Save Money on Gas! Here's How...

Rising gas prices affect everyone, rich or poor. Every day gas prices seem to go up and people feel powerless because driving is a necessity, not a luxury. Working and shopping from home is not an option for most people and the cost of fuel is eating an increasingly larger and larger potion of people's disposable income. But there is nothing to be done about it....or is there ?

Read on for 30 secret techniques to save money on gas and to increase your miles per gallon more than you ever thought possible without spending a penny !

~ Photo from CreativeCommons.org

A few tips on what to do and not do....

1. Avoid "warming up" your vehicle before you leave. It wastes gas and serves no useful purpose.

2. Remove all ice and snow. Snow build up can create wind resistance and ice can add weight.

3. Remove all unnecessary items from the car. Any extra weight you can get rid of will improve fuel efficiency.

4. Don't "rev" the engine. Doing this puts wear on the engine for no reason and also burns expensive fuel.

5. Accelerate at a slow, steady pace when starting off from a complete stop.

6. Drive slower. Fuel savings of as much as 21% have been proven by cutting back to 55 from 70.

7. Do not accelerate sharply at high speeds. It take much more fuel to increase a cars momentum above 55 mph.

8. Turn off your A/C or if that is not feasible in your climate, turn it off 5 to 10 minutes before reaching your destination.

9. Keep your windows up. Driving with all your windows down can decrease your mileage by up to 20%.

10. Use your cruise control whenever possible. Keeping at a steady speed results in far better fuel economy.

11. Use the overdrive gears. This will usually keep your RPM down.

12. Shift into neutral when you are at a complete stop to let the transmission cool off and rest.]

13. Turn your engine off, if you are going to be stopped for more than one minute. Idling for more than one minute uses more gas than restarting your vehicle.

14. Stay off of unpaved or rough roads. Driving on these types of roads is hard on your car and takes up to 30% more fuel.

15. Don't drive with your foot resting on the brake or gas pedal. Any pressure will cause drag on the brake or acceleration on the gas, both of which will decrease your mileage.

16. Choose a lane and stay in it. Changing lanes, speeding up and slowing down all use more gas than driving straight and steady.

17. Stop lights are usually timed to the posted speed limit, so if you follow it, you can usually find yourself stopping less for red lights.

~ Photo from CreativeCommons.org

18. Avoid driving around looking for a close parking space. Park in the first available spot and your wallet will be fatter and you will be thinner.

19. Park so you can put straight out. Backing up and manuvering out of a parking space is very fuel inefficient.

20. Park in the shade whenever possible. You A/C will have to work less to cool your car when you get in.

~ Photo from CreativeCommons.org

21. Try to find a gas card that offers a discount on fuel or other rewards.

22. Consider running consistantly with a half a tank instead of a full one. It will make your car weigh less, but do not consistently run on empty as that may damage some sensors in your car.

23. Get gas in the coolest part of the day. The gasoline is more dense at cooler temperatures and you will get more.

24. Avoid overfilling your tank. Stop pumping when you hear the first click, so none of that expensive liquid sloshes out.

25. Don't buy gas from the first station off the express way, or from a station in a location with no competition. Preplan so that you can find a good price. Also, gas is usually cheaper "on the other side of the track" so consider making the journey there to buy gas.

26. If you have a cell phone, some companies will text you with your area's lowest gas prices, just text them your zip code. If your phone supports sending a text message to an e-mail address, you can get prices from gas@gasbuddy.com, sms@mobgas.com or gas@fuelgo.com. These services are free, but your cell-phone company will charge you for text messages if they're not included in your plan.

~ Photo from CreativeCommons.org

27. Keep your engine tuned up. An improperly tuned engine reduces your gas mileage by up to 4%. The oxygen sensor is a very important part of good gas mileage: a good one can improve mpg by 40% and a bad one can decrease it by that same 40%. Don't procrastinate if you need yours replaced.

28. Keep Tires Properly Inflated. Underinflated tires decrease your miles per gallon by increasing the resistance and making your engine have to work harder to move your car down the road.

29. Check Your Air Filter and Replace Every 12,000 Miles. A clean new air filter can save you as much as 20 cents per gallon

30. Use the right motor oil. The owners manual will have the type and weight of oil that makes your vehicle run the most efficiently.

31. Don't carry a lot of extra stuff in your car. The more your car weighs, the more gas it takes to move it down the road.

Of course, the best way to save on gas is not to drive at all. Talk to your relatives and co-workers and see if you can combine shopping trips or rides to work. Car-pooling can cut your gas consumption by up to 50%, so give it a try !

~ Photo from CreativeCommons.org