Frugal Transportation

Tips for saving money while you get where you need to go

We live in a mobile society, but don't let getting around get you down. These frugal transportation tips show you how you can get where need to go without your wallet breaking a sweat.

Walk. Some trips may be too far for the most basic form of transit, but walking for those short, quick trips within the neighborhood will really add up to savings. And if you think a particular destination may be just a little too far, push yourself and try walking. It may not be as far as you think, and you can get a little exercise in the bargain? An added bonus: no searching for a parking spot!

Stick to little engines. If you really must have a motor to get you where you need to go, consider getting a smaller vehicle like a moped, electric bike or motorcycle. They are much cheaper to operate and maintain, are better for the environment and decrease the hassle of parking. Electric-Bikes.com lists a wide variety of "light electric vehicles" (LEVs) that are great for short trips and don't require a license to operate.

Mopeds and motorcycles require a license to drive, but have much higher fuel efficiency than cars. How much? According to Mopeds.net, mopeds get 60-100 mpg, depending on the size of the engine. Motorcyles have bigger engines, so don't do quite as well as mopeds, but still do better than cars, with mpg generally in the 30-60 range. TotalMotorcyle.com has a Fuel Economy Guide that lists the fuel efficiency of various motorcycles as reported by riders.

Carpool. Carpooling is a time-tested staple of frugal transportation. If you have a co-worker that lives nearby, team up to share your commute. You'll both cut down on your transit expenses, and you'll get to leave the driving to someone else at least half the time. The more people you get in your pool, the bigger your savings.

Join a vanpool. Vanpools are just like carpools, except instead of participants driving their own vehicles and picking each other up at their homes, they ride in a shared van and generally have pickup and dropoff spots - kinda like the bus when you were in school. Vanpools charge a fee to participate, but the cost is less than you would spend on burning your own gas everyday, and there is no wear and tear on your car. I used to have a co-worker who rode to work in a vanpool, and she used the commute time to do her makeup in the van, saving her a few extra hits of the snooze button each morning, too.

Use mass transit. Mass transit is another veteran of the frugal transportation movement. For less than it would cost to drive your own vehicle and park it every day, you can avail yourself of a number of mass transit options, depending on your city. Most cities have bus service, and it tends to be the most affordable of the mass transit options. In addition, more and more cities are adding lightrail or monorail type train service. In the northeast, train service from outlying areas into urban centers is common, as are subway systems. In areas where parking is difficult, mass transit can be easier as well as cheaper.

Share a car. Carsharing is somewhat new to the list of frugal transportation options, but its popularity is growing. The idea behind car sharing is that rather than owning a car or renting a car by the day, a person who wants to use a car for a short period of time can rent a car in a carsharing program for short periods of time, such as by the hour, or even by the minute with some companies or programs. It's not intended for daily commuting, but rather for people who only need a car occasionally. Carsharing is generally limited to urban areas, and people often use it conjunction with another form of mass transit or frugal transportation. Carsharing.net lists cities throughout the U.S. that have a carsharing program, as well as locations throughout Europe.

Save gas. The goal of frugal transportation is to save on all aspects of transportation, including parking, wear and tear, etc. But the biggest expense by far to operating a car is fuel. Implementing a few gas-saving strategies can help you cut down your gas bill.

Buy a used car. Next time you buy a car, you'll save thousands by buying used instead of new. Follow my used car buying tips to make sure you get a good deal.

Save Gas

Used Car Buying Tips

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