Bringing down the demand for gas

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

I was just watching a report on CNN that talked about consolidating your trips and traveling less to try and drive down the cost of gas.

I'm guilty of taking about 5 trips to Wal-Mart a week..but it's only about 3 miles away from me. I also live in a small town, which means I have to drive an hour away to find anything I can't get at Wal-Mart or any of the little mom and pop stores here. It's really difficult--especially when you need something like Dora birthday invitations and there is nothing available except for Spiderman. And, at $2.69/gallon for gas, I'm wishing there was something more I can do!

What about the rest of you? Do you actively try to reduce your gas usage by reducing your number of trips?

 

[golfgal]

The main thing we have done was to get DH a smaller car for his commute. I don't do a lot of extra driving since the kids can walk to most of their activities but I am like you, guilty of making a lot of trips to the store during the week.

 

[OhMari]

We also live in a smaller town and the larger city is 12 miles away. I tell my kids if they have anything to do to in Fond du Lac, it has to be at least 5 things. If not, then they have to wait.

 

[Chicago526]

I do try and run errands either on the way home from work, or do a bunch all together on the weekends. It's not usually due to me wanting to save gas, just me being to lazy to go anywhere once I'm home! I also try not to go out on my lunch break if I can avoid it (can't always).

But my car does get great gas milage!

 

[va32h]

I condense errands, regardless of gas prices, because I just don't like running errands and prefer to get them over with all at once.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Nope, no way. And I don't feel a bit of shame about it. I can afford the gas.

Before this is over, they'll start drilling for oil in the U.S. without caring about the birds. And building new refineries. That's my prediction.

 

[Patch'sD]

I drive a Jeep Limited with All Time 4WD so I get about 15 Miles per Gallon. I drive about 850 miles per month. So that equates to about 10,000 miles per year. At the present rate of $2.80 per gallon my annual Gas Bill is about $2,000 per year. I will do my best to get that down. Working from Home, Walks to town. Limited trips to the store. whatever it takes. I am sick and tired of making Exxon huge profits

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I drove 900 miles in less than 2 weeks. Does that answer your question? And that's just regular driving (to work and back, etc)...I didn't go on a road trip or anything. I did help a friend move over the weekend, which didn't help. Normally, I average about 1,500 miles per month. I wish I could drive less, but unless I plan on taking the train to work, that won't be happening.

 

[In a hurry]

Nope, no way. And I don't feel a bit of shame about it. I can afford the gas.

Before this is over, they'll start drilling for oil in the U.S. without caring about the birds. And building new refineries. That's my prediction.

Or invade Alberta, Canada! We've got friends up there trying to extract that oil!

I conserve because I am a cheapskate. I hate paying for gas, heat, electricity, and the stupid cable (which my husband won't let me cancel!)

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

I drive a Suburban, which also gets about 15 mpg. But I drive 20K miles per year. That's a gas bill of nearly $3600, or $300 per month. To me, that's just way too high...especially when gas prices seem to be artificially inflated.

 

[KelNottAt]

Yes, I combine my shopping trips and do all my errands at once, only once a week.

But, the thing that drives up my mileage is shuttling the kids around. I've tried, but there's really no way to combine trips. Karate, music lessons, baseball...six days a week, all different times, afternoons and evenings. I have about a 5% success rate on carpooling, too.

It really bugs me. Not so much from a price perspective...more from a gas-hog perspective.

 

[AllyandJack]

I have a credit of over $1500 with my heating company. My electric bill every month is only $60. My house is about 3,000 sq ft, so I'm pulling off quiet an accomplishment!

I have to drive a lot and I refuse to cut back my enjoyment since my driving is done to doctors or work and, frankly, I deserve to take a trip to the mountains on the weekends, so I conserve in other ways. I don't use much heat and I don't use much electricity so I don't hog gas for heat or gas that runs the electrical sub-station.

 

[Crankyshank]

I've consolidated my errands quite a bit. I used to drive 25+ miles to places I've always frequented for things but don't very often any more despite getting inferior service and product locally. I also see my parents once a month now as opposed to once a week.

 

[yeartolate]

I have gone eonline alot more to find the exact item I want rather than driving all over to obtain the same thing.

I also drive a Corolla which seems to get me 33 plus miles per gallon. I will probably go hybrid at some point -- since they are becoming more reliable.

If I need a larger car I rent one ---- no sense having a gas guzzler for the few times I actually "need" one.

I only wish the smaller cars would dump a little of the trunk space and give the backseat a few more inches of legroom! My just rurned 12 year (almost 5'9") is getting alittle cramped back there.

 

[beckmrk04]

My dh and I have serioulsy cut down on trips we don't have to take, just to save gas. And I'm not working right now, which saves us a lot of gas money! I was driving an hour + each way to work, and spending about $300/month just on freaking GAS! I wasn't making THAT much $$ at my job to compensate for that gas bill.

 

[Swimnoid]

I barely go out of the house anymore! I put off doing errands until I have to and try to do them on the way to or from work. This year we have done a lot better even with the higher gas prices since DD is away at school without a car. She used to drive to take classes at 3 different highschools which put a lot of miles on the car along with her work and other activities. I use our Civic instead of our Pilot for most driving now.

 

[Planogirl]

It's not just gasoline for the vehicles! Just about everything in the stores is higher lately because of these inflated gas prices. It's getting crazy and I don't see how lower income people are making it.

 

[olena]

Hmm....let's see. Chris works from home frequently, but he still has to drive to class at night. I don't drive, so we have the one car. We go grocery shopping every 2-3 weeks and WalMart once a month, if that. We hit Sams Club to stock up in bulk every 6-8 weeks. For my activities, I carpool every time.

I don't know what else we could really do. I would like our next car to have some kind of alternative fuel technology, but we won't be buying a new vehicle for a few more years at least. I'm not giving up choir or volunteering and Chris graduates in 2 years. We consolidate and plan our shopping already. It sounds like conservation, but it has more to do with Chris being very busy, me having no license and just having to plan around those things.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

I got rid of my SUV while I could still get something for it and bought a small car.

I also combine trips when I can, walk where I can and bring lunch from home so I don't have to drive (saves gas and $$).

Being able to afford the gas doesn't mean one should be wasteful. Gas consumption and prices effect us all.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I average 900 miles per week driving-it's part of my job. Thank god for company mileage reimbursement. We have a Saturn Vue-which isn't bad mileage wise for an SUV-for family travel--I have a small Saturn, which can get 40 mpg on the highway. My car is now used for everything except long trips where leg room is needed.