| Another Confusing Cody Column |
Gas Prices Won't
Budge, But You Can
Budge, But You Can
Area prices reach four dollars per gallon before summer ...
Not only is the rain making things miserable for spring sports, but perhaps the
quick absence of money from the fuel budget is also.
With not much sports going on, this column will take a detour from the usual high
school sports banter. However, what makes high school sports what it is today has
to do with its fans. They can't get to most games without driving there.
What's worse along with the constant change-in-plans when it comes to
rescheduled events, is the cost of the fuel that a vehicle needs in order to operate
and get places.
The area saw its record in the summer of 2008, at an average price of $4.25 per
gallon for 87-octane (self serve). That price whittled down to about $1.50 per
gallon when December came.
April is about to end, and summer still seems like a long way away. Summer is
when most people begin to travel on vacation, since school is not in session. We
may have a new record this summer. Then again, something could happen and we
may not. However, the possibility of a record is too great to ignore.
Three summers ago we didn't know where the apex would be. Now that people
have experienced the drama of dealing with high gas prices, we can get a feel for
where we may think the record may sit at. Five dollars for a gallon of 87-octane
fuel? Possible.
Here are some pointers to remember when dealing with the drama of high gas
prices ...
Determine The Volume of The Vehicle's Fuel Tank
This is easy to figure out. Fill up a near-empty tank at a post-pay island until the
pump triggers off (meaning your tank is full). Somewhere on the pump is a numeric
display showing how many gallons were dispensed in the tank. Remember this
number (which is the total volume of the fuel tank), or write it down somewhere in
your vehicle if remembering is tough to do.
To figure out how many gallons are left in the tank, take the total volume of the fuel
tank and study the vehicle's fuel meter (usually on the dashboard).
In a 16-gallon tank:
The halfway mark means there are about eight gallons remaining.
The 3/4-full mark means there are about 12 gallons remaining.
The 1/4-full mark means there are about four gallons remaining.
The 1/8-full mark means there are about two gallons remaining.
Halfway between the 1/8-full mark and the "E" mark means there is about one
gallon remaining.
Determine the remaining amount of fuel in the tank for each marker on the fuel
meter, using the "total volume" number as a guide. For a visual reminder, take the
back of any business card and make a table. Carry this table in your wallet, or tape
next to the dashboard, for future reference.
Figuring this out is important for a couple of reasons. As the price of fuel
increases, so do the number of gas station drive-offs (those who leave without
paying for their fuel). One of the ways to combat this problem is making every
pump "prepay," meaning cash or check customers need to purchase the fuel
before dispensing it into their vehicles. Figuring out how much fuel to put in the car
takes the work of the knowledge of these numbers, and perhaps a calculator.
Please note that gas station clerks cannot simply deactivate the prepay setup to
the words of "But I want to fill it up." The math will not always fill the tank up
completely, but even 15/16ths of a tank filled with fuel will not hurt anything.
The other reason will be mentioned later on.
Know Your Vehicle's Mile-Per-Gallon Rate
Most vehicles with a built-in computer can figure out how many miles can be driven
on a gallon of fuel. Older cars do not have that, and drivers of those types have to
figure it out manually.
To determine a vehicle's mile-per-gallon rate, the fuel tank needs to be filled up.
Record the main odometer number, or reset the trip odometer to zero. Run the fuel
close to completely dry, without putting more in. Before you refill the tank, take the
total miles driven since the last fill-up and divide that by the number of gallons the
vehicle's tank holds. The solution is the average number of miles per gallon
burned by the vehicle's engine.
If the table from the previous tip is being used, add another column to it for
determining a rough number of how many miles are burned, or have yet to be
burned.
Story Problem Time ...
If you're making a round-trip to a road game located 35 miles from where you're at,
what is the total cost of fuel for this particular trip (just point-A to point-B and back)
if the cheapest gas station at your starting point is at $3.999 per gallon, and your
gas mileage is 21 miles per gallon?
1. Total trip is 70 miles (35 x 2 = 70).
2. The number of gallons burned for the trip is 3 1/3 (70 / 21 = 3 1/3).
3. Take 3 1/3 and multiply by $3.999 (answer is $13.33).
It's a good idea to round up to the nearest dollar when there are cents involved
(making this answer $14.00). Plus, if you know you're making an additional stop(s)
in between, add in a couple of dollars for an insurance cushion.
If these trips are routine, you can determine a gallon-per-trip amount which can be
converted into a cost-per-trip amount depending on the price of gas.
Finding The Best Price, and Driving To It
Sometimes a few cents do matter when it comes to a budget. The savings can add
up well. When factored in with the time to do it, there are some situations where
you can come out ahead if you drive a few miles from home just to get fuel.
In the area, no better example of this is evident than crossing the Mississippi River
into either Davenport, Bettendorf, Clinton, Sabula or Dubuque.
As of this writing, the cheapest price along the river in Iowa is in Bettendorf at
$3.62 per gallon for the 89-octane fuel (with 10% ethanol).The average price in
Moline is $4.09 for the 89-octane fuel. Thirty-seven cents is the difference (27 for
87-octane). But is it worth driving across the I-74 bridge just for fuel, and to save
some money? If you knew how many miles it takes to drive to that particular
station, simply do the math (like the story problem above) and figure it out.
Several other discrepancies exist when it comes to the locations of gas prices.
Common sense dictates that the prices are higher once you travel more toward
Chicagoland. This is not always the case. Be careful of taking that theory as
gospel, and compare prices.
Shopping Around, And Then Some
Saving money isn't the only way to ease the worry about high gas prices. There
are several other pointers that can assist one's fueling experience.
*If you are paying at the pump with any type of card, please make sure you get a
receipt. It's the only way you know the transaction took place. If you do not get a
receipt at the pump, one should be given to you directly from the clerk.
*Know your debit balance before pumping fuel with a debit card. If your balance is
under $100, it is best to pump your fuel first, and then pay inside.
*Respect the fact that banks do place a hold (likely $75.00) on your debit card if it
is used at the pump. Arguing to the clerk is not going to change this fact. This is to
assure you don't run negative in your account. The station, and your bank, doesn't
know how much to charge you until after the fuel is dispensed.
*If the stripe on your card is gold-on-gold (ex. American Express Gold) or silver-on-
silver (ex. Citi MasterCard), your card may not be readable on older pumps. Take
the effort to make sure your card reads and your transaction official.
*Never just assume your card has been read by the machine. Take the time to
make sure your card was read. Half of reported drive-offs are by those who simply
assumed their card was read, but was not.
*There are also certain places with fine print. Most displayed prices in the Rockford
area may be lower than what you actually pay. Certain Shell and Road Ranger
stations have a cash discount for that method of payment. Certain Phillips 66
stations display a price about 10 cents cheaper than the next station over.
However, the discount is only if you purchase a car wash at the station. Take the
time to notice the fine print.
*When using a fleet card (Wright Express, Voyager, etc.), be sure to remember
your "driver number" and your "odometer number," as this information will be
requested before your transaction is complete. Also be sure to notice if your fleet
card is accepted at the gas station.
**Other tips are welcomed, just visit NISB's Open Forum for discussion on fueling
experience tips.
Cody Cutter is the Publisher of Northern Illinois Sports Beat, has logged
thousands of miles covering Illinois high school sports, and is NISB's gas station
expert. He can be reached at Northernillinoissportsbeat (at) yahoo (dot) com. ---
Talk about what's written on our Message Boards!
quick absence of money from the fuel budget is also.
With not much sports going on, this column will take a detour from the usual high
school sports banter. However, what makes high school sports what it is today has
to do with its fans. They can't get to most games without driving there.
What's worse along with the constant change-in-plans when it comes to
rescheduled events, is the cost of the fuel that a vehicle needs in order to operate
and get places.
The area saw its record in the summer of 2008, at an average price of $4.25 per
gallon for 87-octane (self serve). That price whittled down to about $1.50 per
gallon when December came.
April is about to end, and summer still seems like a long way away. Summer is
when most people begin to travel on vacation, since school is not in session. We
may have a new record this summer. Then again, something could happen and we
may not. However, the possibility of a record is too great to ignore.
Three summers ago we didn't know where the apex would be. Now that people
have experienced the drama of dealing with high gas prices, we can get a feel for
where we may think the record may sit at. Five dollars for a gallon of 87-octane
fuel? Possible.
Here are some pointers to remember when dealing with the drama of high gas
prices ...
Determine The Volume of The Vehicle's Fuel Tank
This is easy to figure out. Fill up a near-empty tank at a post-pay island until the
pump triggers off (meaning your tank is full). Somewhere on the pump is a numeric
display showing how many gallons were dispensed in the tank. Remember this
number (which is the total volume of the fuel tank), or write it down somewhere in
your vehicle if remembering is tough to do.
To figure out how many gallons are left in the tank, take the total volume of the fuel
tank and study the vehicle's fuel meter (usually on the dashboard).
In a 16-gallon tank:
The halfway mark means there are about eight gallons remaining.
The 3/4-full mark means there are about 12 gallons remaining.
The 1/4-full mark means there are about four gallons remaining.
The 1/8-full mark means there are about two gallons remaining.
Halfway between the 1/8-full mark and the "E" mark means there is about one
gallon remaining.
Determine the remaining amount of fuel in the tank for each marker on the fuel
meter, using the "total volume" number as a guide. For a visual reminder, take the
back of any business card and make a table. Carry this table in your wallet, or tape
next to the dashboard, for future reference.
Figuring this out is important for a couple of reasons. As the price of fuel
increases, so do the number of gas station drive-offs (those who leave without
paying for their fuel). One of the ways to combat this problem is making every
pump "prepay," meaning cash or check customers need to purchase the fuel
before dispensing it into their vehicles. Figuring out how much fuel to put in the car
takes the work of the knowledge of these numbers, and perhaps a calculator.
Please note that gas station clerks cannot simply deactivate the prepay setup to
the words of "But I want to fill it up." The math will not always fill the tank up
completely, but even 15/16ths of a tank filled with fuel will not hurt anything.
The other reason will be mentioned later on.
Know Your Vehicle's Mile-Per-Gallon Rate
Most vehicles with a built-in computer can figure out how many miles can be driven
on a gallon of fuel. Older cars do not have that, and drivers of those types have to
figure it out manually.
To determine a vehicle's mile-per-gallon rate, the fuel tank needs to be filled up.
Record the main odometer number, or reset the trip odometer to zero. Run the fuel
close to completely dry, without putting more in. Before you refill the tank, take the
total miles driven since the last fill-up and divide that by the number of gallons the
vehicle's tank holds. The solution is the average number of miles per gallon
burned by the vehicle's engine.
If the table from the previous tip is being used, add another column to it for
determining a rough number of how many miles are burned, or have yet to be
burned.
Story Problem Time ...
If you're making a round-trip to a road game located 35 miles from where you're at,
what is the total cost of fuel for this particular trip (just point-A to point-B and back)
if the cheapest gas station at your starting point is at $3.999 per gallon, and your
gas mileage is 21 miles per gallon?
1. Total trip is 70 miles (35 x 2 = 70).
2. The number of gallons burned for the trip is 3 1/3 (70 / 21 = 3 1/3).
3. Take 3 1/3 and multiply by $3.999 (answer is $13.33).
It's a good idea to round up to the nearest dollar when there are cents involved
(making this answer $14.00). Plus, if you know you're making an additional stop(s)
in between, add in a couple of dollars for an insurance cushion.
If these trips are routine, you can determine a gallon-per-trip amount which can be
converted into a cost-per-trip amount depending on the price of gas.
Finding The Best Price, and Driving To It
Sometimes a few cents do matter when it comes to a budget. The savings can add
up well. When factored in with the time to do it, there are some situations where
you can come out ahead if you drive a few miles from home just to get fuel.
In the area, no better example of this is evident than crossing the Mississippi River
into either Davenport, Bettendorf, Clinton, Sabula or Dubuque.
As of this writing, the cheapest price along the river in Iowa is in Bettendorf at
$3.62 per gallon for the 89-octane fuel (with 10% ethanol).The average price in
Moline is $4.09 for the 89-octane fuel. Thirty-seven cents is the difference (27 for
87-octane). But is it worth driving across the I-74 bridge just for fuel, and to save
some money? If you knew how many miles it takes to drive to that particular
station, simply do the math (like the story problem above) and figure it out.
Several other discrepancies exist when it comes to the locations of gas prices.
Common sense dictates that the prices are higher once you travel more toward
Chicagoland. This is not always the case. Be careful of taking that theory as
gospel, and compare prices.
Shopping Around, And Then Some
Saving money isn't the only way to ease the worry about high gas prices. There
are several other pointers that can assist one's fueling experience.
*If you are paying at the pump with any type of card, please make sure you get a
receipt. It's the only way you know the transaction took place. If you do not get a
receipt at the pump, one should be given to you directly from the clerk.
*Know your debit balance before pumping fuel with a debit card. If your balance is
under $100, it is best to pump your fuel first, and then pay inside.
*Respect the fact that banks do place a hold (likely $75.00) on your debit card if it
is used at the pump. Arguing to the clerk is not going to change this fact. This is to
assure you don't run negative in your account. The station, and your bank, doesn't
know how much to charge you until after the fuel is dispensed.
*If the stripe on your card is gold-on-gold (ex. American Express Gold) or silver-on-
silver (ex. Citi MasterCard), your card may not be readable on older pumps. Take
the effort to make sure your card reads and your transaction official.
*Never just assume your card has been read by the machine. Take the time to
make sure your card was read. Half of reported drive-offs are by those who simply
assumed their card was read, but was not.
*There are also certain places with fine print. Most displayed prices in the Rockford
area may be lower than what you actually pay. Certain Shell and Road Ranger
stations have a cash discount for that method of payment. Certain Phillips 66
stations display a price about 10 cents cheaper than the next station over.
However, the discount is only if you purchase a car wash at the station. Take the
time to notice the fine print.
*When using a fleet card (Wright Express, Voyager, etc.), be sure to remember
your "driver number" and your "odometer number," as this information will be
requested before your transaction is complete. Also be sure to notice if your fleet
card is accepted at the gas station.
**Other tips are welcomed, just visit NISB's Open Forum for discussion on fueling
experience tips.
Cody Cutter is the Publisher of Northern Illinois Sports Beat, has logged
thousands of miles covering Illinois high school sports, and is NISB's gas station
expert. He can be reached at Northernillinoissportsbeat (at) yahoo (dot) com. ---
Talk about what's written on our Message Boards!
| Northern Illinois Sports Beat http://www.northernillinoissportsbeat.com |
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