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If you are considering taking extreme measures, like shifting from driving a car to riding a bicycle to save money on gas, we can understand your frustration. These high gas prices can impact our daily budgets, especially if you drive to work daily.
We know you might be feeling the squeeze at the pump, we are too. This is why we have figured out how to save money on gas without you having to power your car like the Flintstones.
Whether you’re trying to be more fuel efficient or looking for a few tips for buying gas, here are a few ways to increase your gas savings!
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1. Drive Smarter
Do you ever feel like you might be paying more for gas than you do for your food? By changing your driving habits you can reduce your fuel consumption as how you drive directly affects your fuel usage. Habits like quick acceleration, hard braking, and rapid lane changing can burn through fuel faster than keeping a steady speed while driving and using cruise control on highways. Following this simple trick can improve fuel efficiency by up to 30% on highways and 5% in urban areas while reducing maintenance costs due to rash driving!
2. Keep Tires Properly Inflated
Believe it or not, your car’s tire pressure also affects the fuel efficiency of your tires! If your tires are underinflated, your car’s fuel efficiency might be reduced by 3%. The engine has to work harder because of low tire pressure and requires more fuel to operate at slower speeds. This can not only burn through your bank balance but also reduce tires’ lifespan. Check your tires at least once a month and follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for rotating tires. Your wallet (and tires) will thank you!
3. Lighten the Load in Your Car
If you have a trunk full of “just in case” items and things you keep forgetting to get rid of, this is your motivation to dump them. The extra weight makes your car work harder and burns more fuel. You can save on fuel by storing your hockey gear, roof racks, or baby seat in the garage if you don’t use them every day. Maybe it is time to finally drop off the stuff sitting in the trunk for weeks at the donation box.
4. Use Gas Apps to Find the Cheapest Prices
We have countless times checked for the shopping or grocery stores offering better discounts, and you can do the same for gas. There are apps like GasBuddy, Waze, or Google Maps, where you can find the cheapest gas near you. You can even set alerts for price drops around your home and office to plan your tank fill-ups conveniently by finding the best time and place to buy gas. This tip especially helps if you are frequently on the move and prefer to keep your tank full. Even a discount of a few cents on a gallon can add up fast!
5. Don’t Pay for Premium Gas (Unless Required)
Regardless of what those commercials might tell you, premium gas is not always better for your vehicle. Not all models require premium gas, and putting that in doesn’t benefit your engine in any way. Check your owner’s manual to understand if your car specifically NEEDS premium, as most cars run perfectly fine on regular gas, and the performance difference is minimal. If your manual says “premium gas RECOMMENDED”, your car doesn’t need pricey premium gas. Regular gas will do the job.
6. Plan Efficient Routes
We know that the annoying voice of the in-built navigation systems of cars might not be what you wanna hear every morning, but it can help you save money! Taking just a minute to plan your routes and errands can help you avoid unnecessary back-and-forth driving. You can also combine multiple errands into one trip like you can pick up groceries while dropping your kids to school or get your gas filled on the way home from work. These minor changes in your daily planning will not only cut down gas costs but also help you save time.
7. Avoid Idling for Long Periods
One of the common mistakes we make is letting our car idle for more than 60 seconds. Idling in a parking lot or driveway for more than 30-45 seconds can waste gas, even if the car isn’t moving. Chances are, you’re driving a modern car so you don’t need to worry about long warm-up times during winter, as these cars are optimized for quick start (takes about 30-60 seconds). However, go easy on the gas pedal and keep the RPM under 3,000 while the engine is still cold. Once the engine temperature reaches the optimal temperature, you can drive as usual.
8. Use Loyalty Programs and Gas Rewards
We all get spammed to enroll in loyalty programs, but they can be a blessing in disguise. Grocery stores like Safeway, Kroger, and Sam’s Club offer great discounts on gas if you use their cards and memberships. With these loyalty programs and the use of credit cards, you can save up to 10 cents per gallon. This will not only help you save money on gas but also reduce your grocery bills (by collecting reward points), offering a great way to extend your weekly budget. If you haven’t already, browse through these reward programs the next time you go out to buy groceries. My local Costco has a gas station so I just fill up there. It’s cheaper than other gas stations and I get extra cash back on my credit card!
9. Carpool or Rideshare When Possible
Have you ever thought about carpooling or ridesharing? It is a great way for daily commuters to share rides with coworkers or friends and reduce fuel consumption significantly when going to work or to a party. Even if you don’t have friends or coworkers living near you, you can use apps like Uber, Lyft, Curb, and local Facebook groups to find community ride-sharing options. You can either drive your own car and host other people or share a cab to save money, reduce CO2 emissions, and pollution simultaneously.
10. Fill Up at the Right Time
Does it ever feel like gas prices are always working against you? The prices are at their peak and the lines are the longest right when your gas tank is running low. Why does this happen? The reason for that is because gas stations price gas higher when demand is up and lower when it’s down. Demand typically spikes on weekends and before holidays when everyone is heading out of town. Instead, go against the herd and buy gas early in the week, preferably in the mornings, before gas stations adjust their prices.
11. Sign Up For A Gas Reward Credit Card
Whether you’re buying groceries, dining out, or filling up your car, you should use cash-back credit cards. It’s free money that you can’t pass up. We signed up for Costco’s credit card because we get our groceries and gas from Costco. Not only do you earn cash back on your weekly grocery runs, but you can also get 5% cash back when you fill up at any Costco gas station. Many companies, like Costco, American Express, and Citi, offer cash back or points when you pay for gas. Compare different cards to figure out the best perks for you, such as a zero annual fee.
12. Avoid Driving At High Speeds
Speeding isn’t only bad for your wallet when you get pulled over but also for your gas tank. When driving over 60 mph (or 100 km/h), fuel efficiency can reduce significantly as the engine requires more fuel to deliver high performance. Instead, drive at the speed limit (55 to 70 mph) to save up to 20% on gas. You might reach a little later than you intend, but hey, you also get to enjoy the ride and drive much more safely. Also, you can just leave a little early!
13. Maintain Your Car for Better Fuel Efficiency
We all know that to keep our cars running smoothly we need to get them serviced regularly. But, what you might now know is that properly maintaining your car can actually reduce fuel consumption. Now, you might find this counterproductive as regular visits to the garage are an added expense, but trust us, we are not your mechanic in disguise. The logic here is simple, simple fixes like oil changes, filter changes, and checking spark plugs can reduce the pressure on the engine and keep your mileage higher for years to come. The cherry on top here is that you can check different YouTube tutorials and perform these fixes easily at home by yourself!
14. Don’t Always Use the AC
We get that summer heat can be brutal, but blasting your AC throughout the ride can increase fuel consumption by up to 20%, if not more. It is better to roll down your windows, especially if you are going at low speeds, as at higher speeds, opening windows can create drag, messing with the car’s aerodynamics. However, as a general practice, keep your AC turned low or off when idling at a traffic light or parking garage to use less gas.
15. Choose a More Fuel-Efficient Vehicle
If you are in the market for a new car, you should not overlook fuel efficiency. Smaller cars, especially the new electric variants, use far less energy and can cut your fuel bills significantly. If you are not a fan of electric vehicles, you can go for a hybrid variant that runs on both fuel and electricity and won’t make you feel like you are driving a toy car.
Bonus tip – When buying new cars, ask for tires with lower rolling resistance, as they help to reduce fuel consumption too!
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