How much do you spend on gasoline/fuel for your vechicle?

[StarRidgeAcres]

About 2 months ago I signed up for something through my Credit Union called FinanceWorks. It's a program that pulls all my debit card transactions and checks and tries to tell me where I spend my money. I can go in and reassign things that it misinterprets as needed. It's been very eye-opening for me!

It also pulls in any credit card transactions as well. I have to tell it about the credit cards and set up and authorize access to my accounts, but once I do that, it's pretty good at pulling everything together.

Well, let me tell you, I've been schooled! I thought I knew how I spent my money, but I wasn't even close!!!

I've been SHOCKED by how much I spend on A) horses and B) gasoline and C) dining out and groceries!

It's totally shocking folks!

But here's the one that has throw me for the biggest loop...I am AVERAGING PER MONTH $712 on gasoline! WFH?????? Yep, the numbers don't lie. I'm so depressed over this. I bought a new (new to me) Explorer in about May that would pull my trailer better. It's a V8 and I was used to driving a V6. I can NOT believe the difference in gas consumption!! I'm very sure I wasn't spending more than $425 per month on my V6.

Now, I'm considering getting my V6 back to being my main vehicle. It just sits in our driveway. I actually lost my only set of keys to it 2 months ago and have been procrastinating the $200 fee to get new ones made. But now that $200 seems like a small price to pay to get it back to moving and sit the V8.

I should add that I drive 100 miles per day, round trip, to work and back. How much do you drive? How much do you spend on fuel? Inquiring minds want to know!

Thanks!

 

[Flying minis]

I work from home, so I don't spend much on my own vehicle, but I answered for our most driven vehicle which is my son's (other than my hubby, but that doesn't count because he's a horse transporter). He home schools, but is dual enrolled, so he takes classes at our local school and is involved in some extracurricular activities, plus he has a job in the city closest to us. So it's 60 miles to and from school 5 days a week, and 40 to and from work 3-4 times a week. Anyway, we spend about $450 a month to keep gasoline in his car.

 

[weebiscuit]

I have absolutely no idea how much we spend on gas. In the summer, we drive my husband's 4wd pickup because we take that to all our jobs, but all the gas mileage is deductable. During the summer my car rarely leaves the garage. We each have Honda 100cc scooters, and we use them for all our grocery shopping and errands in town. Town is two miles from us. The scooters get 100 miles per gallon.

I had been looking for a new car and knew I definitely didn't want a V8 because of the poorer gas economy. But I definitely wanted an all wheel drive or four wheel drive. In researching, I discovered than an AWD would give much better fuel economy than a 4WD. But, I needed a vehicle that would tow 3,000 pounds because we are looking for a travel trailer.

I ended up buying a new Rav4 Limited. It's not the most fuel efficient vehicle, but I compared a lot of others to it and this one had what I was looking for in towing capacity and interior room. (To bring my dogs along). I've had it for two weeks and the average MPG is 24.4 and that's been back and forth to town and just one 50 mile trip in the country. I am really liking it!

What's really throwing me is all these new bells and whistles. My old car was a 14 year old Pontiac Trans Sport mini van. It had power windows and cruise control, period. Now I've got a back up video camera, sun roof (which I would have done without), heated, power seats, keyless entry and lock, push button start (I love this feature!!) and for the life of me I can't figure out how to work the windshield wipers yet, LOL. I've been reading the manual and trying to figure it all out. I'm leaving Wisconsin for Florida on Monday and I'd better know what I'm doing!

 

[Jill]

It depends on how often I go in to my office. Ball park, I spend about $400/month and H about $500/nonth. I feel the price of gas in this nation would decrease as soon as we get serious about utilizing our own resources. The knowledge that we are pursuing energy independence alone would lower the prices before the ability to be self sufficient was achieved, in my opinion. I say Drill Baby Drill... Also, fyi, gas averaged less than $1.80 per gallon at the pump in the USA in January 2008.

http://m.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/mar/30/gas-prices-double-under-obama/

 

[Riverrose28]

since I'm retired it varies, usually about $60.00 a month, but his month I went to a sale so I spent $100 just that one weekend. I don't know how much hubby spends going to and from work, I havn't asked him. I drive a 1999 chevy silverado and go to town every two weeks to buy horse feed and once a month I buy groceries. Some times I go to the Doctor or dentist so that would add up to more being spent. KNock on wood don't need to go any time soon. We used to have a car but sold it, can't afford ins. on more vehicles, need my truck to haul so it is the one we depend on. Just took it in for an inspection and guy swelled my head, said it was the cleanist engine he has ever seen, and it is a 1999. But I've learned to get my oil changed every 3000 miles, and have all fluid levels checked and my trans. fluid flushed regularly. I've blown up three fords and one dodge. I bought this truck before I retired and I must say it has not let me down. Hubby drives a 1994 silverado, still going strong.

sorry sounds like a chevy commercial!

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

It depends on how often I go in to my office. Ball park, I spend about $400/month and H about $500/nonth. I feel the price of gas in this nation would decrease as soon as we get serious about utilizing our own resources. The knowledge that we are pursuing energy independence alone would lower the prices before the ability to be self sufficient was achieved, in my opinion. I say Drill Baby Drill... Also, fyi, gas averaged less than $1.80 per gallon at the pump in the USA in January 2008.

http://m.washingtont...le-under-obama/

Jill, I agree with you 100%!

Gas is down here but still at $3.15 or so a gallon. Diesel looks to be about $3.68.

 

[Minimor]

I budget $125 every two weeks for gas. Sometimes I end up spending a few dollars more, sometimes a few dollars less. I drive an older F-150 351 V8 in winter and mostly an even older F-150 300 straight 6 in summer--the 6 cyl. does a little better on gas than the 351 does, but not all that much--the same motor with a 4 speed standard did WAY better on gas! Now that the motor is paired with an automatic tranny, gas mileage went way down.

I drive 12 miles each way to work every day, 5 days a week, and then there are errands to run around town--I try to do my shopping on lunch hours and right after work, so that I don't have to make any extra trips to town. Then there are extra miles here & there--trips to the dump, hauling hay or straw, things like that. For the most part I do stay within my budget.

 

[chandab]

I voted $100-$200 per month, but that is for my personal vehicle and it varies (if I don't go anywhere in the month, I might only have to fill-up once; if I have lots of errands, it might be well-over $200). I wouldn't even want to guess or see the bill for what hubby spends on fuel per month for his pick-up (gas) and the tractors (diesel), but I know its much more than I spend.

 

[Jill]

PS I didn't realize it was a poll until just now. Voted on behalf of myself and H as one "unit" ... which is what we've been for 25 or so years

 

[jacks'thunder]

I'd have to say less then 100 so I voted #1. I drive a 1995 4 cylinder 5 speed Jeep Wrangler! LOVE IT!!

I drive my son back and forth to school every day and all kinds of errands with no problem. I had a GMC with a big 454 engine but I had to sell it because I spent more in gas then I did in groceries a month!! Big difference in vehical size and I miss the Suburban for that, but I would not trade my Jeep!

 

[Leeana]

I don't use a lot of gas, mostly as I have been working hard at saving money the past couple months. I couldn't imagine that I spend more then $80 a month on gas, I only live about a mile from where I work and I am so busy working that I try to combine my trips, and most everything around here is about 6-8 miles away (mall, movie, feed store, tsc, walmart, local stores and markets).

When I get paid - I try to get as much done the first or second day as possible (pick up things I need at store, feed store, bedding, banking, walmart shopping list) and then that way I don't have to make extra trips to walmart ext (normally to only get something that costs $5 or $10...will walk away and have spent $200 before I am done). This is really working to help me save money! Its hard, as I am a spender.

Now, if I am traveling on pony business - that is different. This month for example, I am making about 3-5 trips and gass each way will be around $100 pulling a trailer - so my gas will be more this month.

 

[REO]

Parm, can you maybe get a small car to drive to work? And the truck only when needed (horses)? That would save you a TON!!!!!!!!

 

[SampleMM]

I really have no idea but I do know that every few days I'm filling up my tank and it's around $80.00 which is terrible. I am running non-stop though with my kids. We live 15 minutes one way to get to school and I drive to and from the school at least 2 but usually 3 times a day. I'm driving a new Yukon and it just sucks down the gas. I prefer my old diesel, three quarter ton truck. It gets way better fuel mileage!

 

[mydaddysjag]

WOW, just did the math, hubby spends about $480 driving to and from work a month. We have one vehicle now. He used to have a tiny little gasimizer work beater that he put spent $60 a week in gas for work. The motor went in it in september, and the vehicle wasnt worth fixing. We were literally spending half as much in gas. Our personal errand driving probably runs $20-$25 a month.

Myself, I dont drive much at all. No kidding, I have had a drivers license for 5 years (I didnt get one until I was 19) and I wont even drive down our two lane roads if they have a four way intersection with a red light. Long story, but pretty much irrational fear and panic from a very bad accident my mother was in right after I got my drivers permit when I was 16. I didnt even bother to get my license until I was 19 because I didnt want to drive.

That said, Im really lucky I have a tractor supply less than a mile from home. I much prefer the other feed store, but with the price of gas, I stick with TSC because its close.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I drive a 1999 Ford Escort that just rolled over to 200000 miles on Friday! The little guy gets between 30-35 MPG. I drive 26 miles one way to work and back five days a week. Grocery and feed store is on the way there so most of the time no special trips out and back. I tend to fill up every ten days, runs between $30-45 each time, so I voted $100-200.

However, I AM lazy and drive from my house to the barns instead of walking, which is about 1/5 of a mile one way. I really should walk it...but sometimes the back hurts or the knee but more of the time I am just TOO TIRED.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I'm seeing I'm in the minority (but I sure wouldn't wish my situation on anyone else!) but I'm still amazed at how much people are spending to drive for work and other necessities. Just staggering.

Robin, I SO need to figure something else out. This is just ridiculous. I do think I'm going to get new keys for my other Explorer and then see what work it will need from sitting for about 3-4 months. I'm sure it will need something. But even if it needs $1000 in work, in 3 months I will be back at even and then I will start saving over my current situation. I only buy cars I can pay cash for, so a new (even new to me) vehicle is just out of the question right now. My V6 (2002) has >260,000 miles on it and my V8 (2004) has 130,000.

Speaking of irrational fears and driving...I won't drive anything other than the biggest thing I can afford because with being on the highway for two hours each day, I have this all-consuming fear of a terrible accident. And while I realize there is nothing I can do about a dump truck or semi, I feel in a large SUV I am at least bigger than most other cars I may come in contact with. I know, silly.

Thanks for all the responses. I hope other will chime in also. I'm finding this very interesting.

 

[Katiean]

Right now our gas is running $3.59.9 per gallon. I don't drive much so I use about $20-$40 a month. I have a Chevy Silverado and I love it. I get about 18 miles per gallon city and highway. It gets worse mileage if I use the 4WD or tow the trailer. But, sometimes you just have to if you are booney hoppin', it snows or I need to take the horses somewhere.

 

[Matthijs]

I drive 25.000 kilometers a year and spend $1,100,00 per year on diesel. I get 65 miles to the gallon 50% is for work. I drive a 2006 smart

 

[Becky]

I generally spend less than $100, but I'm lucky that I work from home. :0) Months that I travel to horse shows, it goes up, but generally, I drive very little. Grocery and feed stores are all within about 3 miles of my house. I live in a great area!

 

[ohmt]

I have a 1995 oldsmobile that gets about 36 mpg with a 14 gallon tank. I usually fill up once, nmaybe twice when school starts and even less in the summer at the farm. My grandparents spend about $200-$300 per month in gas because they have to drive an hour away for groceries and horse feed.