Working the Numbers

According to GoogleMaps, it is 1,163 miles to Las Vegas. It also estimates it will take me 17 hours and 35 minutes to make the drive. If you do the math, the wizards at Google believe I will average just over 66 miles an hour on the trip. Yeah, right.

I'm more realistic than the googlewizards. I'm planning on two 10-hour days of driving, and that may be too optimistic. And if I decide to take some side trips, take a day to visit Santa Fe for example, then it might take me a week to make the trip.

What about gas? How much do I need to budget on gas and food? If I plan conservatively, I'm going to estimate 10 miles a gallon for my SUV (probably get more like 14-18, but I told you I'm planning conservatively). At 10 miles per gallon I figure I'm going to need 120-130 gallons of gas, if I don't take too many side trips.

What are gas prices between here and Vegas? At gasbuddy.com, I found my answer. Based on that web site, prices go up slightly in New Mexico before dropping back down in Nevada. Prices in Texas and Nevada seem to be similar. I'm looking at $2.92 a gallon in Texas and Nevada. In New Mexico prices will go up to as much as $3.06 per gallon. Since I'm planning conservatively, I will budget my gas cost at the upper price of New Mexico gas: $3.06 a gallon.

If I need 120-130 gallons for the trip, at $3.06 a gallon, then my gas allowance is $367 to $397. I'm praying for no mechanical failure, of course. With luck I won't lose a transmission in the middle of the New Mexico desert.

What about food? I'm eating light. I'm on a diet. So that will help. If I pack some food and stay away from the McJunk food, then I don't need much money for eats. I bet $50 is plenty to budget for food over a two-day period.

Therefore, conservatively, I estimate my relocation expenses (gas and food) to be roughly $450.