Learn how to save money and gas with your vehicle! Are you feeling the squeeze on your pocket books from high gas prices? You need money saving tips to save on your gas bill. Are you regretting every time you fill up your vehicle’s gas tank? Are your fuel costs eating away at money you had planned to spend somewhere else? You need some quick tips to save on your gas expenses. Crude oil has surged to well over $50 per barrel, the highest in history, and continues to go higher. It’s almost inevitable that gas prices will stay above $2 per gallon or go even higher, as much as $3 per gallon.
Here are some money saving tips you can take to substantially reduce your fuel costs:
1. Check your engine and do proper maintenance. A good tune-up can improve gas mileage by about 4 percent and replacing a clogged air filter (allowing more air into the carburetor) can add up to 10 percent to your gas mileage, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Fixing a broken oxygen sensor can improve mileage as much as 40 percent!
2. You can save on your gas expense with properly inflated tires. Most people under-inflate their tires, and it costs them as much as 3 percent in fuel efficiency. Look for the recommended inflation rates in the owner’s manual of your car, or look on the inside panel of the driver’s side door. You may also want to keep in mind, the bigger the tire, the more gas you will use.
3. Be a safe driver and drive slower. The practices that make you a good driver — gradual stops and starts, driving the speed limit, not riding the brake or revving the engine — all contribute to fuel efficiency. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) vs. 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%!
4. Shifting into overdrive can save you money. Driving in the overdrive gear on the highway decreases the car’s engine speed, so it doesn’t work as hard. Also, another good savings tip is maintaining a constant speed over long distances saves gas so use your cruise control when possible.
5. Use the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, you can increase your gas mileage by about 2% by using the proper motor oil. For example, You might decrease your gas mileage by using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30.If you use 5W-30, you increase your mileage by 2%.
6. If you really want to save money, just don’t drive as much. Combine trips to the store, walk or ride a bike to the nearby store. Carpooling will save money. Cut down on how many road trips you are taking. In our society of we need to be everywhere and fast, driving less may seem ludicrous, but sometimes you need drastic changes in lifestyle to begin saving your way to success.
7. Ride on nitrogen. By filling your tires with nitrogen instead of air, you can increase your gas mileage by 5 to 15%! And it only cost about $3 per tire to do this. Other benefits to riding on nitrogen include more stable tire pressures, increased tire life, and fewer small leaks through the tire bead and valve stem.Learn More.
8. Buy a hybrid. If you are still aren’t saving enough money on your gas expenses, consider trading off your gas-guzzlers and buying a hybrid (gas/electric vehicle). They achieve 50 to 70+ miles per gallon.