When Gas is Cheap, Life is a Little More Relaxed
It always feels better when gas is cheap! It gives us a sense of freedom, being able to travel and explore more. And we feel a little comfort in our monthly bills.
New Car Time?
Is now a good time for a larger car? Perhaps that SUV you’ve had your eye on is a bit more in your “range?” Maybe the family could use a mini van but you worried about the fuel cost? Midlife crisis or not, a high performance sports car would be pretty sweet right about now!
If you’re thinking about a new vehicle, I’ll bet you’re thinking “upsize.” I’m not one to burst a bubble, so I’ll ease you into this conversation. AAA says that the average cost of owning and operating a car is about $9,000 per year. Of that amount, about $400 is fuel cost. Not a huge chunk of the budget, so it really doesn’t matter if it’s cut in half or more. Don’t get me wrong, I love going to the gas station and filling up my car for less than $25. But, unless you drive for a living, have a crazy commute or children that insist on extracurricular activities at opposite ends of the state, you probably won’t notice a huge surplus of money at the end of the month. If conventional wisdom had anything to do with it, we would see lower food, consumer good and travel prices (to name a few) with the fuel cost minimized. However, economics haven’t been conventional for a long time!
If gas prices were the ONLY tipping point you worried about when choosing a car, then now is your time. Bentley recently introduced their SUV, The Bentayga. It’s estimated to get 14mpg city and 20mpg highway, but if the only thing that was holding you back from the fastest SUV on the planet, you are cleared for take off!
