Author Topic: One tank of gas for the entire month of May  (Read 2900 times)

babysnowbyrd

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 222
  • Age: 37
    • My Journal
One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« on: April 28, 2015, 09:23:32 AM »
The weather is getting better, so there's no excuse for not riding my bike more to work! My goal this next month is to increase my daily biking enough to reduce my gasoline purchases to one for the whole month! This is gonna be awesome!

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2015, 09:55:06 AM »
Good luck!  What is this cut down from? What is your typical useage?

What kind of car do you drive/ how long is your commute?
I guess I didn't know it was common for people with cars (as opposed to trucks or SUVs) to use more than one tank of gas in a month.  I guess I've been living in blissful ignorance of my gas usage... and I drive pretty much anywhere I need to go, except when I can run to the store at work and then I walk.

GetItRight

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 627
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2015, 02:25:53 PM »
Well, I'm already there as I tend to only fill the truck once a month just to regularly stay topped off even if it's not near empty. In the warmer months I mainly ride my bike which I fill the tank once or twice a week. My truck will stretch to nearly 1000 miles on a tank while the bike is about 130 to reserve and I never push that too far though it should be at least a gallon. A more accurate or meaningful goal would be use no more than x gallons per month or better yet drive no more than x miles per month.

Sibley

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7428
  • Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2015, 11:57:34 AM »
Well, I'm already there as I tend to only fill the truck once a month just to regularly stay topped off even if it's not near empty. In the warmer months I mainly ride my bike which I fill the tank once or twice a week. My truck will stretch to nearly 1000 miles on a tank while the bike is about 130 to reserve and I never push that too far though it should be at least a gallon. A more accurate or meaningful goal would be use no more than x gallons per month or better yet drive no more than x miles per month.

When you say bike, do you mean motercycle or e-bike? Why won't a regular bicycle work for you?

bzzzt

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 303
  • Location: Chicago
  • 5v to Lightning Bolts...
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2015, 01:09:49 PM »
Been doing better than that but it'll change soon. Made it from mid-Nov to mid-Mar on one tank of diesel for my truck. Still over a half tank, so I think I'll make it through May, but probably not June. I have some trips scheduled in June/July/August, so that'll probably be 3-4 tanks/month then.

GetItRight

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 627
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2015, 08:11:39 PM »
When you say bike, do you mean motercycle or e-bike? Why won't a regular bicycle work for you?

Motorcycle. Bicycle doesn't meet my wants and needs for my commute and desire to be flexible with regard to speed and time. I have considered getting a bicycle for exercise though, but can't bring myself to spend the money and worry about one more thing to maintain. Jogging is free. My fuel costs for commuting are a relatively trivial portion of my monthly spending, especially in the warmer months when I ride the bike a few times a week. A bicycle would not save enough to be worthwhile to me.

babysnowbyrd

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 222
  • Age: 37
    • My Journal
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2015, 12:15:45 PM »
Good luck!  What is this cut down from? What is your typical useage?

What kind of car do you drive/ how long is your commute?
I guess I didn't know it was common for people with cars (as opposed to trucks or SUVs) to use more than one tank of gas in a month.  I guess I've been living in blissful ignorance of my gas usage... and I drive pretty much anywhere I need to go, except when I can run to the store at work and then I walk.

I haven't kept immaculate records, but varies between 3-6 fill ups a month. I drive a PT Cruiser that's on it's last legs and still not all paid for. Unfortunately, I'm not in walking distance of anything useful (except a gas station ironically)

babysnowbyrd

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 222
  • Age: 37
    • My Journal
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2015, 12:59:19 PM »
I biked to work today, and had a teeny accident! Lol. It figures on the first day of my challenge. Few scrapes and bruises but made it ok.

I'm thinking I could up the challenge to NO fill-up this month, and though harder, would be still be attainable! I'm going to go for it!

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2015, 01:35:15 PM »
Glad to hear it wasn't a major accident.
Keep up the challenge!

Gone Fishing

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2916
  • So Close went fishing on April 1, 2016
    • Journal
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2015, 02:24:11 PM »
I wish!  I'll probably use 5 or so and the wife will use another 2 or so.  I can't wait to kill my commute!  I'll have to give it a try once I RE.

MsFrugalista

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Age: 41
  • Location: Wandering around in a Winnebago
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2015, 02:28:23 PM »
Great job! Sorry to hear about the minor accident - glad you're doing ok.
We spent $10 on gas all of April, this was a first for us (or can't remember the last time that it was that low)! Hope we can join you with another low gas consumption month in May :) Good luck!

babysnowbyrd

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 222
  • Age: 37
    • My Journal
Re: One tank of gas for the entire month of May
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2015, 09:05:51 AM »
Thanks for the well-wishes everyone! I felt pretty silly getting into a small accident the first day.

But after that I had to hide it from my coworkers who have all expressed their disapproval for when I ride the bike. I superman-ed off the bike and ended up knocking my chin on the ground. I didn't check to see if it was bleeding. I was wearing a (luckily red) scarf so when I pulled up to work, I just made sure it was covering the bottom of my chin. Parked the bike inside, headed to the first aid cabinet and got some ointment, bandages, and the scissors (right pinky got a bit of a close shave). I took off the scarf and no bleeding chin! Yay, because that would have been harder to hide!

Spent the rest of the day covertly icing various parts of my body.