Gas Savings - 18 Ways To Spend Less On Gasoline

The following gas savings tips are excerpted from the ebook, "Money Saving Secrets," which has a total of 24 ways to spend less on gasoline. It also has hundreds of ways to save money on almost everything else you might buy.

Gas Savings Tips

1. Use Synthetic Oil. Synthetic lubricants may cost more initially, but you can safely go longer between oil changes than with petroleum-based engine oil. That should make up the difference in price. Meanwhile they reduce friction better and improve gas mileage.

2. Check Tire Pressure. Having your tires under-inflated by five or six pounds can reduce your gas mileage by as much as three miles per gallon. Check the pressure regularly, and watch for the appearance of low pressure.

3. Check The Gas Cap. A bad seal or missing cap can allow up to two to three gallons of gas monthly to evaporate. This pollutes the air in addition to costing you money. If the rubber seal around your cap seems worn or damaged, buy a new cap. A five to ten dollar part may save you sixty dollars or more per year.

4. Empty Your Car. The department of Energy says you can improve your gas mileage by as much as 1% for every 100 pounds in weight reduction. So don't leave heavy objects in the car if you don;t need them there.

5. Remove Racks. If you no longer use the bicycle rack, remove it. If the season is over, take that ski rack off too. The weight they add and the wind resistance they create reduce your mileage.

6. Accelerate Slowly. It has been shown that fast acceleration definitely uses more gasoline. Be gentle on that pedal when getting the car up to highway speed.

7. Coast More. Get used to planning ahead for stops and turns when driving. Not only do you get better mileage by coasting more, but speeding up to stops and then stopping quickly wears down the brakes faster, costing you even more money.

8. Don't Idle Too Much. The average car needs to run for less than a minute to get the engine lubricated, and possibly only fifteen seconds. So don;t start the car and then let it sit there running. Start out slowly if it hasn't been more than a few seconds, but you can stop idling too much and save yourself some gas.

9. Know How To Use Cruise. The cruise control on cars is great for long, relatively flat stretches. When it is hilly, though, you will generally get better mileage on your own. Cruise control will tend to accelerate to the top of the hill if the speed is a bit to slow, while you can see the downhill stretch coming and let off on the gas pedal. Cruise control, also tends to accelerate too fast when you start up the next hill.

10. Use Heaters and Air Conditioners Wisely. Both of these put an extra load on the engine, so wait a bit longer than normal to turn them on, or find ways to avoid their use when you can. Doing so will improve your mileage.

11. Plan Trips Better. Fewer miles means less gas used, so try to route your shopping trips and other outings in the mist efficient ways. Saving just a few miles several times weekly can add up to 500 miles less annually, which at 20 miles per gallon means 25 gallons less gas used.

12. Close Windows - As long as it is comfortable in the car, it is better to have the windows closed. This will improve gas mileage.

13. Get A Tune Up. If you have noticed a reduction in mileage, you may just need a tune-up to get the car back to normal. You may save the $75 cost in just a few months because of the gas savings from better mileage.

14. Use A Cash Back Credit Card. If you use a credit card that pays you cash back to purchase gasoline, you effectively cut the cost.

15. Go To Cheap Stations. It usually isn't worth the trouble and extra gas to drive far for gas that is only slightly cheaper. On the other hand, you may regularly drive by numerous gas stations, so note which one is the cheapest and start filling up there.

16. Add An Engine Coating. Products like Slick50 coat the engine and reduce friction, as well as improving compression. The net result is a longer engine life and better gas mileage.

17. Don't Use Premium Fuel. They aren't necessary or beneficial in most newer cars, so you are just spending more for no good reason.

18. Slow Down. It's estimated that driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph is the equivalent of paying 30 cents more per gallon of gasoline.