A Real Way to Save Money While Gas Prices Are So High...
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
June 2, 2008 3:37pm CST
With gas prices so high, everyone is looking for ways to cut down on their consumption. Most of us though, have cut down on our discretionary driving about as much as we are going to be able to.
Many people are turning to hybrids, and that works for many, but lets face it, hybrids aren't cheap, and many of us just can't afford them.
A real way to save money would be to quit thinking about the gas use in the first place and start looking at your monthly expenses.
Is the price of gas hurting just because it makes driving more expensive? Or is it because it increases your monthly expenses?
A great way to lower your monthly expenses would be, trade our car in for a less expensive car. Lowering your monthly cost of living by $70-100/month would be much better than cutting out one tankfull of gas a month.
Just like every solution, it won't work for everyone, but it is something to consider.
3 people like this
5 responses
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
2 Jun 08
I tell you a secret about hybrids. They are not as cheap to operate as a 3 cylinder disel with a manual transmission. The small disel has no expensive battery, and better fuel mileage. Even a well designed gas engine (4 cylinder) with a stick will do as well as a hybrid without the extranous unecessary extra useless technology and its accompaning high cost. Ask any automotive engineer when his boss is not within earshot and if you are someone he feels he can trust.
2 people like this
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
3 Jun 08
They ought to bring back the GEO line. My husband's little Geo Metro gets him 40 mpg (sometimes a little more) and the cost of repairs is very low compared to many vehicles. Even brand new these were great little inexpensive cars.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
3 Jun 08
True, they did seem to be good little cars.
1 person likes this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
3 Jun 08
That's a great idea! Wish I could talk hubby into it.. or if I could talk him into trading "the beast" for a smaller vehicle, I'd be happy too..
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
3 Jun 08
If you use Democrat logic a 18 cent drop in price would only save the average American 30 dollars a year. So if I dare to use their own logic and yes I am scared too do so1 a $1.80 increase would only cost the average American 300 dollars a year. $3.60 would only cost the average American 600 dollars. Of course I might be wrong, but so too would be the Democrats. There are alot of other thing we pay alot more for than gas. Food and clothing has higher mark-up than gas. I do wonder why Exxon gets hatred and Microsoft does not. Microsoft make more money every year than Exxon. We need Microsoft just as much Exxon. Look at what people pay for bottle water, its water folks.
@twallace (2675)
• United States
3 Jun 08
Now if your car is already paid for would you trade it in for a car you would have to make payments on? Not many people are going to do that when they have fianlly finished paying for a car. Then go back to making payments for a hybrid car. some might the ones that can afford it; but what about those that can't? There are some that are already on a budget right now and still struggling with the gas issues. So what would be the next step. Not knocking what you have said which is a good idea but there are those that are in a serious crunch to the point; certain changes could cause more problems in stead of helping.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
3 Jun 08
True, that's one of the situations where this suggestion wouldn't help. It wouldn't help to go from no monthly car payment to having one.
On the other hand, if they could sell that car pay cash for a used one that was worth less, and they could carry smaller insurance premiums....
