The Right Way to Save on Gas
You're doing all that you can to save on gas these days, right? You've made sure your tires are properly inflated; you've taken all the heavy stuff out of your trunk; you've even taken to turning off your engine while waiting for a train to pass by. Ah, but there's one more step you can take. You can plan your errands in a way that enables you to make mostly right turns. The idea, as reported in the Chicago Tribune, comes from the efficiency experts at UPS. By planning its delivery routes this way, UPS says it saves on gas by minimizing the time that drivers spend idling while waiting to make left turns, and even improves safety since its drivers rarely have to turn against traffic.
Matt's View
In a related item, the last issue of Matt About Money prompted several readers to write in with comments about how they're coping with today's tough economy. Among the many notes, Lori said her husband is taking a bus to work and they're now thinking of selling one of their cars. Pam and her husband moved their family of seven, in part, to cut down on driving by being more central to their kids' activities. In good times and bad, Bruce and his wife maintain six months' worth of living expenses in an emergency fund. And Michelle bought a hybrid car, dropping her monthly fuel expenses from $200 to $90. Thanks to everyone who wrote.
Managing Money by The Book
- "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
Recommended Resources
- Debt-Proof The Holidays
- As we cling to the last bits of summer, the holidays may seem a long way off. But they're not. And if we are to navigate the holidays without going into debt, now's the time to develop a plan. Mary...…Read the rest
View All »