Driving Down the Cost of Your Car Expenses
High gas prices are a reality for everyone, but for a senior on
limited income, rising gas prices are even tougher to get a handle
on. According to AAA, the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded
gas across the U.S. is $3.96. That’s about a dollar more per
gallon than it was a year ago. And some experts are predicting that
with the onset of summer prices could reach as high as $5.00 per
gallon in some areas.
Seniors, especially, can benefit from knowing how to curb the use
of gas and find the best gas prices around town. A quick way to
find real-time gas prices at gas stations in your area is to get
on the computer. Some websites actually tell you what stations are
charging that day for a gallon of gas, saving you from having to
drive around, wasting gas, to find the best price. The sites include
maps, so it is easy to see where the station is located. You can
even ask the site for directions from your address to the station
if you are not sure how to get there or how far it is.
| AAA's
Daily Fuel Gauge
This fun online tool provides up-to-date information for
consumers about current, daily gas price averages and historical
gas price data over the past year. |
Knowing where to find the best gas prices in your area helps you
plan your route so that it includes a trip to a less expensive pump.
This driver-friendly innovation helps drivers take back some of
the control over surging gas costs by helping them plan better before
leaving the house. These sites also provide many other helpful driving
tools, such as assistance in locating attractions, events and restaurants.
Thrifty gas price locator tools:
AAA
– Offers their trademarked Trip Tik® Travel Planner tool
for streamlined trip planning, information about gas prices in your
area and help in locating restaurants, hotels and other attractions
across the country.
MapQuest®
Gas Prices – Allows you to plan a journey and find out
where the gas will be cheapest along the way.
GasBuddy.com
– Lists the lowest gas prices in your area, tracks industry
trends, has a “Trip Cost Calculator” that will estimate
the amount you’ll pay for gas and shows fuel prices nationwide
with their “Heat Map” tool.
Bankrate
– Has a handy gas calculator that shows you whether driving
to that cheap station across town will save you money. Just plug
in the capacity of your car’s tank and its miles per gallon,
the distance to your primary gas station and to that cheap gas station
and you’ll find out exactly how much you’ll save (if
any) by making the drive.
While there is not much one can do about the price of gas, there
are plenty of money saving tactics that seniors can put into place
long before the tank hits empty. Many of these tips are good for
fuel efficiency and make your car run better and last longer. This
translates to less money spent on gas and car repairs over the long
term.
Tips Especially for Seniors
- If you are a veteran, you can gas up on military bases and posts
around the United States, often for less money.
- Consider running errands with family or friends who need to
go to the same stores or retail areas.
- Plan doctor appointments, lab tests and pharmacy visits all
on the same day to consolidate the number of trips you have to
make.
- Run several errands in one trip. Plan the route in advance
to make sure you aren’t back-tracking or haven’t forgotten
an important errand.
Downsizing the Number of Cars You Have
If you own multiple vehicles, consider how you might be able to
get rid of one car. With car ownership comes many persistent costs
– car insurance, registration fees, basic maintenance, and
of course, gasoline. Seniors who are retired and don’t have
to drive to a job everyday may actually find themselves in a position
to relieve this drain on their finances. By reviewing driving routines,
including driving to the store, volunteer activities, doctor’s
appointments and visiting family, it may be likely that a couple
could share one car. The monthly costs saved from getting rid of
one vehicle can greatly alleviate the financial pressures of a retired
person.
More Tips that Pay Off
Edmunds.com performed a number of driving tests for fuel efficiency.
Their findings were that a driver would experience better fuel efficiency
if a few driving practices were changed. This chart shows how:
| Your fuel efficiency would
be: |
If you would: |
| 37 percent better |
Drive less aggressively. If you can lengthen
the time it takes you to go from 0–60 mph from 10 seconds
to 15 seconds. |
| 14 percent better |
Drive at lower speeds to save gas. Go the speed
limit, instead of 5 mph or more over the limit. The U.S. Department
of Energy says, "Mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds
above 60 mph." The slow lane is where you find the happy
people who are saving money on gas. |
| 33 percent better |
Use cruise control. The reasons for this are
that it smoothes out the driver's accelerator by preventing
nervous "surging,” and it makes the driver take the
long view of the road rather than reacting to every change in
the traffic around them. |
| 19 percent better |
Avoid excessive idling. Turn your car off rather
than letting it idle. |
With the hot summer months ahead, there is some good news for staying
cool. Edmunds.com found that a car used the same amount of gas when
the car had the air conditioner on with the windows up and when
the car had the air conditioner off with the windows down. They
recommend that you make yourself comfortable while driving.
Saving Money Through Car Maintenance
For the cars that you do keep, maintenance is key to getting the
best performance out of your car. Cars are expensive – period.
The old adage “take care of your car and it will take care
of you” certainly speaks volumes, but those words are hard
to hear when everything you do to a car costs money – and
aren’t we talking here about saving money?
The truth is, when you regularly maintenance your car, it will
run more efficiently and the engine will have fewer repair issues
over the life of the car. To do this the right way, follow the manufacturer’s
guidelines for your car on oil changes, tire rotations and systems
checks. A dealer can also provide you with a printout of what kind
of service is recommended and at what mileage marker. This practice
of upkeep will actually save you money over time.
It is nice to know there is much a driver can do to make the gas
in the tank last longer even though gas prices continue to rise.
Pre-planning your route with a trip to a less expensive gas station,
considering your driving habits and keeping your car on a regular
maintenance plan, all make for an improved driving experience. With
these suggestions, seniors can realize significant savings, leaving
more money in the bank and spend less time in the car, allowing
more time for enjoying retirement.
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