Gas Saving Tips for Single Parents
As a single parent, money is often tight. The price of gasoline has risen greatly over the past few years, which is taking a larger bite out of your budget. How can you save money on gas?
Some credit cards offer rebates on specifically on gas. Often, these are offered directly through the service station company such as BP. AAA also offers a credit card with gas rebates to members. There are also credit cards that offer rebates on all purchases across the board. If you cannot pay credit cards off at the end of the month, then do not use this strategy, as the interest charged will outweigh your gas rebate.
Grocery stores sometimes offer discounts on gas if you purchase items in their store. This may require a minimum purchase amount, but you need to buy groceries somewhere. Be sure that the prices the store with the gas discount is charging are not significantly higher than comparable stores without the discount. The gas savings won't be worthwhile if your grocery bill is higher.
Gas stations may offer prepaid gas cards. Sometimes, there is a discount if you prepay for your gas this way. There may be discounts on other items such as milk if you use these cards.
Shop around the various gas stations to check pricing. It's not uncommon for some to be consistently higher in price than others. Location can make a difference. For example, gas stations located near interstates usually charge a premium as do those in more expensive areas of town. Know where the cheaper stations are located, and if they aren't convenient, be sure to stop and fill up your tank even if it's not empty when you are in the area.
Check your owner's manual for what type of gas your car requires. If you only need regular, using premium isn't necessary. But, if you are supposed to use premium, then you need to because you could cause damage and premature wear to your car.
Single parents often have transportation challenges when trying to get themselves and their kids to work, school, and extracurricular activities. Check with other parents on the possibility of carpooling to kid functions. And, ask your coworkers if any living in your area would be interested in carpooling. Even if you can't arrange to carpool together every day, a few days a week would cut down on your transportation expenses. Some places of employment keep lists of people looking for carpooling opportunities. Cities and counties also may have carpool matching services. If you work out of town, it may be possible to arrange for a van to transport a number of people to your place of employment if there are multiple people in your area that are going to the same place.
Look into public transportation. Even if you don't live close to a bus stop or other public transportation, you may have options available for driving to a parking lot part of the way to your destination and then taking public transportation the rest of the way. Bus schedules are constantly changing, and you may be surprised to find that there is a route that will work for you. If you are lucky enough to have a train or subway available, check into those schedules, too. Don't forget that public transportation can be an alternative for transporting older children to their various activities or school. Read Rest of Article
