50 Ways to Save Money at the Gas Pump, Part 4

Photo Credit: Tracy O

This is a continuation of 50 Ways to Save Money at the Gas Pump.... Here are 10 more useful tips to help you save on gas.

What follows are tips 31 - 40 to help you save on gas at the pump.

Avoid Idling Your Vehicle

Try to avoid letting your car idle, even on those cold mornings when you try to heat up the car before driving to work.

Remove Weight From Your Car

If you are not specifically hauling around some heavy material make sure that you remove it from your car.

Turn Off Your Car

Studies show that it’s more fuel efficient to turn off your car than it is to let it idle for much longer than about 45 seconds.

Avoid Using the Air Conditioning

When you first get into your hot vehicle try to drive with the windows open to let out the hot air and let in a fresh breeze. If you need to use the air conditioning in your car you should keep in mind that your fuel economy will be reduced by 10 to 20 percent.

Avoid Sudden Stops and Turns

When you are driving your vehicle you should try to avoid braking suddenly or starting abruptly.

Drive the Speed Limit

Make sure that you observe the speed limit. Your gas mileage will decrease rapidly when you travel at speeds over 60 mph.

Anticipate Driving Conditions

If at all possible try to anticipate the driving conditions that you will be taking on your route. If you know the traffic is heavy on a certain road try to take an alternate route.

Avoid Rush Hour

If at all possible you should try to avoid driving during peak rush hours. When the traffic is crawling along you’ll be wasting gas and creating wear and tear on your car.

Accelerate Before Hills

If you are approaching a hill try to accelerate before you reach the hill. This will help you to use up less gas while you are climbing the hill in your car.

Avoid Fast Driving in Low Gears

If you drive at fast speeds using the wrong and often lower gears, you will reduce your fuel economy by as much as 40 percent.

Ok we’ve covered 40 ways to save you some money at the gas pump. In the next article coming up we’ll cover the last ten ways to help you save at the pump. There is nothing radical about what I’m suggesting here, but if you put just a few of these practical tips into your normal routine, maintenance, and operation of your vehicle you could save a lot of money.

If you haven’t read the first three parts of this series click one of the links below to read.