Tips for Saving Gas Money by Changing Your Driving Habits

Are high gas prices getting you down? The good news is that there are actions you can take to increase the gas mileage on your car (any car!) by up to 30%. The bad news is that it will require a change in driving habits that may be difficult to adjust too...especially if you're a fast driver or always in a hurry.

The first habit you'll want to develop is the practice of not driving aggressively. This can be a tough one for many of us that love to gain every advantage over our "adversaries" on the road by switching lanes and driving through that yellow light before it turns red. Studies show, however, that there's no significant gain in speed by changing lanes often, and pressing that acceleration pedal just means more gas is being expended.

Along with not driving aggressively comes coasting to stoplights/stop signs. When you accelerate all the way to your stopping point, you are essentially wasting gas when you could be conserving it by coasting. As soon as you see a stoplight or brake lights ahead of you, let off the gas! When speeding back up, accelerate slowly. This uses less gas that putting the pedal to the metal.

Also remember when that when you're stopped and idling, you're getting 0 MPG! So if you're going to stopped anywhere (except traffic, of course) for longer than 30 seconds, turn off the engine.

Remember that most cars get the best fuel efficiency at or below 55 MPH, so be aware that when you're cruising around at 75 MPH, you're essentially burning money. Keep it closer to 60 MPH, and you'll save significantly.

When you're out on the highway, use cruise control. Not only does it keep your speed steady (removing unwanted variance and bursts of gas usage), but it allows you to smoothly and slowly increase and decrease your speed in small increments, providing you more precise control over how much gas you're using.

Rolling the windows down on the interstate may produce drag that could decrease your fuel efficiency, so it's best to keep them rolled up when driving at high speeds. In town, though, you may receive a benefit from from keep the air conditioner off and windows down.

Also make sure your car is serviced properly at regular intervals. Eartheasy.com states that a poorly tuned engine could use up to 50% more fuel than on that has been correctly maintained. Regular oil changes and clean air filters are a must!

Finally, always know what your gas mileage was the last time your refueled, and compare it with your current fuel efficiency, so that you'll know what actions are working for you and your vehicle to get the best fuel economy possible.

By being willing to change some of your driving habits and becoming more aware of what actions use the most gas, you could save a decent amount on your next trip to the fuel station!