Ilyce Glink's BlogWelcome to Ilyce Glink's blog! Here you'll find Ilyce's latest insights on personal finance advice, real estate advice and consumer issues. Come back often for timely and interesting posts on a wide variety of topics. Sunday, September 28, 2008 Today on the Ilyce Glink Show -- September 28, 2008 No Gas in Atlanta and a Budget Deal in CongressWe woke up this morning to the news that the gas lines in Atlanta don't seem any shorter -- thanks to four refineries still being offline as a result of the recent hurricanes. Labels: Credit crisis, Gas, WSB
posted by Ilyce Glink at 10:49 AM
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Wednesday, August 27, 2008 Commuters Persist in Driving Alone
A recent survey found: -One in four (26%) working Americans say they have made adjustments to their commuting habits in the last year to deal with the increased cost of getting to work. -Despite this, however, eight in 10 (84%) say their primary mode of transportation for getting to work is still their car, which they drive alone. -Just 5 percent of workers carpool, and reliance on public transportation is still very low. Only 2 percent of workers take the train or subway as their primary transportation to get to work, while another 3 percent ride the bus. -And whether they're the majority driving the highways or the minority taking public transportation, the typical American worker commutes an average of 13.9 miles one way--with one in five (19%) traveling more than 25 miles to get to work. Ipsos Public Affairs surveyed more than 1,000 hourly and salaried workers on behalf of SnagAJob.com. Labels: Cars, commute, driving, Gas, gas prices
posted by Melanie G. Rogers at 3:08 PM
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1 Comments:People want a solution to the high price of gas, but they do not want to be inconvenienced.
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Friday, June 20, 2008 Truth vs. Fiction in Saving Gas
You may have seen an email about creative ways to save gas, but apparently some of them provide minimal benefit. NADAguides.com announced today that some of the new tips won't help you much. For example, people say not to weigh down your car with stuff. But for this to actually help, you have to remove about 100 lbs. of goods. Of course you can still clean out your car to remove some of the clutter in your life, but don't expect that to help you save gas. Some say you should fill up your tank when temperatures are coolest, but apparently the temperature in a gas station's underground storage tank remains fairly constant so your savings won't be much. "For a 20-gallon gas tank, a one-degree rise means about a 0.08 gallon change or about 32 cents total savings when gas prices are at $4 per gallon," explains Dr. Richard Cohen, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Temple University. Filling up when your tank is half empty and using the slowest pump speed also provide small savings, according to Cohen. He says doing this, which is supposed to minimize the vapors in your gas tank, will save you 10 to 30 cents on filling up a 20 gallon tank at $4 a gallon. So what does work? Driving slow and steady. "I've seen improvements in gas mileage of up to 15 percent when driving at 65 mph versus 75 mph," says Tara Baukus Mello, a NADAguides.com market analyst. "The least aerodynamic vehicles, such as SUVs, tend to have the biggest improvements." Coasting to a stop can also help save gas. Don't idle. If you find yourself waiting a long time at an ATM or drive thru shut off your car. If you drive a hybrid car you're probably already there, as many shut off the gas motor when you stop. Keep your tires properly inflated. Mello says this can save you up to 10 percent. To find out the correct tire pressure for your car check your owners' manual or inside the driver's side door where it may be printed on a sticker. OPEC continues to debate whether to increase oil production and this morning a barrel of oil cost more than $135. In addition, demand in China keeps going up, so relief at the gas pump may not be happening anytime soon. Labels: auto, auto mileage, Cars, Gas, gas prices
posted by Melanie G. Rogers at 8:48 AM
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008 More People Want to Live in the City, Says Coldwell Banker
I love telling my out-of-town friends and family how I'm able to walk to the supermarket. And the dry cleaner. And that I can catch the bus or the train to get to places. My aversion to driving is one of the big reasons I choose to live in the city. Apparently I'm not alone. Coldwell Banker recently announced that more home buyers say they want to live in the city. Seventy-eight percent of 903 urban agents surveyed said that clients are requesting to live in the city because of rising fuel costs. In addition, 81 percent say their clients want to shorten their commute to work. Fifty-four percent say clients say access to public transportation is appealing. Of those polled, 75 percent agree that being able to walk to places is a positive. Some other interesting stats are that 84 percent of agents said they saw an increase in requests for properties with a home office. Sixty-four percent say clients want green features in their housing and another 42 percent say clients ask to save energy. Housing seems to be the place where people try to live out their values. As energy prices continue to go up and eco-friendly living becomes a greater concern, I think we will continue to see more young professionals moving to the city. Labels: Coldwell Banker, environment, Gas, gas prices, Home Buyers
posted by Melanie G. Rogers at 12:31 PM
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Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Gas Surpasses Clothes in Teen Credit Card Expenses
Apparently getting somewhere is becoming more important than looking cool. Teens spend more money on gas than they do on clothes when they use their credit cards, according to a poll from Junior Achievement and the Allstate Foundation. Nearly 70 percent of teens use credit cards to buy gas, up from 52 percent in 2007 and 46 percent in 2006. The percentage of teens whose parents pay the credit card bills has also increased. Thirteen percent of teens' parents now pay those bills, up from 11 percent last year. Pollsters talked to 712 teens in February and March 2008 for this survey. Labels: Cars, credit cards, financial education, Gas
posted by Melanie G. Rogers at 3:20 PM
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008 Oil Price Falls, Americans Drive Less
Crude oil fell this morning by more than $2 a barrel on decreasing demand due to a slowing economy and record energy prices, Bloomberg News reported. The crude oil futures were $130.12 at 11:24 a.m. EDT, down nearly $5 from the May 22 high of $135.09. Over Memorial Day weekend, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas was $3.936, up from $3.23 last year, according to AAA. In other news, the U.S. Department of Transportation released figures from March that show the steepest decline in driving since 1942. Americans drove 11 billion fewer miles than a year earlier. Or 4.3 percent less. Tell us how your driving habits have changed. Labels: driving, Gas, gas prices, oil, oil futures
posted by Melanie G. Rogers at 2:22 PM
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Wednesday, May 21, 2008 What's the Best Way to Work While Facing High Gas Prices?I think gas has increased by at least 70 cents a gallon since I started working this past September. It's certainly not been easy. Labels: auto, Cars, commute, employer, Gas
posted by Melanie G. Rogers at 2:46 PM
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Monday, April 21, 2008 Consumers Want Better Gas Mileage
Do you know anybody who doesn't want better gas mileage? I don't. But, apparently only 73 percent of those surveyed by the Consumer Federation of America want that. Or will admit to it. And auto makers have not met the demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles, according to the survey. CFA says auto makers won't build greener cars until Congress passes legislation stipulating a standard of at least 35 miles per gallon. I venture to say that if consumers stopped buying gas guzzling cars, auto makers would suddenly see the light, even if there were no law. The percentage of Americans concerned about dependence on foreign oil stands at 60 percent. Still, consumers spent $600 more on gas so far this year, as compared with first quarter 2002, CFA announced. I don't think it's a matter of people not caring or not wanting to save on gas and oil. It may be a matter of not having a choice. Most folks have to go to work and in most cases that means commuting. If you live in an area without good public transportation you don't have an alternative. And as the economy slows down people may choose to keep their inefficient cars rather than buy a new car or go into debt to get one. Note: On behalf of CFA, the Opinion Research Corporation interviewed 1,004 Americans the first week of April this year. Melanie G. Rogers ThinkGlink.com Labels: auto mileage, Cars, consumer federation of america, Gas
posted by Ilyce Glink at 4:10 PM
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Thursday, December 20, 2007 Congress Ups Auto Fuel Economy to 35 Miles Per Gallon
As mentioned on the Clark Howard Show: Congress voted this week to raise the fuel efficiency for cars to 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020. That's a 40 percent increase. Democrats estimate the requirements will save motorists $700 to $1,000 in fuel costs. The bill also requires increased ethanol use to 36 billion gallons per year by 2022 and increased production from non-corn sources such as switchgrass and wood chips. For more information: Labels: Cars, Clark Howard, Congress, Gas, WSB
posted by Ilyce Glink at 1:55 PM
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Friday, March 09, 2007 Updating from March 8, 2007 Clark Howard ShowWant to save money on gas? Check out www.cheapskateshopping.com. The website bills itself as being "professional cheapskates" and they have great information on various credit cards that give you cash back and other deals when you purchase gas (and other items). Labels: Clark Howard, credit cards, Gas, Technology, WSB
posted by Ilyce Glink at 1:22 PM
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