How to Organize a Car Pool to Reduce Gas Expenses

Today we are continuing our topic this week - ways to save gas (remember, saving gas not only saves you money, but also helps the environment, and the people who live in it!)

Image by Wildebeast1 via FlickrWho would not want to spend less money at their local gas station every week?  It would be hard to find someone who is not interested in conserving gas, but doing so is much harder than it would seem to be, at times.  One of the most obvious ways to reduce fuel expenses is to simply not drive, but for many people, that is really not feasible.  After all, most people have responsibilities that require them to be at specific places at certain times, and this in turn requires them to operate a motor vehicle to get there.

However, many people are not taking advantage of the somewhat popular practice of car pooling.  Car pooling has been around for years now, and while it has steadily increased in popularity, it still is not as widely used as it should be.  The reasons vary, as some people simply prefer to drive by themselves to and from places, and others do not know anyone that lives near them, or do not want to coordinate a regular car pool.  The reality is, however, if you want to save money on gas, there are few better ways to do so than by participating in a car pool.

Organizing a car pool can be fairly simple.  For instance, it can be as easy as posting a sign up at your work, or asking around to see if anyone who shares your place of employment lives near you.  If they live along your route to work, you can also simply pick them up every day, in exchange for a little monetary contribution towards the expense of gas.  This will not cause you any major inconvenience, but it will save you a lot of money spent on fueling up your car each week!

Image via WikipediaMany people only think of car pooling as a way to get to and from work, but there are many other times when a car pool is an equally great idea.  For instance, you can form a car pool with people that live near you for things such as going to the gym, shopping at the grocery store, or heading out to the mall.  If you are planning on taking a vacation, it can be a very expensive endeavor, especially if you will be driving.  However, if you pair up with a couple that you enjoy being around, you can all take one car and cut your gas costs literally in half!

It may not always be convenient to car pool, but the barriers are usually not that serious.  What you really have to consider is whether it is worth it to you to have the comfort of driving in silence and solitude, even if it means that you will pay the full cost of gas all by yourself.  Most people would rather have a little company, all while saving some money at the fuel pump.  That is why car pools continue to be a fairly common thing, even to this day.  If you have never tried car pooling before, give it a shot!  With gas prices being so high, there really has never been a better time than now to give car pooling a chance.  You never know, you may even enjoy the company and make a new friend or two!