I buy gas about once a quarter. I don’t even know what gas costs, I just fill up as needed. I’m spending zero hours of my life to save a buck or two every three months.
I also normally buy gas at Costco but when I’m already there.
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I don’t buy gas often either and don’t bother to go out of my way for it. However, there are 4 stations close to my house, and for whatever reason 2 are much cheaper and 2 are much more expensive. I choose to fill up at the cheaper ones.
Before the pandemic, i flew a lot. And i really don’t like airports. So to me, perfection was if i parked, got through security, and had time to grab a takeout dinner and then arrived with my dinner just as the flight started to board.
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TANGENT
I once made an Excel sheet with inputs for: distance difference, $/g gas costs, MPG of car, and how much gas I needed.
Turned out it was better to go to Costco for gas when I was already going to Costco for other things. Costco is about 10 miles from me (so 4/5 of a gallon in my car, but 1/2 gallon in my wife’s car), so going there when I’m not already on the way is not worth it. I will also micro-fill my car a gallon or two, to hold me off until I get to the Costco later.
Also, it is helpful to remember that on a one-time trip to Hawaii, I don’t fret over $2 more (20 cents per gallon, times 10 gallons) for a tank of gas. But for repeat expenses, yeah, I’ll strategize. Can’t stop doing that.
Do you find yourself spending endless hours waiting at the airport?
No, I don’t. I read, get some steps in, leave a shit per Carlin (I like having space not found on a plane’s lav), finish the day’s crossword puzzle, etc.
I also don’t travel by plane often.
If I’m spending endless hours at an airport, it is usually the airline’s or nature’s fault. I’m guessing the “math” they misuse doesn’t account for that.
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That’s key. I used to fly a lot. So yes, I did find myself spending a lot of time in airports. And everything I can do in an airport – other than the things that directly lead to my getting onto the plane (and filling a water bottle they won’t let me carry through security) are things I can do more pleasantly elsewhere. Read a book? Finish a crossword puzzle? My couch is a hell of a lot nicer than an airport waiting area. Any my restroom is nicer, too.
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I get that. But, I don’t consider it “wasting time,” as that article states. I was going to do those things at home, or at the airport.
Also, not-often traveling gives me absolutely no idea when to arrive for a flight. And since I don’t live in Westchester or El Segundo (communities/cities near LAX), traffic to the airport is a concern. THEN, the traffic near the airport is a concern. At Christmastime, picking up my once-away son, we never made it in to the airport. He had to walk half a mile north to the In-N-Out on Sepulveda. I would have hated to actually be taking a flight out that day.
I usually plan to leave my house 3 hours before flight.
The 2 biggest risks I run into going to airport here is traffic and parking. 1 hour drive no traffic, but a 30 min delay is common. Parking at this airport can be a PITA and everyone knows it. Terminal lot is full sometimes, so I have to park next terminal over, so add 15 min walk.
TSA lines have been 15min or less in most cases. Had a rare 40 min line a few years back.
the goal of all this is to arrive at gate about 30 min before take off. But it takes 30 min to board a plane, so I usually just sit at the bar and watch everyone get on. Then be the last one on.
i care more about when i board if i have a carry on. if I checked the big bag and just have something for under the seat, i get on last. if i have the roller bag, get on ASAP and get the overhead space
fair point, overhead has filled up and I end up at the carrousel.
part of my strategy is minimize time on the plane. Standing shoulder to shoulder in a mass of 200 people in a tin can… im getting anxiety thinking about it.
I was able to get a 1st class flight once… last one on the plane, overhead waiting for me, first one off. wish I was that rich to do that all the time.
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Oddly enough, i find sitting in airplanes less stressful than sitting in airports. Hurry-up-and-wait makes me anxious. And i can’t really just relax and read a novel, because if i did, i could easily miss my flight. In fact, the closest I’ve ever come to actually being left behind was once when i arrived at the terminal with lots of extra time, got engaged in something, and failed to notice my flight had moved to a nearby gate.
might be different for taller folks. Sitting in a airplane seat is what I think the CIA would consider a ‘stressed’ position for people over 6 ft.
Usually I travel with my wife who likes to be there super-early, though last time we flew out we had a problem with finding a parking space in one of the lots (even though there was no sign that said it was full) so we had to exit and find an additional lot (and had to pay $3 for the lot we couldn’t park in). Then our gate was about as far away from the airport entrance as one could get, and while we did board our flight in time we didn’t have time to grab dinner.
If I’m not flying with my wife I aim to be there 90 minutes before flight time. Having TSA-pre is not as much of an advantage as it used to be, since with the new CT scanners in operation now all travelers can leave laptops and liquids in their bags so the only real benefits are somewhat shorter lines and keeping shoes on. My wife never bothered with TSA pre, in the past airlines used to put her in as a courtesy but they stopped doing that.
Even at 5’6", i fully agree that the airport is more physically comfortable than the airplane. I just find airports really stressful places to be, though, and that bothers me more than the physical discomfort of the plane.
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I followed the guidance and arrived 3 hours prior to international departure. It was a waste of time. TSA took maybe 15 minutes.
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Yup, I’ve never spent more than 15 minutes through TSA.
And google maps is almost always accurate.
I guess I never travel during rush hours. But then, why would I book a flight at those times anyway.
i’ve definitely spent more than 15 minutes at TSA at times. I recall once the last day of a holiday weekend was particularly bad.
Maybe next time you will listen to my advice. 
I am flying first class which I rarely do, so I figured more time in the lounge wouldn’t suck that bad.
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