How high does the price of fuel have to get for you to change your driving habits?

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DJ Ricky B

DJ Extraordinaire
Mar 9, 2015
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Or have you started to change your habits?

So far, I have noticed ZERO change in traffic out there on the weekends while traveling to my events. It's just as bad as it ever was. I got fuel today. $4.65/gallon, and $6.09 for diesel in Maryland. Fuel is looking to continue to increase into the summer. I paid $74 to fill up my Traverse today from just below 1/4 tank.

I am going to choose not to drive outside of my local zip code or the next zip code over when I go any where to shop or eat a meal out. I have to drive to my job, and to my DJ events, but I can certainly start to limit where I drive on my off time. I can stick close to home until my vacation in late July...Traveling to Myrtle Beach then, and I can look at it like I'm saving money for that.
 
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Yes, I consolidate trips, definitely no Endlessly driving around. Business-wise things remain the same, although money which used to be spent on food is spent on gas. Hell, we don’t really need those big meals anyway. For my personal vehicle, I’m purchase a EV very soon before the tax incentives run out. I’m going for a full EV and my daughter a Plug in/Hybrid. I was suppose to get a EV back in 2015 but that got pushed back. Presently we are producing enough excess electricity with Solar to charge two EVs. So the switch would cut my fuel bill greatly especially if I go back my rep work like I was doing before COVID.
 
I cut back on driving due to the gas prices. The price of gas normally increases during the summer time because usually people do more driving when the weather is nice. The price of gas is outragious now. I'm on a fixed income since I retired. With gas prices this high I'm forced to stay home at times because I don't have the money to put the gas in the van. I still have to make meetings at times so I can stay clean or I won't have to worry about the price of gas because there won't be a van to put gas in. I was down to almost 1/4 of a tank and to fill up cost $88.00.
 
Van officially crossed the $100 mark to fill up this past weekend (filled up w/ 11 miles left in the tank)... I've never spent that much on a fill up ever, even from that low a starting point.

However, as far as driving habits go... nothings changed. I never aimlessly drove around without reason to begin with. I'm also fortunate enough to live in an area that just about all of my daily essentials or favorite restaurants are within 5-10 min of where I live... and even more thankful I don't have a day job I have to drive back and forth to 5x a week. Because of that I often go 2, sometimes 3 weeks without having to fill up on my daily driver... my wife... not as fortunate lol.
 
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Was considering an ev bought 2013 Corolla low miles get 40 mpg, expedition is just a gig rig now, Corolla was less expensive than upgrading the power in the house to install a fast charger
 
I heavily considered an ev .. if you're buying one because you think it's 'green', you couldn't be more wrong. It's also not any better in price or value.
 
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I am debating starting to use my Toyota Camry for Dj gigs instead of my 2011 Traverse when it comes to far way events where I don't have to bring up lighting or a lot of equipment out for. I can fit a lot into my Camry.

I am wondering at what point we will notice less traffic out there on the roads though. $7.00 per gallon? $8.00 per gallon? $10.00 per gallon?
 
May I ask what model(s) you are considering?
I had wanted a Toyota BZ4X FWD but they are shipping the AWD first and the tax rebate will run out soon. So it’s a VW ID.4 for now. Right now, just pre orders, dates for delivery are 6 to 8 months out and that’s a guess. Still better than in 2014 when they were talking 1.5+ years for a Tesla Model X. Kia EV6 is small but nice but the demand is so higher they are going way over sticker. There is whole bunch of new EV planned from all The auto makers big & small including a couple of foreign companies. I saw a ton of stuff both at CES & the NY auto show. But for me there has to be a dealer network for servicing & parts.
 
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I heavily considered an ev .. if you're buying one because you think it's 'green', you couldn't be more wrong. It's also not any better in price or value.
You have to look at the full picture, in my case Solar, eliminating electric bills, lowering natrual gas bill by supplementing with electric heating, generating excess power to charge EVs, It was time to replace the roof and the house needs upgraded electric service. And we can use all the tax rebates. One thing for sure gas prices will never stay low & tax rebates will be eventually going away. Bottom line is invest some money now to save big in the long run, being “green” for me has nothing to do with it.
 
I work from home, so I'm fortunate to be very lightly affected. But it definitely hasn't changed any of my plans. I notice the price difference, but it just isn't material enough to stop me from doing anything I want to do.

The price increases are being reflected in flight prices too, so even if I were taking a vacation I feel like I'm going to pay it in one spot or another. So at the end of the day I just need to decide how I want to make a trip.
 
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You have to look at the full picture, in my case Solar, eliminating electric bills, lowering natrual gas bill by supplementing with electric heating, generating excess power to charge EVs, It was time to replace the roof and the house needs upgraded electric service. And we can use all the tax rebates. One thing for sure gas prices will never stay low & tax rebates will be eventually going away. Bottom line is invest some money now to save big in the long run, being “green” for me has nothing to do with it.
I totally get the solar thing - and that works, at home. On the road, the infrastructure certainly is not there - nor is the 'charge time'. I'm not sure if the tax rebates are worth it for vehicles that cost more than their gas powered counterparts.

As for solar eliminating electric bills / deals, be careful. I've heard that in some locations, the electric co was able to modify the price they pay you for providing power and how much you must take from them at a minimum. If you own the solar panels, it generally takes 5-15 years to recoup your money, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Invest now to save in the long run - imo, I can see that with solar panels and perhaps home circuits - not so much with EV's unless all you're doing is local back and forth travel that doesn't require lots of distance.
 
I totally get the solar thing - and that works, at home. On the road, the infrastructure certainly is not there - nor is the 'charge time'. I'm not sure if the tax rebates are worth it for vehicles that cost more than their gas powered counterparts.

As for solar eliminating electric bills / deals, be careful. I've heard that in some locations, the electric co was able to modify the price they pay you for providing power and how much you must take from them at a minimum. If you own the solar panels, it generally takes 5-15 years to recoup your money, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Invest now to save in the long run - imo, I can see that with solar panels and perhaps home circuits - not so much with EV's unless all you're doing is local back and forth travel that doesn't require lots of distance.
You have to own the panels, my electric bill is just $15 for the connection. A electric bill with A/C running would be $400+ month, very easy math.and that doesn’t include the almost 4 megawatt credit we Fed into in system in one year. But you are correct you have to find the correct Solar company. After reviewing companies for a few years I picked one which doesn’t do leases or any of the other BS. You have to have the capital to layout, excellent credit and tax liabilities. If you lease all the benefits go to the solar company. Depending on how you look at it saving start immediately, more saving as you use up all your tax rebate, and then even more saving went the loan is paid but the electric bill & loan is less than the regular bill before solar. Calculate what 4 mega watts of power is worth and that’s part of the first years saving.
Here on the Eastbound coast they are installing charging stations like crazy both locally and on all the well travelled routes. Compared to 8 years ago went I first looked there are so many more chargers but there are a couple areas like Atlantic City which has few chargers than I’d like to see. Although the larger casinos do have charging when you valet park. Yes, you really have to look at the charging rate, thats the issue I am look that now. Usually you only charge to around 80% from around 20% on fast chargers on trips, so you’ll have to stop. After getting robbed at the pump today I could wait 30 mins or so to charge to 80%
 
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I wonder how much those EV cars cost? Someone next door to where my sister lives has one.
 
I drive maybe 600 miles a month. The gas prices haven't impacted my driving. My wife commutes 600 miles a week. She prefers to work in the office because she has a lot of direct reports and the company IT infrastructure is way behind the times. However, she is letting some of her staff work at home a few days a week. It really depends on their role.

My car is nearly five years old but is in great shape. I typically view cars as tools that you keep until they wear out. I kept my last two cars nearly 250K miles. It would take me more than 25 years to hit that mileage mark at my current usage levels. Chances are I would be dead or would have given up driving by then. I suspect that if I get another new vehicle, it will be due more to the essential obsolescence of the ICE or an untimely demise (accident or theft). Right now, hybrids seem way more practical than EVs given my needs. This could change as technology evolves. Another factor is that my wife and I currently drive identical vehicles. We have had some thoughts that we might change that down the road. For instance, a small high-mpg vehicle for commuting and a bigger vehicle for camping and hauling.
 
I work from home, so I'm fortunate to be very lightly affected. But it definitely hasn't changed any of my plans. I notice the price difference, but it just isn't material enough to stop me from doing anything I want to do.

My company has allowed me to work from home since March 13th 2020. I love it. They actually get more hours from me and I DO NOT miss the120 round trip daily commute.

I used to drive 36k miles a year. Now it's like 2k, so the gas increase has not (selfishly) bothered me much.
 
I want to go out tonight but I'm staying in. I have a half a tank of gas and may have a job to do on Saturday. My van is a 2012 and I just paid it off last year. I don't know how many miles I drive a year. My money is low so I'm staying home tonight. With the van what $20-30 would do before is a joke now since the price increase.
 
My company has allowed me to work from home since March 13th 2020. I love it. They actually get more hours from me and I DO NOT miss the120 round trip daily commute.

I used to drive 36k miles a year. Now it's like 2k, so the gas increase has not (selfishly) bothered me much.

I'm in the same boat as you and have been working 100% remote about the same length of time. Remote absolutely saved my bacon. I have no idea what I would've done going thru the divorce and moving states and I'm just praying that my job situation stays the same going forward. The idea of trying to find a programming job at 57 and starting over with a new company is not something I want to deal with. Like you, my gas expense is massively different than if I had to drive in to work every day.