School is back in session. From kindergarteners to college, students are heading back to class, which means tons of additional time spent traveling in the car for students and parents. Gas prices are 20 percent higher than this time last year, increasing the cost of all of our trips, so we’ve got you covered with tips to save time and money on the way to and from class.
Drive carefully to save money
Whether you’re speeding towards a late class or you’re stuck in traffic, driving carefully can save you money. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), aggressive driving including hard-braking, speeding, and rapid acceleration is the quickest way to waste gas and can lower gas mileage by as much as 40 percent, costing you hundreds of extra dollars on gasoline every year. Driving carefully will also put less wear-and-tear on your vehicle, saving you from expensive repairs.
Set up your alerts
Making sure you know ahead of time whether a professor has canceled class due to sickness or poor weather can save you a wasted trip (and wasted gas), especially when you live far away from campus. So make sure you check your email, and set up the proper alerts to get the right information in a timely matter.
Plan ahead
Knowing your average commute time and the best places to park on campus will save you tons of time and stress. The same rings true for buying gas! When you’re running on empty and pull into the nearest gas station, you could be paying 20-40 cents more per gallon than if you planned your route ahead of time to fill-up at a better-priced gas station.
Pack the essentials
Your car becomes your second home when you commute to school and making sure you have everything you need for class and beyond in your vehicle will make life much easier. That means an emergency kit, a spare tire, snacks, a change of clothes, extra chargers and rain/snow gear.
Save money on gas with every fill up
While you save on room and board by commuting to school, gas expenses can take a big bite out of your wallet. Programs like Pay with GasBuddy give you a discount on every gallon of gas you will ever pump and works just like a regular card at thousands of stations nationwide. It’s completely secure and no credit card application is required. Bonus: signing up only takes a minute.
Did we miss any back-to-school tips? Let us know in the comments!