Having a car on campus is great, but can be expensive. Besides increasing parking rates, gas has gone up tremendously throughout the last month. The average price of gas in the United States is $3.383, while for us, the lucky Californians who have the highest average price in the country, the average price is $3.719 (as of March 1). Not only are these averages setting records, experts say that gas prices will continue to rise and will reach $4.00 per gallon within a couple of weeks.
You are probably thinking to yourself—why is gas so expensive? Well, since the United States exports oil from overseas and there has been some revolts in the Middle East, the cost of oil barrels have increased. In Libya, especially, there have been disputes between the government and the people. Libya is one of the leaders of oil distribution. Since there has been a decrease in oil production, there has been an increase in price of limited oil barrel production. Libya exports the oil to Europe and the United States imports 40% of the oil supply from Europe.
“You hear that we import a lot of crude oil,” says petroleum expert Andrew Lipow, president of Oil Associates in Houston. “And yes, we import about 9 million barrels a day. But less than 1 percent of that comes from Libya. What the oil market is worried about now is, we’ve seen unrest spread throughout the Middle East — Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, Egypt. What if that should spread to Saudi Arabia, which accounts for 9 percent of the world’s supply? They are the supplier of 11 percent of our crude oil. The market is worried about that supply being disrupted.”
So, now you know the cause of the insane gasoline prices. It’s not pretty, but Her Campus at UC Irvine is here to help you. Instead of crying whenever you have to go the pump, HerCampus has some easy and useful tips to save you gas and money! With these tips, you can save on fuel for your car and have more money in your pocket.
1. There is an App for That
Since we live in the state with the highest gas price average, it can cause damage to our tiny college wallets. For those who are tech-savvy, check out www.gasbuddy.com. GasBuddy is website that allows you to search for the lowest gasoline in your city. And for those with smartphones, you can install the app, which will allow you to search for the lowest price on the go.
2. Carpool
Driving by yourself can get boring at times, so why not carpool? If you and your friends are going to the same place, then save the hassle of driving by yourself and ask your friends to carpool with you. This way, you will arrive at the same time and save each other’s gas. Take turns carpooling so everyone has an equal opportunity to save some cash.
3. Break up the Heavy Braking
Yes, driving fast can be fun but in addition to being unsafe, it also causes damage to your brakes. The faster you drive, the more times you to have to slam on your brakes. Think about it. You are going over the speed limit on Culver Drive and notice a red light; it takes longer to come to a complete stop than if you were going the speed limit. So limit the speeding and follow the speed limit. Your brakes will work better and you’ll add some precious MPG to your drive.
4. Walk
Even though Irvine is an auto-centric city, try to take advantage of the limited opportunities that you can actually walk around Irvine. For those who are living in Vista Del Campo, Vista Del Campo Norte, Camino Del Sol, or Arroyo Vista, take advantage of this by walking to Albertsons to do your grocery shopping.
5. Costco/Sam’s Club Membership
Gas is cheaper at these places by up to twenty cents per gallon. Most of our parents have a Costco or Sam’s Club Membership. Ask if you can be included in the membership to save yourself money. If your parents do not have membership, then fill one out for yourself. Have you and your friends spilt the membership cost and you can all enjoy the benefits.
6. Know your Way Around
We have all gotten lost, and know how much it sucks to waste your gas and time. Not getting lost is definitely easier said than done, but you should always know where you are driving. If you are going to a place you haven’t been before, look at a map beforehand instead of just relying on the GPS. Also, try to run multiple errands at once. If you can, take one giant trip rather than making pit stops. Short drives can add up in the long run.
7. Maintenance In-Check
Last, but not least, make sure that your car follows its maintenance schedule. You know that sticker on the dashboard? Use it as a reference to go in to get your oil changed, air filter checked and all of those other things that keep your car running. If your car is in great shape then you will get better gas mileage.
Sources
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/highest-gas-prices-february-1990-attributed-libya-turmoil/story?id=12973910&page=2
http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-gas-prices-20110301,0,6181111.story
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/fuel-efficient/5.asp
http://www.opentravelinfo.com/travel-guide/uncategorized/how-to-save-money-on-gas-29-tips.html