Flipside

Carpooling can save both money, time for students

Alex Lines
For the Logos

NIACC students who live out of town carpool to save money with the rising gas prices.

Not only does carpooling save money for these students, but it gives them have some last minute study opportunities.

“Carpooling is a way that helps me save money when gas prices seem to just keep on rising every time I drive by the gas station,” Larry Schrodt, a NIACC student who carpools every day with three other friends from Charles City, IA, said. “When I spend 40 dollars a week on gas when I drive every week, it adds up after a while.”

If Schrodt did not drive in a carpool, he estimates he would spend roughly $600 a semester making it hard to save money.

Schrodt added that he uses the weeks he does not drive to catch up on studying for a class that he has for that day and to go through his class schedule for that day making sure he is caught up with what is going on.

“Driving with your friends every day is not too bad,” Alvin Vallebo, another NIACC student who carpools, said. “The only downfall is when some of the people you carpool with don’t have the same schedule you have. This sometimes means that I have to come to class an hour or so early. But it is worth not having to pay for gas.”

These students both said that they live with their parents because it helps them save some money when they plan on moving out next year.

Not having rent and utility bills makes it easier on them to afford the rising gas prices. “Living at home is sometimes boring, but it helps that the food is good and less responsibilities makes it easier for me to get my work done,” Schrodt said.