Gasoline and Driving Changes

While I didn't get gasoline this week, i've been noticing the steady increase in the price over the past few days. Yesterday driving home gas was $4.19 a gallon when on the way to work it was $4.14!!! My fiance and I have already started amending our driving styles a bit to try and help deter the crazy prices, including switching the Costco we shop at. If gas gets really bad, we can walk to the grocery store, the bank, etc and use the cars just to get to work, church, etc. but for now we are combining trips and i'm doing most of our errand shopping on my way home from work.

We also decided that we are going to change our normal routes for shorter ones. Normally on Saturdays i'd drive 6.4 miles to work, 6.4 miles home, Pick up the fiance and then drive 5.0 miles to Costco, 5.0 Miles home from Costco (since its the closest one to our house and we go every other week or so for Milk and staples). We liked our together weekly trip together because it got him out of the condo and it was something we could do together. (22.8 miles round trip). We didn't get gas there because i'd get gas before going to work when its really cold outside and it seemed to last longer (mileage wise); well lately, that hasn't been the case. I used to get 300- 330 miles from gas light to gas light so to speak... and now, not so much... like 280ish.... because of this, I think its time I see how costco gas works for me (even though i'd have to buy it when its warmer out). On average, gas is 10 cents cheaper a gallon at costco, and if I only go there when i'm planning on picking up groceries as well, it won't be a wasted trip... but we can do better...

my Fiance suggested I go to the Costco by my work on Saturdays and then come home via the freeway instead of coming home first to pick him up. (he still promised to empty the car for me too.) So, I map quested it to see if its a better shot, and it is!!! 6.4 miles from Home to Work; 2.4 miles down hill from work to Costco; 8.3 miles home. (17.1 miles round trip); Its a shorter drive, and if I get gas at the same time i'm getting groceries it won't be a wasted trip down there since I don't fill up the tank every week. So that's our new experiment.