Are you driving less?

[Charley]

We have two diesel cars and with the price of diesel we are not making any unnecessary trips. We can't cut back too much, but we definitely are spending more time at home. I am still looking for a job, so I am not commuting. My hubby has cut his work week from five 8 hour days in the office to three 12 hour days in the office and four hours working at home. Of course not everyone can arrange this. It is nice having him home for four day weekends even if he is getting in a few hours of work. I am looking for a job closer to home now and not even looking further away. I find that the further away I applied the less feedback of any type I received back. Most jobs around here are putting "local applicants" in their ads.

 

[Sterling]

I am. And I had to stop to think about this when I read your post. Is it because of fuel sticker shock? Partly yes, and partly because I don't enjoy going out in freezing cold temps. So what I have started doing is when I make trips out to town like for example the grocery store, I be sure and get things I will need to last me a while instead of just a couple or a few days. When we went to PA last week, coming into NJ again we noticed that the prices of gasoline were considerable higher than they are here in the southern part of the state.

Back in January there was a spell when I did'nt go out driving for anything for about 5 days!!! That's a record breaker for me!

 

[River Wood]

I am thinking of looking closer to home to work...now I drive an hour (round trip) to and from work and that is in good weather....to much $$$$

 

[Sonya]

Because of fuel prices? No, driving the same. I have a 58 mile drive to work one way and hubby's is 25..there is no way to find closer jobs for what we do. We both have 2 small to mid-size cars (I a kia and he an alero) although they are both 6 cylinders they get way better gas milege then his 10cylinder f-250...which stays in the garage. In the summer we go to our place "up north" (125 mile trip one way) every weekend but we always take one of the cars since the boats stay up there in the summer right in the water on a lift we don't need to take the truck. Even if gas gets to $5/gallon, we still plan on going up north...it is our time and we need it in the summer to relax from work. We might not be running the fishing boat as much because of gas...might be using the pontoon boat much more...which I like better...easier with the dogs!

 

[stormo41]

well i don't drive much because i just got my licence on thursday!!!

and i don't my own car yet, i will only get to have a car a few days a week for work other then that i get a ride from a family member or friend who is going that way, it is only a 10-15 min drive. but when it comes time for me to move out i'm going to move in the town where i work everything will be in walking distance.

 

[Shari]

My hubby has to drive to work but his car is a Toyota Echo and is getting 43mpg.

What little "fun" money we used to have now goes into the gas tank.

For me driving... has increased,, not that I drive that much anyway. Mostly a home body.

Not looking forward to the gas prices going up any more. If it does.. my planned day outings may not happen and I was so looking forward to them. If I go on a road trip we have to use my Sienna Van, which doesn't get as good gas mileage as the Echo.

 

[Magic]

We're driving less.

We bought a used "commuter car" for hubby to drive to and from work, that gets much better mileage than his truck, and when we go into town we make sure to do as many errands in that one trip as possible. There's no sense in spending more money for fuel than necessary.

 

[rhea]

I'm definately driving less. I don't drive up to my parents anymore, just wait for them to make the trip into town and go back with them, same thing with friends who live in the country and come into town for errends, etc. My little car is on it's last legs anyways, so I try to avoid using it when that's possible. Now that I've cut back all unneccesary trip I only have to fill up every 3-4 weeks.

 

[wildoak]

Trying to drive less but most of my trips are hard to cut out. I do consolidate trips to the feed store, grocery, etc as much as possible but seems there is always something that we need. I'm driving an F150 too, so mileage is terrible. There is a new Smart Car dealership not far from us, sure is tempting to get a little car for local driving (and they are so cute LOL). I'd be afraid to drive something that tiny on the highway with all the big trucks but would be great for short distance.

Jan

 

[hrselady]

We are going alot less and even picked up another car so the "family" truck can sit idle more. My husband drives a 4 cy. to work and I keep the v6 here. The truck now is only used to go get hay and it will be used to go to shows this summer and thats it. I even go get our feed in our car. It took $49.00 to fill up my car with a 16 gallon tank .. we were lucky one store had it for $3.07 whereas the other stores were at $3.19.. isn't that not some kind of price gouging (sp)?

mendy

 

[jacks'thunder]

YES!!!! And for us it is definately because of the gas prices!! Hubby has a big Dodge 3/4 v10 and I have a 3/4 ton suburban and the gas we go through is amazing!!!! So we picked up an older Jeep cherokee that is hubbys everyday driver to and from work. It's a life saver!! As soon as I start the "burb" up to head in to town I think about the gas and will I need to stop, do I have enough, stuff like that. So I try and condence my trips and get everything done in one trip. I cringe every time I get gas, the thought of "filling up" is a distant memory

with a 40 something( I can't remember the exact size... 44 gal maybe) gallon tank!!!!

We used to drive the back roads and sight see or head up to the auction just to go and get out for the night, not any more. If we go there's a reason or were on a mission!! LOL!

Leya

 

[Jill]

I'm really not driving less. I go to my office when I have appointments or paperwork to do. I work from home, studying or whatever, a couple days a week. The gas prices won't effect me going to shows (I go to so few anyway) and I'm just such a home body... Really, we go out like to the grocery store and sometimes lunch or dinner and that's it. My favorite place on earth is home.

My office, and my husband's, are in Warrenton, which is about 50 miles from our house. He leaves so early (way earlier than I want to be at the office), so we do not commute in together even tho we go to the same (small) town.

 

[sfmini]

Oh yeah. I park my truck on Friday and it doesn't move until Monday to go to work when possible. I am already dreading this weekend, a trip to Dayton on Friday to drop off a horse that is going to Cape Cod will eat some serious diesel.

I am thinking of selling my truck and buying another Xterra. Not as good a tower, but it can do it. Better mileage and I can't afford to buy and insure a second vehicle. sigh.

I probably won't have any kind of a market for such a big truck until Quarter Horse Congress in October though.

I am also cutting back on spending any money for anything not necessary. What discretionary income? HAH!

I was going to eliminate almost all horse shows, but am looking at a SUPER nice colt. He would have to be shown to justify getting him, but I would only show enough to get qualified for Worlds. Skip all AMHR shows this year.

 

[Just Us N Texas]

Well, when we moved to Texas, and found out that just down the road from you could mean about 50 miles, I started making my trips count. I do so even more now that the gas prices have increased so greatly! When I go into town, I think about where I need to go, and try not to double back to such and such store. When it is at all possible, Tina and I try and double up on our trips and go together. We still get all our errands run, and saves one of us gas money.

 

[sfmini]

I am also accelerating slow, not idling the engine to warm it up, kind of making people behind me angry, but when you don't 'punch it' when starting from a stop, you use less fuel.

There was a JERK on the highway this morning, blew past me (I was driving 65 or so), weaving in and out of traffic, and it was heavy rush hour traffic. Hope he wrecked (one car wreck of course) or got a ticket! Bet he gets terrible mileage.