Gasoline prices across the country hit more than $3.67 a gallon today according to AAA, which tracks fuel costs across the country. Prices have been skyrocketing due to the weak dollar and heavy speculation in world markets and don’t look to be going down anytime soon.
But you can reduce the number of times you have to fill up. These 20 tips will help you cut fuel consumption:
1. Use our gas price finder to locate the cheapest price in your area.
2. Get a tune up. A well tuned engine burns far less gas than a neglected one. Get regular tune ups by a certified mechanic and follow through with routine maintenance.
3. Make sure your gas cap is on tight and buy a new one if your current cap doesn’t fit properly. Gas will evaporates from the tank if the cap is left open.
4. Remove excess junk from inside the car. The more you weigh down a car the harder it has to work and uses more fuel. For every extra 250 pounds of weight in your car, you lose about one mile per gallon in fuel economy.
5. Buy the lowest grade (octane) of fuel that is appropriate for your car. Make sure to consult your owner’s manual to get this information. The lower octane gas is cheaper. You can save hundreds of dollars a year this way.
6. Drive at a constant speed. Accelerating and braking wastes a lot of gas. Also stay a safe distance away from the car in front of you so that you don’t have to brake as often.
7. Play the red light game, anticipate the red lights. If you can let off the gas sooner you may be able to coast to a stop and in some cases not have to stop at all.
8. Start slowly from a full stop. The fast you take off from a full stop the more gas you consume. This is probably the tip that can save you the most money.
9. Pay cash at stations that charge extra for credit cards. Some stations even give you a discount for paying in cash.
10. Don’t make fast starts or sudden stops. You’re just overexerting your engine and burning extra fuel. Gradual acceleration also helps automatic transmissions run better. Engine-revving wastes fuel, too.
11. Change driving habits. Lighten up on the accelerator. The faster you drive, the more gas you use. For example, driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph can improve your fuel economy by up to two miles per gallon.
12. Remove snow tires in good weather the deep tread and big tires use more fuel. Keep the tires inflated properly. Under inflated tires waste fuel and wear out the tire tread. You can also get low resistance tires that are supposed to increase gas mileage.
13. On the highway, closed windows decrease air resistance, so run the air conditioner. But in stop-and-go traffic, shutting off the air conditioning and opening the windows can lighten your fuel use. Air conditioning can lower your fuel economy by 10 percent to 20 percent.
14. Park in the shade. Parking in the sun heats up your can and can cause gas to evaporate at a faster rate.
15. Park in the first spot you find. You will spend less time circling around the parking lot and use less gas.
16. Use synthetic oil. Synthetic oil will cause your car run well but it is a little more expensive regular oil.
17. Get a GPS system or look up the shortest routes online.
18. Use public transportation when possible. If you work far away from home drive to the nearest park and ride and take the bus or train. May companies will even reimburse you for some or all of the fare.
19. Get a better air filter. More efficient brands of air filters cost a little more but will pay for themselves in most vehicles in fuel savings.
20. Walk. Get off your lazy butt and walk.
