Gas Calculator For Your Vacation
Determine Your Gas Costs with a Gas Calculator. The first step you need
to take is to determine how much your vacation gas costs will be for your entire
trip, and a gas calculator will help you accomplish this.
One of the most popular gas calculators is provided by AAA. It allows you to input the make, model and year of your vehicle, as well as your starting and ending cities. Then the AAA gas calculator will provide you with both a one-way and round-trip fuel cost estimate. This gas calculator is somewhat limited in that you are only able to choose from major metropolitan destinations. If you are leaving or traveling outside of these areas, you will have to estimate and add your additional gas costs to compensate.
One of our favorite gas calculators is available at DrivePricing.com. It allows you to input specific starting and destination locations, by address, zip code, city or state. It calculates mileage based on Google Maps technology, so will provide more accurate mileage estimate.
This gas calculator also allows you to input your own gas mileage, and as most drivers know, you don't always achieve the maximum. Additional options include being able to choose which grade of fuel you plan to purchase, and whether your drive will be one-way or round-trip.
One of the most popular gas calculators is provided by AAA. It allows you to input the make, model and year of your vehicle, as well as your starting and ending cities. Then the AAA gas calculator will provide you with both a one-way and round-trip fuel cost estimate. This gas calculator is somewhat limited in that you are only able to choose from major metropolitan destinations. If you are leaving or traveling outside of these areas, you will have to estimate and add your additional gas costs to compensate.
One of our favorite gas calculators is available at DrivePricing.com. It allows you to input specific starting and destination locations, by address, zip code, city or state. It calculates mileage based on Google Maps technology, so will provide more accurate mileage estimate.
This gas calculator also allows you to input your own gas mileage, and as most drivers know, you don't always achieve the maximum. Additional options include being able to choose which grade of fuel you plan to purchase, and whether your drive will be one-way or round-trip.
Compare Gas Calculator Results
Let's
compare results from both the gas calculators for a round-trip from Cleveland
(zip code 44122) to South Beach (zip code 33139) in a 2000 Ford Taurus using
standard gasoline.
AAA gas calculator results:
o 2,450 total miles
o 116.66 gallons used
o $472.26 total fuel cost
DrivePricing.com gas calculator results:
o 2,493.07 total miles
o $4.11 price per gallon
o 25 miles per gallon
o $409.86 total fuel cost
Since the first example doesn't include gas price and mileage estimates, it's difficult to compare apple to apples. However, the discrepancy is probably a combination of factors, and it would be safe to assume that your fuel costs will fall within a $400 to $500 range for the round-trip. If you plan on doing any sight-seeing or other driving while you are on vacation, you will also have to calculate and add those costs to this total.
The next step is to divide the total gas cost by the number of people traveling to determine the gas cost per person. For example, if you are driving with a group of four friends and the total gas cost is $600, the gas cost per person would be $150 each. If only two people will be taking the trip by car, the total gas cost per person would be $300 each.
Compare Alternative Transportation Prices
Now that you know the average gas cost per person, you'll be able to compare this to the cost of alternative transportation available to your destinations, like airline flights, Amtrak and Greyhound.
Round-trip airline flights from Cleveland to Miami are as low as $200 right now, which means that even with an added baggage fee and possible car rental fees, if would cost less for a group of two to fly, rather, than drive to Miami. You'll not only save a little bit of money, but you'll have more time to enjoy your beach vacation. However, at nearly $1,000 for flights, it's more economical for a group of four to drive.
Gas Costs Still Too High? Find Out Where You Can Afford to Go
If you're budget is not large enough to accommodate your planned vacation this year, consider an alternative destination - one closer to home.
One way to do this is determine your budget first. Let's say you have $1000 set aside for your vacation. After budgeting for hotel rooms, attraction fees and meals, you have about $300 left for fuel.
You can work the math equation backward to determine how far you can travel by car, and then choose your destination within that radius:
o $300 / $4.11 per gallon = 73 gallons
o 73 gallons * 25 mpg = 1,825 miles round-trip, or 912 each way
Depending on your interests and time availability, you could plan a closer vacation to Jacksonville, Fla.; Hilton Head, N.C.; Chicago, Ill.; the Hamptons (Long Island), N.Y. or a variety of other places,. There are plenty of activities, ranging from theme parks, national parks and beaches to historical attractions within your allotted 912 miles that will make a good vacation destination.
AAA gas calculator results:
o 2,450 total miles
o 116.66 gallons used
o $472.26 total fuel cost
DrivePricing.com gas calculator results:
o 2,493.07 total miles
o $4.11 price per gallon
o 25 miles per gallon
o $409.86 total fuel cost
Since the first example doesn't include gas price and mileage estimates, it's difficult to compare apple to apples. However, the discrepancy is probably a combination of factors, and it would be safe to assume that your fuel costs will fall within a $400 to $500 range for the round-trip. If you plan on doing any sight-seeing or other driving while you are on vacation, you will also have to calculate and add those costs to this total.
The next step is to divide the total gas cost by the number of people traveling to determine the gas cost per person. For example, if you are driving with a group of four friends and the total gas cost is $600, the gas cost per person would be $150 each. If only two people will be taking the trip by car, the total gas cost per person would be $300 each.
Compare Alternative Transportation Prices
Now that you know the average gas cost per person, you'll be able to compare this to the cost of alternative transportation available to your destinations, like airline flights, Amtrak and Greyhound.
Round-trip airline flights from Cleveland to Miami are as low as $200 right now, which means that even with an added baggage fee and possible car rental fees, if would cost less for a group of two to fly, rather, than drive to Miami. You'll not only save a little bit of money, but you'll have more time to enjoy your beach vacation. However, at nearly $1,000 for flights, it's more economical for a group of four to drive.
Gas Costs Still Too High? Find Out Where You Can Afford to Go
If you're budget is not large enough to accommodate your planned vacation this year, consider an alternative destination - one closer to home.
One way to do this is determine your budget first. Let's say you have $1000 set aside for your vacation. After budgeting for hotel rooms, attraction fees and meals, you have about $300 left for fuel.
You can work the math equation backward to determine how far you can travel by car, and then choose your destination within that radius:
o $300 / $4.11 per gallon = 73 gallons
o 73 gallons * 25 mpg = 1,825 miles round-trip, or 912 each way
Depending on your interests and time availability, you could plan a closer vacation to Jacksonville, Fla.; Hilton Head, N.C.; Chicago, Ill.; the Hamptons (Long Island), N.Y. or a variety of other places,. There are plenty of activities, ranging from theme parks, national parks and beaches to historical attractions within your allotted 912 miles that will make a good vacation destination.
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