Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

With gas and grocery prices going up more and more each day, many moms are becoming very creative in filling up their SUV and mini van tanks in addition to their refrigerators. Elise, a mother of four children under five, has limited her trips from her rural home to just once a week. She said, “I drive a paid off pickup truck that fits my entire family of six comfortably, but I can’t afford to buy the gas or drive it. And I can‘t realistically trade it in for a Honda since my family won‘t fit in a four door sedan.”

After talking with Elise, I decided I better start planning and preparing my trips to town as well since I had just spent over $90.00 to fill up my paid off van with regular gasoline. Like Elise, I am also dependant on my van for my larger family and don‘t really want to trade it in for a newer more efficient car that would add a new car payment to our monthly expenses. So how is it possible to save money driving a not-so fuel efficient vehicle?

I remember something my grandmother taught me when I was young and gas prices were around $1.00 a gallon. She was a creative and resourceful mother of seven children. She told me it was wasteful to run around town with only one or two errands.

Instead, my grandmother said to wait until you have a full day’s worth of things to do before going out. She taught me the importance of saving money, even the pennies saved by not using your vehicle every day. I think I finally understand the importance of what she was trying to tell me that day. I have actually been surprised at how much useless running around I did prior to the latest gas price spike.

Most families cannot realistically fill their gas tanks weekly anymore and still afford the same lifestyle they have long been accustomed to. In fact, the price of fuel is forcing many families to reexamine their budgets and cutting everything from food expenses to summer vacations.

So here are a few tips I have gleaned over the past few weeks of being home more and driving less. I have been planning my driving routes according to my family’s needs. I take the most efficient route possible. I also have been grocery shopping just a few times a month in my husband’s fuel efficient compact car. I have shopped with a menu plan and grocery list to ensure I don’t forget anything. I also shop at a grocery store that rewards with a fuel discount of $.05 to $.10 a gallon per shopping trip. I don’t run all over town to save a few dollars.

Instead, I am utilizing a store that has household and groceries all in one. I am actually spending less now in groceries by being a little more prepared before shopping.

Over the past three weeks, I have actually only used a half tank of gasoline. Like Elise, I have been planning strategically when I am going to the grocery store, running errands, and taking my family out. These are really simple suggestions; however, they do take a little forethought, planning but will help the monthly budget considerably.