Gas prices keep going up, and we’re spending more money from our monthly gas budget to fill up our vehicles. There are many ways to spend less money on gas and reduce overall fuel consumption. Here are a few tips:
1. Limit Your Driving – Plan ahead where you need to go and combine trips by running all your errands at the same time. I try to plan only one trip to town each week. At that time, I grocery shop and go to other stores that I need to.
2. Find Good Gas Prices – Don’t be brand conscious and buy where you can get the best deal. A good website to find cheap gas in your area is gasbuddy.com. Also, think about applying for a loyalty club card that offers you lower gas prices.
3. Fill Up Efficiently
- Fill the tank full. If you need to fill up, fill up all the way. Money is wasted each time you have to travel to a station and wait for a pump.
- Wait until you have a quarter tank to fill up. Doing this can extend your gas mileage because you are hauling a lighter fuel load.
4. Be Gentle with the Accelerator – When you slam down on the gas pedal, it pushes more fuel into the engine, making it run faster and lowers the fuel economy.
5. Avoid Idling – Turning off the engine when you stop for more than one minute can improve fuel efficiency by 19%. In cold weather, letting your car idle to warm up reduces fuel economy and creates additional pollution; all you need to do is drive gently for 5-10 minutes.
6. Buy Gas Three Days Before a Holiday – Gas prices almost always go up for holidays.
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