With gas prices going up as we write this it is ever more important to save money by using less gasoline! Better to have the cash in your pocket v.s. the big oil companies! Gasoline use and your tires condition can play a huge factor in how much you save. The following is a shortlist of suggestions that drivers may want to consider when trying to save money on gasoline purchases for their cars and trucks. Following these guidelines can save several hundred dollars a year depending on the amount of driving you to do each year for commuting to work and leisure driving.
Gasoline Use and Your Tires – Suggestions
Keep Tires Inflated – tires with the proper air pressure wear better and provide better gas mileage. They will last longer too and provide better stability on the road.
Replace Old Tires – old bald tires can cause tremendous accidents and limit your gas mileage. Replace them with new tires for safer driving and better gas mileage.
Get an app for your phone – use GasBuddy’s, AAA’s TripTik, and the YP Yellow Pages and Gas Prices, all of which are free. Others that cost money include SmartFuel, Gas Cubby, and Cheap Gas. These apps will tell you what stations are selling gas at what prices. You can select the station closest to you that has the lowest price.
Drive less – consolidate errands to keep driving to a minimum. Plan your trips and try to do several things that are on the route that you will be taking. If something can wait until tomorrow when you will be heading past the places you need to go, delay them. Most things can wait a day.
Drive slower – Shave 10 to 15 miles per hour off your speed and you can save up to 15% in fuel consumption. Just give it a try. You will see how much of a difference it makes on your gasoline consumption. If you drive to work every day, you will save hundreds of dollars a year this way.
More Ways to save Gasoline
Keep your windows closed – at highway speeds, air racing through your car will increase its drag and burn up to 10% more fuel. AC will increase your gas usage. If you do not need it, turn it off until it is too hot to be comfortable.
Go light on the brakes – slow and steady acceleration and braking can save as much as 20% in fuel. Coast into stop signs and stop lights and you will save gasoline as well as your brakes. Brake jobs can be very expensive, so the longer they last, the less you have to spend.
Shut Off your car when stopped– restarting the car when you’re idling for more than one minute will cost you less in fuel than restarting the car. Even the Toyota Prius engine shuts off at stop lights to conserve gasoline.
Turn your A/C off. – the air conditioner is a big drag on your car’s engine and gas efficiency. If you do not need it, turn it off and let air from outside cool you off.
Keep your car healthy. — clean dirty air filters, replace aging spark plugs, keep tire air pressure and fluids at recommended levels . Tires that are not at their recommended tire pressure will increase the drag on the car and increase the gasoline consumption.
By taking these steps consumers can optimize their cars consumption of gasoline and lower your overall cost of gasoline energy use. As gas prices continue to rise, you can save even more money by following these suggested guidelines.
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