Carpooling: Share the Ride to Save Money
There’s little doubt that carpooling, when planned, can save you a lot of money. In fact, some sources estimate you could save between $650 and $1,000 annually (based on a 32-mile round trip commute in a vehicle that gets less than 23 miles per gallon, with each gallon costing around $3.65). The more people you have in your car, the more you save because the more you’ll be splitting vehicle costs.
Here are some tips and suggestions for carpooling and saving money.
1. It’s Not as Hard as You Think
It’s easy to assume that coordinating a carpool takes too much time and effort. But you can look around and join an existing one, which means you can take advantage of their experience. If you can’t find an existing carpool, starting one up may be as simple as asking around at work or at your child’s school functions.
2. Extend the Life of Your Car
If you do all your own commuting, the miles will add up on your car pretty fast. But if you carpool, you’re using your car far less and dividing up the miles between your friends’ and coworkers’ cars. In addition, your friends may pitch in for repairs and maintenance (and you can do the same for their car) so everyone is riding in a safe car. The cost of tires, oil changes, and other maintenance can be split, especially if you’re in a carpool where one person does most of the driving and uses his or her vehicle most of the time. (It’s a good idea to have an agreement on this subject for everyone to sign before starting your carpool.)
3. Social Time
Many people enjoy socializing on their way to and from work or school. Carpooling is a chance to talk about your day and discuss what your plans are. It can be a way to make new friends and get to know your coworkers. This might be a good chance to network, too.
4. Parking
Parking costs are high and space is scarce. The problem is decreased greatly when you carpool. Everyone in the car can split the cost of parking, whether you pay upon entering the parking area or pay each month and have a parking pass.
5. Smaller Carbon Footprint
Clearly, you’ll save fuel and produce fewer emissions when you use one car instead of 3 or 4 cars. Even if you use a larger vehicle to transport multiple people, it’s still a savings.
Carpooling is a great way to save money on parking, car maintenance, fuel, and other areas.