Skip to main content

Three Top Gas Saving Tips

 Rebecca on her three-wheel bike

How the Price of Gas Doesn't Affect my Family Budget

Ouch!  The price of gas can be painful for those who must drive for business and/or family functions.  As a workshop-presenting etiquette professional, I travel for business quite often and have felt the sting in the past.  Still, I cut my gas bill by two-thirds with a few simple changes.  Follow along as I share my favorite gas-saving tips.

Save on gas and get the wind in your hair by biking.

Other than my business trips out of town, my other “car” is my three-wheel cycle.  Fortunately, I live in a bicycle-friendly environment filled with bike paths and lanes.  

The three wheels offer more than just stability—it is a heavy cycle.  Always considering safety, I sit tall allowing those in vehicles to see me.  Moreover, the width between the back two wheels allows for a large basket, which is perfect for my shopping trips.  There's now no need to jump into the car for weekly grocery shopping anymore.   

In total, I travel to socialize, shop, and for medical appointments.  When I have jobs here in town, I pack my computer in my basket, hop on my cycle and I'm there in no time.  I'm not only saving money on gas but helping the environment and adding to my exercise routine. 

Why ride when you can walk?

I'm fortunate to live in a small city with no hills and a central downtown center.  Most everything is conveniently within walking distance.  When not on my cycle, I can walk almost everywhere in 30 minutes and across town in less than an hour.  Therefore, when I must go to the post office or attend a city event, I put on my walking shoes. 

Use someone else's gas by riding public transportation.

As an avid fan of public transportation, most of the bus drivers around town know me well.  Lucky for me, we have two bus systems in town.  One is a city bus system – better known as Unitrans – and one is county-run. 

Unitrans has stops all over town to and from our university, which is just steps from downtown.  This makes for an extremely convenient mode of transportation.  Better yet, there's no fee when returning home from the university and for seniors.  So, for a few quarters, I can meet a client for coffee or attend a lecture at the university in town.  For only one dollar, I often jump on the county bus to the airport—no need to pay for parking or the gas to get there. 

When the need arises to travel out of town at a slower pace, I jump on the train.  Luckily, our Amtrak depot is located serendipitously downtown.  Taking the bus to the depot, I'm on the train within an hour.  Traveling from my hometown of Davis, CA to Los Angeles is less than $90.  

More by Rebecca

5 Tips to Consider Before Beginning that Home-Based Business  

How I Cut My Food Bill in Half

How I Get My Budget Under Control


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Follow These Steps to Get the Job You Want

  Preparing for the Interview For over twenty years as an etiquette professional, I’ve trained countless job seekers.  Not much has changed in those decades, except our expanded use of technology.   Today, we can apply for a job using Social networking sites, such as LinkedIn.  We commonly use an email program to contact an organization’s HR department.  Additionally, we live on our cellphones.  Many times, we use these electronic appendages to reply to those HR departments and recruiters.  Some of those calls and emails could be the difference between a future job and a trip to the unemployment office.    Consequently, it would benefit all job seekers to follow a few of my suggestions.    Consider Your Use of a Cellphone Sure, texting is fast and convenient.  However, it’s not the best method to use for answering emails from a recruiter or anyone else who may be trying to assist you in your job hunt.  These replies should appear professional and well-thought-out.  Therefore,
Post a Comment
Read more

Job Searching Tools

You lost your job?  Unfortunately, you are in good company.  To help you on your reemployment journey, check out a few free resources to help you prepare for the job search and connect with employers like:  monster.com ,  careerbuilder.com , and   usa.gov/job-search . In mining the Internet, you can find even more than just print advice.  Many sites include videos detailing advice for preparing for the interview.  All of this is free advice and available to all who have the time to search.   However, don’t just lock yourself up in your home office. Get out and meet others in our business/career of interest.  Call companies of interest to request a meeting. Visit career centers, especially from your alma mater. And don’t forget your friends and family.  Let them know about your job search and ask for job leads.   When laid off try to view it as an opportunity to reach for the job you might not have considered possible.  Reassess your education, talents, and skills, and consider
Post a Comment
Read more

Internships Can Lead You to Your Dream Job

  How to Get the Job You Want Let’s face it, even with the best education, the job market is a tough place to be.  It is incredibly tight and expectations of the newly hired are high. So, what is someone with little work experience to do?  As an etiquette consultant who trains job seekers, I always suggest internships for those who are still in high school and college.  Still, all can benefit from what a good internship can provide. What are the advantages and benefits of an internship? As your coworkers and supervisors evaluate you and your work habits, you are best able to evaluate how it would be to work in that business and for that particular company full time.   The internship also provides an opportunity to develop a work ethic and polish your people skills. Dealing with the scary people and learning new skills. More than likely, you will be learning new skills, as the work required may be a new experience for you.  The business may also have unique methods that yo
Post a Comment
Read more