With the cost of gas increasing, it would be nice if there was some way to save gas outside of just not using your car. However, that is difficult to make happen in a world where our homes aren’t located near our schools or work, and a car is needed for everything each and every day.
Another option would be to purchase an electric vehicle and forget gas altogether. What people really want is a way to save money on the car they already drive.
The Basics:
Vehicle Size and Use
When wanting to save money on gas, you have to think about the car you are driving. If you have to take the large SUV on all of your errands and to work, you are burning a lot more gas than zipping around in a small sedan car. If you can choose to take a different vehicle for the daily back and forth that is smaller and more fuel-efficient, this is your first way of saving gas.
Making your driving efficient
If you are driving all over town in a day, try to plan your trips so you can do your errands in an efficient manner. Schedule your errands to knock them all out on a certain part of town all at once. Then you aren’t driving back and forth during the week.
Walking
This is old school, but yes, try and bike, walk, rollerblade, or use some sort of transportation that isn’t your car. The less you use your car, the less gas you use and the more exercise you get!
Sharing rides
Whenever you can, try and share rides and have your children share rides to school and events. This will save you the back and forth and burning gas for pickup and drop-off.
The Secrets:
- Download a gas app so you can find the cheapest local gas near you.
- Use discount store cards such as your grocery card or Costco card.
- Some grocery stores give you gas points with every purchase and money off of your gas at your next stop.
- Use credit cards that reward you for buying gas.
- Buy gift cards at a store for gas. Many times the store will reward you double points for buying gift cards.
- Check your tire pressure
If your tires are low, your car has to work harder to accelerate and drive. Fuller tires make your car easy to move. Your car has a PSI recommendation you should fill your tires to. When the weather changes and gets colder make sure to check the PSI again since the tires lose air during this time.
- Avoid being in traffic
If you can take longer roads where you aren’t stopping and starting, you are better off. Take the freeway if you have to or long back roads.
- Pedal
When you accelerate, make sure you accelerate slowly; don’t shove your foot down.
- Turn the engine off
If you are idle for a long time, turn the engine off so you can save gas.
- Minimize air and heat usage
The less you use your heat and air, the less gas you use. However, if you are traveling at high speeds like the highway, you should keep your windows closed for more aerodynamics.
- Car maintenance
Make sure to have your car checked, oil replaced, filters replaced, and car maintained.
- Reduce the weight
Your car is heavy, then you add in all of your stuff, and your car is hauling around more weight than it should. Try and keep your car’s weight down, so it is more fuel-efficient.
- Refuel Dates
Refuel on Monday or Tuesday. Gas gets more expensive towards the weekend. Also, avoid buying gas around holidays or holidays that involve travel.
- Driving style
Coast when you can, don’t accelerate while driving, and drive at the optimum speed. If you can drive at 60 miles per hour instead of 35 or 75, your fuel efficiency will stay up. It takes less work for a car to stay at 60 mph than to go up and down at 35 mph and race at 75 mph.
