Gas prices are inching back up again, a steady incline which can cramp any wallet. With gas prices above $3 in many urban areas, your gas tank can easily tip over your budget, leaving you with a wallet that’s perpetually starving. There are simple steps you can do, however, to stretch your gas budget as far as it can go.
Fill up when it’s smart and prices are down. That means filling up during the week, rather than the weekend. Gas prices rise with supply and demand. Since most people tend to put off filling the tank until the weekend when they have big weekend travel plans, gas prices tend to reach their highest on Saturday and Sunday, but then come down about mid-week. Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings are the cheapest times to fill up.
Don’t drive when you don’t have to. Take public transportation. Many people don’t even know the busing options that are available. If you are a student or you frequently work on a laptop, those public commutes can be a great opportunity to get extra work done, or you can use the time to read a book or take a nap. Walking is more pleasurable as you can better take in sights and talk to people. You experience the world in a more personal way than you ever can in a car.
Park in the shade. Believe it or not, but a hot car evaporates gas. Make sure you choose a shady parking space on a hot day, or park in a garage. If you use air conditioning and you make a point of parking in the shade, you’ll also save on gas because the car will be cooler. Plus, your car will be more comfortable upon returning. Keep your cool by finding the shady spot.
Watch your speed. When you drive at a reasonable speed, your car gets better mileage and you save on gas. In fact, every 5 miles per hour over 60 costs you an additional 20 cents per gallon on gas.
Don’t tailgate, and give your neighbor at least 500 feet. Every time the car in front of you slows and you put on the brakes, you’re wasting gas. When they speed up, you speed up, which gushes even more gas. When you stay back 500 feet, you can smoothly react to the driver’s speed without brakes or giving the pedal more gas, allowing you to adapt to their speed in a more natural way that conserves fuel.
Buy a vehicle that’s fuel efficient. At the current price of gas, an inefficient vehicle will cost you serious money. Saving cash begins with a car that’s efficient. It may be worth swapping an older vehicle for a more efficient model, or a larger vehicle for something smaller, if your lifestyle can adjust to the change.
Use that cruise control. Your cruise control provides an ideal speed management. Your car is running its most efficient when it has a steady speed. You don’t waste as much fuel hitting the brakes or speeding up to meet the persuasions of your lead foot.
Drive steady, without slamming on the brakes. Keep your car riding smooth and steady. Try to anticipate when you’ll need to slow down and allow the car to reduce speed by naturally driving without hitting the gas. Stay in your lane and drive straight, keeping your turns tight to minimize fuel loss due to direction change.
Keep your tires pumped. Low pressured tires can have a serious impact on gas performance, causing your car to work harder. Make it a point to check your tires every time you fill up. Many gas stations offer free use of the air hose with their gas. It may even be wise to carry a portable air pump so you can keep tires at a good pressure as well as fix flats in a jiffy.
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