Comments on: Drive Less, Spend Less http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/ Encouragement for a Simple Home Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:34:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Muslim http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-2362 Muslim Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:26:32 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-2362 I would like to see the inscription "to be continied":-D I would like to see the inscription “to be continied”:-D

]]> By: smallnotebook http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-360 smallnotebook Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:29:35 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-360 Thanks A2B, that's motivating. You've got a great writing style. I enjoyed reading more on your blog. Dave, we've been thinking about how to go without electricity too. (Including the fridge, maybe using for canned food instead of frozen?) It was the laptop that I didn't think I could live without. If you ever decide to try it, I hope you let me know how it goes. Thanks A2B, that’s motivating. You’ve got a great writing style. I enjoyed reading more on your blog.

Dave, we’ve been thinking about how to go without electricity too. (Including the fridge, maybe using for canned food instead of frozen?) It was the laptop that I didn’t think I could live without. If you ever decide to try it, I hope you let me know how it goes.

]]> By: A2B http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-359 A2B Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:30:06 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-359 Six weeks ago as I was driving home from work with a flashing "E" light, and looking at the gasoline prices I felt angrier and sicker by the minute. I ignored my vehicle's incessant whining for "food", and drove it straight home into the garage and left it there. I got a bus pass the next day (bonus - I found out my employer even reimburses for them!). I haven't looked back. The bus stop is not "convenient" to my home. It is over a mile away, and I live at the top of a long steep hill. So, that's good news! Now I am required to exercise! (don't have to pay for a gym membership) When I have to run errands or go to the grocery I do them all at once to save trips out, and I use my husband's little GEO instead of my SUV if at all possible. So far I have saved just over $550, made some nice new bus buddies, and I've lost 5 pounds. Not too shabby. The extra effort to get out there and hoof it, look up your bus schedules and consolidate auto excursions is totally worth it! I really like your site :) Six weeks ago as I was driving home from work with a flashing “E” light, and looking at the gasoline prices I felt angrier and sicker by the minute. I ignored my vehicle’s incessant whining for “food”, and drove it straight home into the garage and left it there. I got a bus pass the next day (bonus - I found out my employer even reimburses for them!). I haven’t looked back. The bus stop is not “convenient” to my home. It is over a mile away, and I live at the top of a long steep hill. So, that’s good news! Now I am required to exercise! (don’t have to pay for a gym membership) When I have to run errands or go to the grocery I do them all at once to save trips out, and I use my husband’s little GEO instead of my SUV if at all possible. So far I have saved just over $550, made some nice new bus buddies, and I’ve lost 5 pounds. Not too shabby. The extra effort to get out there and hoof it, look up your bus schedules and consolidate auto excursions is totally worth it!
I really like your site :)

]]> By: Dave Bennett http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-358 Dave Bennett Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:11:45 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-358 I love this idea! And I really love your blog, thank you for sharing such enlightening and hopeful stories about your life. I can't do the "no spend month" this month or next month (going back to college and all that), but I will definitely try it out in September! At some point I'd also like to do a little twist on this idea and have a "No Energy Month" where I try to get along without using gas or electricity (excluding the refrigerator). Bless you! I love this idea! And I really love your blog, thank you for sharing such enlightening and hopeful stories about your life. I can’t do the “no spend month” this month or next month (going back to college and all that), but I will definitely try it out in September!

At some point I’d also like to do a little twist on this idea and have a “No Energy Month” where I try to get along without using gas or electricity (excluding the refrigerator).

Bless you!

]]> By: Christie http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-357 Christie Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:08:58 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-357 We are definitly on board with the trip consolodation thing! :) When we moved from the city to the "country" last year the hardest adjustment was the distance issues we faced. EVERYTHING is at least 5-10 miles from us. We have one gas station (w/a Subway inside) that is about 2 miles, but other than that we're driving. Just this morning we needed a few essentials from the grocery store (read Wal-Mart as we have no other options...another adjustment) and hubby headed out. I gave him a bag that I needed returned to the drug store since he was going that way already...no sense in me driving 10 miles roundtrip. We are definitly on board with the trip consolodation thing! :) When we moved from the city to the “country” last year the hardest adjustment was the distance issues we faced. EVERYTHING is at least 5-10 miles from us. We have one gas station (w/a Subway inside) that is about 2 miles, but other than that we’re driving.

Just this morning we needed a few essentials from the grocery store (read Wal-Mart as we have no other options…another adjustment) and hubby headed out. I gave him a bag that I needed returned to the drug store since he was going that way already…no sense in me driving 10 miles roundtrip.

]]> By: smallnotebook http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-356 smallnotebook Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:15:57 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-356 You all are really encouraging me to plan ahead and consolidate my trips! You all are really encouraging me to plan ahead and consolidate my trips!

]]> By: Nancy http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-355 Nancy Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:37:44 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-355 I'm definitely going to be following your challenge this month. We have 2 vehicles - a Chevy Trailblazer (crappy gas mileage) and a Mazda Protege (good gas mileage). I drive 15 mi. to work (one-way) so I drive the Mazda. Fortunately Hubby has a work vehicle so we try to be very selective about where/when we drive the trailblazer. To reduce the cost of our gas usage for his running around, we just purchased a 1979 Yamaha motorcycle at a really good price. He can go miles and miles on just a few $ of gas. Now if we need just a couple of items from the grocery store, he straps on the backpack and away he goes. I used to think nothing of driving to town for groceries (the same town where I work) on Saturday. Now I try to do all of my errands before or after work and stay home on the weekends. I’m definitely going to be following your challenge this month. We have 2 vehicles - a Chevy Trailblazer (crappy gas mileage) and a Mazda Protege (good gas mileage). I drive 15 mi. to work (one-way) so I drive the Mazda. Fortunately Hubby has a work vehicle so we try to be very selective about where/when we drive the trailblazer. To reduce the cost of our gas usage for his running around, we just purchased a 1979 Yamaha motorcycle at a really good price. He can go miles and miles on just a few $ of gas. Now if we need just a couple of items from the grocery store, he straps on the backpack and away he goes. I used to think nothing of driving to town for groceries (the same town where I work) on Saturday. Now I try to do all of my errands before or after work and stay home on the weekends.

]]> By: Denise http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-353 Denise Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:35:31 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-353 I figured out how many miles I get per gallon (not as much as I hoped) then started thinking about how much it is going to cost me to drive to the location I want to go to. I figured out it is costing me almost $10/day just to drive to work. YIKES! When I put a dollar amount to my driving, it sure makes me reconsider the necessity of having to go somewhere. I figured out how many miles I get per gallon (not as much as I hoped) then started thinking about how much it is going to cost me to drive to the location I want to go to. I figured out it is costing me almost $10/day just to drive to work. YIKES! When I put a dollar amount to my driving, it sure makes me reconsider the necessity of having to go somewhere.

]]> By: Jessica Depew http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-352 Jessica Depew Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:40:46 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-352 Similar comment as Dana's. These days I think more about where I need to go and try to consolidate everything into one trip...making a list and then numbering it for what I'm going to do first, second, etc. If I just have one or two things and they aren't that critical, I'll just move those things to another day rather than waste gas. Similar comment as Dana’s. These days I think more about where I need to go and try to consolidate everything into one trip…making a list and then numbering it for what I’m going to do first, second, etc. If I just have one or two things and they aren’t that critical, I’ll just move those things to another day rather than waste gas.

]]> By: Dana http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/03/drive-less-spend-less/#comment-354 Dana Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:19:27 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=274#comment-354 I always go the speed limit now - or even less. I live 3 miles from anything - so walking isn't going to happen. One thing I do differently is only go out once a day. I plan my drive. Last night I returned books to the library, returned a rented movie and stopped to buy a highlighter. I find making a "to do" list each morning saves tons on gas! Happy 4th! Dana I always go the speed limit now - or even less. I live 3 miles from anything - so walking isn’t going to happen. One thing I do differently is only go out once a day. I plan my drive. Last night I returned books to the library, returned a rented movie and stopped to buy a highlighter. I find making a “to do” list each morning saves tons on gas!
Happy 4th!

Dana

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