How You Can Afford to Buy Gas
What You Need to Cut from Your Budget so You Can Fill up at the Pump
Jul 30, 2008
Ways to reduce other expenses so you can afford to keep driving.
You’ve gotta drive and you’ve gotta fill up at the pump. No matter how much you try to reduce your fuel consumption by carpooling, cutting down on unnecessary trips and taking advantage of public transportation, most of us have to drive…at least a little. So what else can you do to help fund those fill-ups?
How to Reduce Other Expenses so You Can Afford to Drive:
- Clip coupons. You will be amazed at how much you can save by getting out the scissors and going to town. But that doesn’t mean you have to travel downtown or anywhere else for that matter. Save gas by finding coupons online. Simply do a quick search for the manufacturer’s web site. There, you’ll often find not only coupons but possibly some free samples as well. And be sure to peruse coupon web sites…pages and pages completely devoted to online coupon codes. And the best part of searching for coupons on the web? You’re not as likely to find ones you have no intention of using, because most of the time you are looking for a particular item. By clipping coupons from the paper, you might be tempted to buy things you would never normally purchase.
- Order carry-out instead of driving to a restaurant. You’ll save money in tips (although you should tip the driver, but it’s usually not as much.) You’ll also save gas and eat less. If you dine in, you’re not as likely to order an appetizer to go. And carry-out dessert? Not likely.
- Make one trip to the supermarket a week. If you stop by the grocery store a few times a week on your way home from work, you’ll end up spending more. Instead, plan your meals ahead of time and make one trip to the market every week. You’ll not only save money and gas, but you’ll also end up wasting less food.
- Work out at home instead of the gym. If you buy carefully-selected used or reconditioned exercise equipment, and a few work-out videos you’ll save that monthly gym membership fee. Pick a piece of equipment that is easy to use and one that you know you will stick with. Don’t have enough room? Find a treadmill or elliptical machine that folds up in the closet.
- Cut out those lattes. You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again, until you stop buying expensive coffee drinks and start making them at home. You’ll save up to $5 a day this way. And $5 still buys a gallon of gas!
The copyright of the article How You Can Afford to Buy Gas in Consumer Education is owned by L. Marie Dubuque. Permission to republish How You Can Afford to Buy Gas in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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