Saving Money at the Gas Pump

Although the price per gallon of gas is sinking just slightly slower than the rest of our economy, deep in our hearts we all expect to wake up one morning to see the numbers rushing like race horses back to $4 per gallon. That means now is a good time to start making preparations by adopting a few habits which could save you money at the pump and which might help you free up cash for more important purchases.

• Know Your Mileage – Those quoted miles per gallon amounts in car commercials rarely tell the whole story. If you want to know how much gas your car is using, you should check on your own. Next time you fill up the tank, make a note of your mileage. When you fill up again, note how many gallons of gas you had to buy and how much mileage you’ve added. Do the math. Chances are you won’t be happy with the results.
• Inflate Your Tires – While it became a joke on the campaign trail, the truth is doing something as simple as properly inflating your tires can save you money in gas. Research done in California found that even having your tires slightly below their recommended pressure can cost you almost $200 a year if you only drive 12,000 miles.
• Drive Legal – Although faster speeds may make your trip seem shorter, ramping up past the speed limit won’t do your gas tank or your wallet any good. Any time you go over 40 miles per hour you are forcing your car to work harder because of the added wind resistance. That extra work lowers your fuel economy.
• Turn on the AC – That’s right – you should use the air conditioner but only in some situations. If you’re on the highway, for example, opening your windows for cooling is going to increase the wind drag on your car. That can cut your fuel efficiency by 10%. The air conditioner in most modern cars, however, uses very little extra power in comparison. Of course, if you’re just driving around town, roll down the windows and enjoy the fresh air.
• Travel Wisely – Did you know that our choice of roads can actually reduce our mileage, even with all other things being created equal? For example, if you have to travel down a gravel road, your fuel efficiency is going to cut by up to 30%! You’ll also need more gas to take those tight curves. Even reversing your vehicle will cost more in gas.

To be fair, none of these alone will save you a fortune on gas but added together you can seriously reduce your gas spending. That may not matter as much when the gas is around $2.50 per gallon but when it starts soaring again you’ll want to do anything you can to reduce your spending at the pump.

Tagged as: at the pump, fuel efficiency, mileage, miles per gallon, price per gallon