How to Save Money On Gas

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

vehicle
Gas

Step 1

Speed. Follow posted speed limits because it’s the law and because it will save you money. Speeding decreases your miles per gallon. The faster you drive the more gas your car uses. Do you remember the old 55 miles per hour speed limit? It was 55 mph to conserve fuel. So keep in mind that driving 55 mph uses less fuel than driving 65 mph and driving 65 mph uses less fuel than driving 75 mph. Watch your speed and you will save on gas
Step 2

Acceleration. If you are at a stop light that turns green and you accelerate to the posted speed limit by pushing the gas pedal to the floor you are using more gas than if you accelerate moderately to the posted speed limit. The further down you push the gas pedal the more gas you use. Accelerate moderately and your fuel economy will increase.
Step 3

Braking. Do you wait until the last second to bake for a stop light? Do you often brake hard? If your answer is “yes” then you may be using more gas than necessary. By anticipating when you need to bake or stop and removing your foot from the gas pedal you can allow the car to slow naturally before pressing the brake. This can increase fuel economy.
Step 4

Windows and Air Conditioning. Keeping your windows closed at highway speeds increases gas mileage because air drag is reduced. Also try to avoid using your air conditioner in heavy, stop-and-go traffic because the air conditioner causes your engine to work harder and use more fuel. Being smart about your windows and air conditioning will increase gas mileage and save you money on gas.
Step 5

Lighten the Load. Get rid of excess weight by removing unnecessary items from the vehicle. Some of us (including me) tend to use our cars as mobile offices and storage units. Store only essentials in the car and try to keep the trunk as empty as possible. Less weight means better gas mileage.
Step 6

Consolidate Trips. Plan ahead and consolidate your daily trips and errands. You will find some trips are unnecessary and others can be consolidated into one trip with multiple destinations. If you need to get a hair cut and also grocery shopping then try to make it one trip not two. Get your hair cut and on the way home stop at the grocery store. This will reduce the total miles driven and conserve fuel. And, if possible, plan your trips when traffic is light so you can avoid stop-and-go conditions. This will save money on gas.
Step 7

Tire Pressure. Monitor the air pressure in your tires. If your car has a tire pressure light, don’t ignore it. If your car does not have tire pressure light then check your tire pressure manually on a regular basis. Under-inflated tires waste gas by forcing the engine to work harder. As an example of the gas savings potential in tire pressure I will share my personal experience. My car typically gets an average of 30 miles per gallon but I noticed I was getting only 20 miles per gallon. So I checked my tire pressure and discovered my front tires were very low. I inflated them to the proper pressure and my car went back to using only 30 miles per gallon of gasoline. I recommend letting the tires cool down before checking the air pressure. Then filling the tires to the manufacture recommended pressure (which can be found on the inside of the driver side front door jamb). Proper tire pressure will increase fuel economy and save money on gas.