The old way:

Used to be that my clients would call me and ask if I was free on, say, Tuesday afternoon. I’d look at my calendar, see a blank spot of sufficient length, and say “sure.” Even if they lived two counties away.

I’d run errands in one direction in the morning, drive home (to my office) for lunch, and then zip back out again in the afternoon. No biggie. Eveyone does it.

At $3.20ish a gallon (and rising), I’m realizing that this haphazard maze I’ve been driving is not efficient. And it’s more than just finances. The alarm raised about global warming (of which car exhaust plays a significant part) needs to be heeded. The looming economic slump and reliance on oil sucked from foreign soil makes me want to spend my money at home.

The New Way:

Going back to my roots of Yankee ingenuity, I’ve developed a new system for my small biz. Here are six ways that you can be green and save green.

Pull out the gasoline IV: Start noticing when you want to make spontaneous trips in your vehicle. Begin to wean yourself off “just going” when you feel like it.

Think geographically: Post a map of your city or typical driving areas. Make note of the locations you visit regularly. When you make an appointment, look on the map to see how the locale relates geographically to your regular haunts.

Plan ahead: Have an appointment on Tuesday in the south of town? Think about what’s along your route and run those errands on the way. Try designating a day of the week to specific locales to make long-term planning easier. The day before you drive somewhere, check your to-do list to see if anything is on your route you’ve been meaning to do.

Put errands in your car: If you need to drop off your taxes or mail something, keep it in your car instead of on your desk. When you’re out, you can then complete the task in a jiffy.

Explain to clients that you’re combining trips: My clients haven’t blinked an eye at this, even when it meant waiting an extra day or so to meet with me. In fact, they’ve been downright supportive. I also believe sharing this choice sends a tiny ripple of common sense into the world, and you never know who might follow suit.

Meet on the phone: Sometimes a good eye-to-eye is the best way to meet, but not always. Try planning a phone meeting from the comfort of your office – no driving required if you’re working from home! You can use a service like freeconferencecall.com for group meetings.

These are just a few ideas to get the ball rolling. Although they may seem tedious, they’re all ways that make your time use more efficient as well.

Do you have ways you save cash and gas at the same time? Share them here!

Post from: My Organized Biz