Paying Less for Gas…
Posted: November 18, 2011 Filed under: Frugal, Saving Money | Tags: Frugal, gas costs, saving money, travel expenses 5 CommentsI have decided that I am going to pay for gas with cash for an entire month. Using actual dollars is cheaper in the state I reside in (I realize this is not true for all states). In our area, most stations charge 10-12 cents less per gallon if you forgo using your credit card. Hmmm…so why I been whipping out the plastic all these years?
1) Laziness.
2) Due to the aforementioned reason, I was never sure how much money to set aside for gas each month.
3) I wanted free airline tickets (we currently use a card that offers free miles)
4) I like routine. Figuring out how/when and where to get cash for gas was not part of my routine.
5) My husband likes to pay for gas with a credit card (we ALWAYS pay our credit card off at the end of the month…just so you know!) He also likes routine! I did manage to convince him to try my little experiment for at least one month, though!
So, there it is folks. I’ve been lazy in this regard. I’m interested in seeing how much of a difference this will make in our monthly gas bill. Will it be worth it? I’ll let you all know at the end of the month!
Want to learn more about decreasing the amount you spend on gas? Go HERE.
ihavetriedit 
You know, I just started paying for gas with my credit card so I could earn the points (double!). Our gas stations don’t give you any perks for paying with cash, so it’s actually more profitable for me. I load up my credit card every two weeks with what I’ll spend and use that, same as cash, and earn points while I do it. Not for everyone, but it works for me. I’ve earned $45 on Amazon in the past two months, so I’m happy with it. I’m planning to purchase a dehydrator with the money (Lord willing!).
BUT….I have begun to carry my spending money around, versus using my debit card. Once my money is gone, it’s gone. This is new for me and working very well. I’m thinking your gas experiment will work much the same way.
Oh—my daughter and I have also begun to use our bicycles more for those times that we just need milk or a few other little things. I have a basket on the front of my bike that holds quite a bit, plus we bring our backpacks too. I’m planning on purchasing a few more baskets for the back. Once we do that, we can actually get a lot. Riding bikes is really freeing too, and it saves us a little in gas. 🙂
Here, cash is cheaper than credit, so this is a great plan. If you knew your gas consumption, the equation is pretty simple. Take a look at your last three months’ bank statements to see what you spent on gas. Add. Divide by price per gallon of gas. Multiply by the cash price savings.
One tip: Driving more than five miles out of your way to save on gas costs you money 🙂
And thanks for the ping!
Red.
I’m interested to see what results you get from this experiment!
[…] 5) I started paying for gas with cash. I have estimated that this will save $60/year. I will total this up at the end of my month. Read about my experiment HERE. […]
That’s so cool that you can save on gas by paying with cash.