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Simple Money Saving Tips For Your Road Trip
The experience of going on a road trip is often just as exciting as the final destination. Lucky for us, the long holiday weekend ahead invites the opportunity to hit the road and head someplace fun. Before you put your car into drive, check out my money saving tips for your road trip.
3 Gas Myths That Won't Save You Money
While there are many tested tips for saving on gas and preserving on fuel, there are also a whole lot of misconceptions and wives' tales about when and where you should be filling your tank.
Consumer Reports took to the streets and squashed some of the myths that have probably been cemented into your "fill 'er up!" schedule.
5 Simple Ways to Save on Gas
Despite a dip in gas prices at the end of the year, most SavvySugar readers estimate they spent between $1,000 to $2,000 on gas over the course of 2008, which certainly isn't chump change.
Every mechanic, car nut, or know-it-all has a pocket full of suggestions for minimizing gas usage, but the penny savers at Consumer Reports have put together some tested tips for saving on fuel I found incredibly informative. Check them out and start saving today.
How Much You Spent on Gas in 2008
Gas won the crown of the most overpriced expense in 2008, and if you drove at all there's no way you couldn't notice its impact on your bank account. Most of you estimate that you've spent between $1,000 to $2,000 on gas over the course of 2008.
Now that prices have come way down, I encourage you to save the money you're no longer spending on gas.
The Most Overpriced Expense in 2008
Gas may be relatively cheap at the moment, but this Summer we were shelling out more than $4 a gallon at the pump. When prices inched toward $5, many of us wondered how we would afford to keep driving. Forty-eight percent of you voted gasoline as the most overpriced expense in 2008, and I agree with the majority on this one.
How Much Did You Spend on Gas in 2008?
Exorbitant gas prices practically defined how we spent our money this year and dominated many cocktail party conversations. Those who rely on their cars for commuting were hit the hardest, while regular public transportation riders watched as their buses became overstuffed with passengers. Because many of us will remember 2008 as the year gas prices compromised our lunch money, I'm wondering how much you approximately spent at the pump this year.
Most Shocking Headline: Gas Hits $4 For First Time Ever
Gasoline hit a record high when it crossed the $4 mark this Summer. The pump had everyone guessing and we feared that a gallon of gas would soon cost $5, but prices began to fall just in the nick of time. We were forced to rearrange our budgets to afford $70 tanks of gas, and some employers even began to make concessions so their commuting employees didn't go into the red because they had to drive to work.
What's the Most Overpriced Expense in 2008?
You probably didn't enjoy any of the escalated prices this year, but we can't determine the Best of 2008 without mentioning them.
Thank goodness we had each other this year to vent about the expensive cost-of-living. Expenses have been through a loopy roller coaster, taking us all for a ride — gas was more than $4 and now it's around $2; home prices are dropping but more in some places than others; the average wedding costs more than $29,000; college gets more pricey every year; and our grocery bills have gone through the roof.
Money Tip: Set Aside What You're Saving on Gas
Gas is now going for about half of what we paid at the pump through the Summer, and the reduced cost is a welcome retreat from the strain that filling up had been causing consumers. We can hope the days of gas price-induced desperation (remember the new dad who named his baby boy after a radio show for a $100 gas card?!) are behind us, and before we go forgetting the damage gas prices did to our budgets, let's take the opportunity to do something with the extra money we're saving.
We managed to make it when our money was going into the tank instead of staying in our bank accounts, which means we might not miss at least some of that disposable income if it was out of our reach.
I'm Asking: What Are Gas Prices in Your Area?
My mom was driving and talking on the phone to me when she interrupted to gasp at a sign for $2.93 gas. Not quite the $0.99 per gallon days that we all mourn, but it's definitely an improvement from the $4 or more gas we'd almost gotten used to. What's gas going for in your area these days?
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