11 Ways to Save Money on Gas

Disgusting! That is what women said at the gas pumps one Saturday morning. The price of fuel keeps soaring. Here in Michigan, the price at the pump is nearing four dollars a gallon. How are we to save money on gas. It is no longer pleasant to take a Sunday drive. Vacations are now a thing of the past for some. The price of flying is astronomical and the price of food keeps going up because the price of fuel is so high the companies have to pay more to get the truckers to deliver it to our stores. Will this snowball ever stop?

Tightening your belt and cutting corners is necessary today in order to pay for the same amount of gas you're used to buying. But you can also try these tips to help you save money on gas and it is a "green" thing to do.

1. Make sure car is good operating condition.

A car that has regular oil changes and recommended tune-ups runs more smoothly and uses less gas.

2. Make sure your tires are properly inflated.

This helps your car to ride more smoothly, and makes the drive more safe and the tires last much longer. It does help a small amount with gas conservation, but not as much as other ways, still it is an important of vehicle maintenance.

3. Never drive in rush hour traffic.

Do whatever it takes to avoid rush hour. Arrive early, stay late. Go get a meal while you wait for the rush hour to be over. But avoid it! Getting caught in a traffic jam and idling your car is bad. And stop and go driving is the worst way to waste your precious gas.

4. Lighten the load.

Hauling around a lot of weight or several people at a time causes your car to drag and use more gas. If you have to have several people like in a carpool, (which is not a bad conservative idea) but make sure that everyone shares the expense. Also take the extra tires out of the back and any other excess cargo that is causing you to be weighted down.

5. Turn the engine off if you're just sitting there.

This is mathematically the worst! Think about it, how many miles to the gallon are you getting when just standing still but still burning fuel. ZERO! Cut it out, turn the care off if you are in a traffic jam and no one is moving. It will cost you less gas to restart the engine, by far, than to sit there and idle.

6. Slow down!

Really smart people came up with those speed limits. And studies have been done to show that driving the speed limit is more fuel efficient. Think about it, are you really going to get there that much sooner and is it worth it when you are standing at the pump, paying $4 bucks a gallon.

7. Use the brake less and easier.

Don't let road rage get you. Sure there are a lot of idiots on the road. But they are not paying for your gas are they? Don't drive like you're going to show them a thing or two. You get what I mean? Don't stomp on the brake, and don't peal out, fast starts and stops are horrible for your fuel economy. Do it gently and try not to use the break at all except for actually stops. That means no bumper riding.

8. Don't be afraid of the air conditioner.

A lot of people think using the air conditioner is eating gas. Not so much. Cars are designed to use it. But if you are rolling down the windows and driving your car you are creating drag and this is killing your efficiency. If you are driving slowly off the highway and you want to roll them down, fine.

9. Only fill the tank until the pump shuts it off.

This one is really important because we are all tempted to top off our tanks. The gas you top off with is for your psychological benefit, not the cars. It will be spilled, sloshed or evaporated. It isn't going to help you. It isn't green. Don't do it.

10. Keep your car and your gas cool.

Park in the shade. When your car is hot, the gas is hot and it will evaporate your gas right out of your tank. Also don't buy your fuel in the heat of the day. But it early morning or late evening. The fuel in those big gas tanks at the pump heats up and gas is more vaporous, so you're pumping more to get the same amount in your tank. More dollars!

And last but not least...

11. Turn on your cruise control as often as possible.

This actually reduces the human's strange need to constantly be touching the brake pedal or accelerator. (You know who you are). A steady driving speed is where it is at. And who knows you might just set it for the speed limit and win in two ways. The cruise control is your friend and it will actually save you a lot of gas.

So there you have it, 11 simple and very effective ways to save money on gas. To get more bang out of your buck, or at least more miles out of your gallon.