With increased summer travel expected in 2015, national financial education nonprofit provides tips for how consumers can live without a car.
Boston, MA – June 19, 2015
The temperature is beginning to rise, and so are gas prices. After a long and often brutal winter, consumers are likely to take advantage of the nice weather this summer to go on road trips and travel the open roads. There are, however, ways to avoid being burdened by the expensive gas prices that come along with driving a car. As part of National Dump the Pump Day on June 19th, American Consumer Credit Counseling has developed smart and savvy ways to ditch your vehicle this summer.
“It’s usually during the summer months when consumers notice the cost of driving is depleting their wallets and adding to their monthly expenses,” said Steve Trumble, President and CEO of ACCC, which is based in Newton, Mass. “While gas prices have risen during the past several months, there are several smart and easy steps individuals can take to reduce their driving expenses. Consumers can take steps to save money on driving by carpooling, taking public transportation, or riding a bike.”
Owning a car is expensive, and costs an average of $8,876 a year, assuming you drive 15,000 miles per year, according to AAA. Even if consumers drive half of that distance they will be saving almost $4,500 a year. There are many ways consumers can avoid the effects of gas prices, insurance fees and repairs that come with driving. Consumers should look for alternative ways of transportation and avoid making unnecessary road trips. ACCC offers 5 ways to leave the car behind this summer:
Use Public Transportation
Using public transportation is a great way to avoid the gas station. Taking the train or bus to work helps the environment and your wallet – see how much money you can save through public transportation with this fuel saving calculator.
Carpool
If you can’t drop the car completely, try carpooling as an alternative. Carpooling saves money and reduces congestion on our roads and highways. According to carinsurance.org, Americans save a combined $1.1 billion each year on carpooling. It also gives you the opportunity to develop new friendships with co-workers or other commuters while being environmentally friendly.
Bike
Bike sharing options are becoming trendier in urban areas. In recent years, bike shares have launched in Boston (Hubway), Chicago (Divvy Bikes), New York (Citibike), Philadelphia (Indego) and other U.S. cities. Bike sharing increases your options for getting around without having to take on the expense of owning and maintaining a vehicle.
Walk
Walking to nearby locations won’t just save you money, it also comes with some significant health benefits, including maintaining a healthy weight, improved mood, stronger bones, and reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Work from home
More than 30 million people work from a home office at least once a week, according to a recent study from Telework Research Network. And that number is expected to increase by 63 percent by 2018. A big reason for the increase may be cost savings, both for employees and employers.
ACCC is a 501(c)3 organization that provides free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management. For more information, contact ACCC:
- For credit counseling, call 800-769-3571
- For bankruptcy counseling, call 866-826-6924
- For housing counseling, call 866-826-7180
- Or visit us online at ConsumerCredit.com
About American Consumer Credit Counseling
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management and debt relief through education, credit counseling, and debt management solutions. ACCC provides individuals with practical debt solutions for solving financial problems and recognizes that consumers’ financial difficulties are often not the result of poor spending habits, but more frequently from extenuating circumstances beyond their control. As one of the nation’s leading providers of financial education and credit counseling services, ACCC’s certified credit advisors work with consumers to help them determine the best plan of action to get out of debt and regain financial stability. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. For more information or to access free financial education resources, log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit TalkingCentsBlog.com.
