Gas prices have risen a lot in the past few years, and it is unlikely they will ever fall in any meaningful way. Just as we fondly remember the 99 cent gas of 2000, soon we may reminisce about when gas used to cost less than $4 a gallon. I used to spend $20 a month on gas to get to and from work, Now, if I drive every day, I spend almost $60 to travel the same distance. Not only does stop and go city traffic kill your gas mileage, but starting your car takes a large chug of gas, which makes around the town errands much more costly than you might realize.
So how can you combat rising gas prices? By not using your car. Yes, it can take a few extra minutes, but if you make the conscious decision to bike, or walk, whenever possible, you can dramatically reduce your gas budget. Many police departments hold regular bike auctions where you can find a high-quality bike for a low price, or you can check sites like craiglist, eBay classifieds, and freecycle for bikes.
Biking and walking save you more than gas money - they can reduce your medical costs by helping you loose weight and get healthy. Just hour of light cycling can burn over 500 calories! If you want to know how many calories you could burn biking, check out this easy to read article. If you are interested in switching to a bike commute, I wrote a series of pieces on HubPages about my decision to bike to work and tips for safe bike commute. You can learn the basics of what you need and how to plan your route by visiting this page.
Amazingly, with afternoon traffic, I actually can bike home on a Friday faster than I can drive. Switching to a bike could save you time and money!
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| How I get to work and save $$ |
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