There are a lot of ways to save money on gas. Try them and you will be surprised at how much money you will save.
Maintain Your Vehicle
1. Keep your tires properly inflated and make sure they are aligned properly.
2. Change your oil regularly and upgrade your air filter.
3. Make sure that your gas cap fits securely.
Driving Behaviors
4. Driving aggressively results in burning more gas because you are more likely to brake suddenly, brake more often, and speed up too fast. Drive calmly and patiently and you will save a lot of money and your vehicle will last longer.
5. Avoid idling as much as possible. In traffic it is unavoidable, but instead of idling while waiting at a drive through, stop the car and go inside to place your order.
6. Drive at a consistent speed. Don’t quickly accelerate and then quickly brake.
7. Use cruise control when driving on the highway to prevent you from constantly changing speeds and burning more gas than you need to.
8. Avoid tailgating people. This way you will have more time to stop should the vehicle ahead of you stop suddenly.
9. When coming close to a stop light, slow down earlier and coast to a stop rather than slamming on the brakes.
10. Take off slowly from a full stop. The extra few seconds it takes will result in significant savings on gas.
11. Whenever possible, park your car in the shade because gas can evaporate out of your tank if you park directly in the sun. As well, it will keep your car cooler and you will use less air conditioning.
12. When approaching a hill, speed up before you reach it and then maintain your speed while ascending. You will waste a lot of gas if you accelerate when climbing the hill.
13. Turn off the air conditioning 5 minutes before reaching your destination.
Plan Ahead
14. Maximize your fuel usage by running multiple errands on the same trip. If you only have one thing to accomplish, ask yourself if it is really necessary. If not, wait until you have more errands to run.
15. Make sure you know exactly where you are going so you don’t waste gas trying to find your destination. Google maps are very helpful and GPS systems can be a lifesaver.
16. Consider walking or cycling if the destination isn’t too far. It’s always nice to get the exercise, and think of what you will be doing for the environment!
17. Bring along a list of things you want to accomplish so you don’t forget anything. You definitely don’t want to have to retrace your steps.
18. Choose the routes with the least traffic. Avoid gravel or dirt roads whenever possible as your gas mileage decreases once off the pavement.
19. Remove any excess weight from your vehicle. Only keep essential items in your car as the excessive weight causes you to use more fuel. Remove racks from the top of your vehicle when you are not using them.
20. Plan your route to avoid any known construction areas. Listen to the radio to keep you informed of any accidents or traffic delays due to water main breakage, etc.
When Buying Gas
21. Check out Gasbuddy.com or gaspricewatch.com and track the cheapest gas stations in your area.
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