and will save you fuel money, especially if three or four people share the ride.

Also try grouping your errands all at once so you can get it all done in one trip. I do the school run twice a day 3 days a week. While I'm out I go to the post office, bank, fruit shop and do any other errands I can along the route. One trip, multiple errands done.

And on other thing I try to do: have one day a week that is a "no driving" day. If I go out on that day (for me it's a Friday) then I walk, get the bus or the tram or hop on my bike. That may not work for you, but think about it and try it - I found that it was actually a very calming and relaxing thing to do, and you might too.

2 comments:

  1. Carpooling might save the wear and tear on your car, but not the poor person who gets lumped with driving plus paying for petrol & wear and tear so you can save a few $$$ - doesn't seem like a very fair option!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I thought carpooling meant that everyone took turns of using their car. That's a fair option.

    ReplyDelete

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