12 ms·

I always fill up myself because I hate filling up any more than I have to, but when it costs the equivalent of $70 to fill even a tiny car or $140 for a large c

I always fill up myself because I hate filling up any more than I have to, but when it costs the equivalent of $70 to fill even a tiny car or $140 for a large car, no, it's pretty common to just buy "what you need" for the next few days or whatever.

danuker 5y ago
I'd rather keep my money in fuel than cash, in the off chance hyperinflation strikes, triggering a bank holiday, without me having any physical cash. But so far this has happened 0 times since I have a car.
- nicoburns 5y ago
  That's great if you have the money to spare, but not everyone does.
  - danuker 5y ago
    If you don't have money for fuel, I warmly recommend learning about hypermiling. The main ideas are not to step on the gas pedal more than say, 30%, and use the smallest car for the job.
    - fignews 5y ago
      Don’t forget coasting. On a modern fuel-injected car there is no fuel injected into the cylinder while coasting.
      - nly 5y ago
        If you're referring to coasting out of gear then that is incredibly dangerous
        nicoburns 5y ago
        May I ask why? The breaks still work out of gear.
  - adventured 5y ago
    If you have money to spare, you're also not going to be able to keep a meaningful share of it contained in filled-up household vehicles, even if you own several of them (such that it'll actually function as a sum large enough to offset hyperinflation in any way that matters).
- throw8383833jj 5y ago
  But, don't forget that evaporation will be greater by maintaining a full tanks. Besides, you don't want your fuel aging more than 6 or 12 months. So, if you drive less than 40 miles per month (as in a pandemic), it can make sense to just fill up 1/2 way or 3/4.
Ajedi32 5y ago
Still seems odd to me. Whether it's $70 a week or $140 every two weeks the total is the same. Only difference is how many stops you have to make, and maybe a 1% difference to the average weight of the vehicle.
- dev_tty01 5y ago
  It is odd to you because you have never had to live paycheck to paycheck. Many people are barely getting to the next pay day so that extra $70 the first week means less food that week.
  - Ajedi32 5y ago
    True, if you have literally $0 cash on hand then it could make sense. If you ever get your hands on $70 though that seems like a worthwhile investment to spend ~50% less time at the gas station for the remainder of your life. Probably one of the more cost efficient quality-of-life purchases you could make in my opinion, which is why I find it odd that it's not more common (apparently).
    - oh_sigh 5y ago
      But "time at gas station" is only like 3 mins per visit though. Yes it's not where you want to be but in absolute time terms it isn't much, especially if a gas station is on your typical travel route
    - dev_tty01 5y ago
      Of course it is never quite that simple. When people are cash strapped and under stress, pure unemotional logic may not drive all decisions. Making a $140 purchase when you know you can get by in the short term with a smaller purchase just doesn't add up to a person in that situation.
    - maxerickson 5y ago
      You aren't addressing the situation the people are in. They are constantly choosing which need to address with the funds they have at present, not simply deferring the purchase of one half tank of gas. Building a small financial buffer would likely improve their situation a great deal. It seems likely that it isn't always the case that the lack of buffer is a choice...

danuker 5y ago

I'd rather keep my money in fuel than cash, in the off chance hyperinflation strikes, triggering a bank holiday, without me having any physical cash. But so far this has happened 0 times since I have a car.

nicoburns 5y ago
That's great if you have the money to spare, but not everyone does.
- danuker 5y ago
  If you don't have money for fuel, I warmly recommend learning about hypermiling. The main ideas are not to step on the gas pedal more than say, 30%, and use the smallest car for the job.
  - fignews 5y ago
    Don’t forget coasting. On a modern fuel-injected car there is no fuel injected into the cylinder while coasting.
    - nly 5y ago
      If you're referring to coasting out of gear then that is incredibly dangerous
      - nicoburns 5y ago
        May I ask why? The breaks still work out of gear.
- adventured 5y ago
  If you have money to spare, you're also not going to be able to keep a meaningful share of it contained in filled-up household vehicles, even if you own several of them (such that it'll actually function as a sum large enough to offset hyperinflation in any way that matters).
throw8383833jj 5y ago
But, don't forget that evaporation will be greater by maintaining a full tanks. Besides, you don't want your fuel aging more than 6 or 12 months. So, if you drive less than 40 miles per month (as in a pandemic), it can make sense to just fill up 1/2 way or 3/4.

Ajedi32 5y ago

Still seems odd to me. Whether it's $70 a week or $140 every two weeks the total is the same. Only difference is how many stops you have to make, and maybe a 1% difference to the average weight of the vehicle.

dev_tty01 5y ago
It is odd to you because you have never had to live paycheck to paycheck. Many people are barely getting to the next pay day so that extra $70 the first week means less food that week.
- Ajedi32 5y ago
  True, if you have literally $0 cash on hand then it could make sense. If you ever get your hands on $70 though that seems like a worthwhile investment to spend ~50% less time at the gas station for the remainder of your life. Probably one of the more cost efficient quality-of-life purchases you could make in my opinion, which is why I find it odd that it's not more common (apparently).
  - oh_sigh 5y ago
    But "time at gas station" is only like 3 mins per visit though. Yes it's not where you want to be but in absolute time terms it isn't much, especially if a gas station is on your typical travel route
  - dev_tty01 5y ago
    Of course it is never quite that simple. When people are cash strapped and under stress, pure unemotional logic may not drive all decisions. Making a $140 purchase when you know you can get by in the short term with a smaller purchase just doesn't add up to a person in that situation.
  - maxerickson 5y ago
    You aren't addressing the situation the people are in. They are constantly choosing which need to address with the funds they have at present, not simply deferring the purchase of one half tank of gas. Building a small financial buffer would likely improve their situation a great deal. It seems likely that it isn't always the case that the lack of buffer is a choice...