Just Say "No!" to Gasoline - Simple Tips to Save Gas

The price of gasoline is an outrageous burden. I think that is a statement that just about everyone (except perhaps the oil companies) can agree with. As a result, there are a lot of "save gas" schemes going around. Everything from (bogus) little pills to put in your gas tank to serious advice to shut off your engine and coast downhill and into parking places and so on. This last was followed by the blithe comment that you would just have to get used to driving without power steering and brakes to do this! My advice to you is: Don't try this at home!

There are a lot of small, safe ways to save gasoline. Using them consistently will help lessen your gasoline burden a bit. One of the first and foremost is, just walk or ride your bike. Choose to do business in your neighborhood whenever possible, and leave your car at home! This is a healthy choice for everyone. Every mile we don't drive means that much less gas is used and the air is a little less polluted. Of course, walking and biking are excellent exercise and a lot more relaxing that gritting your teeth in traffic.

Combine trips. Delay your gratification. Keep a list of things you need to do, and do them all at once. Whenever possible, choose to do your errands in an area where you can park your car and complete your tasks on foot. If you must drive from one destination to another, map it out in advance so that you will cover the least miles and consume the smallest amount of gasoline possible.

Use public transit whenever possible. If you commute a long distance and also live far from a bus stop or train station, just drive to the stop or station and then take public transit for the largest part of your commute. It will save you gas and give you a little down time to read, listen to music, or just rest before you go to work. It makes a nice transition time at the end of the day, too.

Carpool to work, school, church, clubs, etc. Share your ride. It will save you and your friends and associates money, and it will save gas all around. And it will be more fun, too!

Drive more slowly. 55 still saves lives and it gives you about 21% better gas mileage. Leave home a little earlier, and take your time arriving at your destination. You will save gas and arrive relaxed. You will also be a lot less likely to be involved in an accident on the way.

Shut off your engine when you must wait for a long period - more than 5 minutes. At long lights and especially when stuck in rush hour traffic, shut off your engine. Just remain vigilant so that you can start up quickly when traffic starts to move again.

Turn off your engine when you go inside a store or the post office or some-such. I know, these days, most folks turn off their engines and lock up under these circumstances, but I live in a small town where people still leave the engine running while they just pop inside for a moment. There is just no reason for this. It is a waste of gas, and it leaves your car wide open for theft. Just don't do it!

Keep your car in good condition. Be sure to have the oil changed and have it tuned up regularly. Keep your tires properly inflated. All of these little maintenance tricks really help you to get good gas mileage.

Work at home as much as possible. What used to be a luxury is now becoming a way of life for more and more people. And really, why pay all that money for your home if it is just going to sit there without you most of the time? If it is at all possible for you be there making money and not consuming gas, do it!

Shop by mail or online. Have things delivered or mailed as much as possible rather than picking them up or delivering them yourself. These days it not only saves gas, it is actually less expensive to do so.

If you are driving a big car, truck or SUV, get rid of it!

Overall, just say, "No!" to gasoline. I know it sounds impossible in our society, but it really isn't. It's what I'm doing, along with the tips listed above. I drive my car one day a week to do my errands, and I am working very hard on finding ways to eliminate my need to do that. My goal is to be able to sell my car and do without when my annual insurance bill comes due.

Imagine that! Life with no gasoline costs, no maintenance costs, and no car insurance costs! It is possible. If I need a car for something, I can always rent one for a day or call a cab or rideshare with a friend. Even with an occasional rental fee or cab fare, it will still be a lot less expensive than owning, insuring and maintaining a car and feeding it gasoline!

Using less gas is just an overall good thing! The side effects of cleaner air, more exercise, and fatter pocketbooks can't be beat. I hope these simple tips are helpful to you, and I hope you will join me in saying "No!" to gasoline!

P.S. For even more tips, visit: http://www.thefrugallife.com/gasolinesave.html