Hire a Driver - your friend or neighbor

Have you ever thought to hire a driver? I don't mean a driver for your Silver Cloud, but just a regular person with a regular car that might want to make some extra money. If you don't want to own a car, this is an option to consider.

The relative difficulty or cost of this tip is rated 1 to 10. A rating of 10 suggests that this tip is the most difficult or most costly. Expected savings are also rated 1 to 10. A rating of 10 suggests that this tip will provide substantial savings in fuel, money or both.



Hire a driver. This idea is similar to call a cab and borrow a car, only less convenient and perhaps more fun. You might become a nuisance if you try it too often, but if you are true friends, then you’ll be judicious in asking for help, and they will be happy to help you.

You might not use this often, but again, consider it as a possibility, especially if you don’t often have a need for a car.

For example: I enjoy garage sales on the weekend. My good buddy and I like to go most every Friday. He drives his truck mainly because it is comfortable for him and his dog. We get stuff for both of us, but usually I am the one that fills up his truck bed.

I often buy breakfast for both of us because he is spending money on fuel for the truck. Likewise, every now and then I buy a tank of fuel for his truck because he is also the one that usually hauls us around to auctions.

There’s no reason why I shouldn’t help him with the expense of fuel - it's similar to me having to hired a driver. He's driving me to places that I want to go.

Understand that I don’t ask him to drive me places, but it's basically the same thing. He has an expense in fuel and I try to compensate for that in a reasonable way so it's worth his while.

You could also consider a much more formal arrangement whereby you could hire a driver in the form of one of your neighbors. If they're interested in making some extra money, you could offer a per mile or per hour reimbursement.

This "hire a driver" approach eliminates concerns that some might have about you borrowing a car from them. If they're driving their own car, and you're paying for it, then it's probably much easier for someone to see their way clear to helping you out.

This is especially true if you're reimbursing them in a manner that appears generous to them.

The whole hiring scenario can be a win-win for everyone. You get transportation. They get extra income. You both enjoy fellowship and a bit of teamwork.

Cost or difficulty: 4
Savings: 7

Done with Hire a Driver, take me back to Save Gas