Save Money On Gas

It seems to be a forgone conclusion that gasoline will hit $7 - $8 a gallon in the next 12 to 24 months.

The government doesn’t seem willing to do anything about it, so it’s up to you and me to do the best we can to weather the storm.

So, here are 27 tips to help you save money on gas:

1. Some simple auto maintenance is a great place to start. Get that tune-up you’ve been putting off. Change your air filter regularly.

2. Make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure. I’m told that this is very important.

3. Wash and wax your car. Reduces air “drag”, and makes you feel better too.

4. Often wholesale clubs like Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club, and grocery stores, have lower gas prices than regular gas stations.

5. Keep an eye out for the best prices, they can vary widely by location, but don’t waste gas driving around looking for a lower price.

6. I’ve found that gas prices are lower in town than on the interstate exchanges. So, fill up before you hit the highway.

7. It seems that gas prices are often lower on Wednesdays, so watch for that.

8. Use regular fuel unless your vehicle specifically needs the premium grades. The higher priced premium is not worth the extra cost.

9. Fill up your car in the early morning or late evenings.

10. Do fill up each time. You’re going to need the gas anyway, and the price will probably be higher the next time you buy it too.

11. Recent studies have shown that you do not save fuel by not running your air conditioner, so you may as well be cool.

12. Reduce acceleration and those “jack rabbit” starts.

13. Use your cruise control when you’re on the highway.

14. Don’t fly those flags for your team, the wind drag is a real gas burner.

15. Slow down – driving at the speed limit will save you a lot of gas, plus, the traffic signals are coordinated for traffic at the speed limit.

16. Don’t warm up your car on cold mornings. It’s not necessary any more.

17. Clean out the junk in your car and trunk. It takes more fuel to carry around all that extra weight.

18. Use public transportation if it is available to you.

19. Carpool.

20. Plan your errands and know your route. Try to get all of your shopping done on one trip, and plan your route so you don’t do any backtracking or get lost.

21. Buy larger quantities of the items you use over and over to reduce trips to the store. You’ll also save money. Like buying the 24-pack of toilet paper instead of the 4-packs.

22. Avoid driving in peak drive times if possible. All that sitting in traffic wastes valuable fuel, not to mention your time which is an even more precious resource.

23. Avoid drive-thru windows. Stop your car and go in. You will save a lot of fuel, not to mention stand a better chance of getting your order right.

24. Get your paycheck on direct deposit if it’s available to you. This will eliminate that trip to the bank, saving you fuel and time.

25. See if you can work from home, if your job is one where that would be possible.

26. Start a home business so that you may qualify to write your mileage off and at least save some money on your tax bill.

27. Consider trading in your gas guzzler for a more economical vehicle if you don’t really need it.

High fuel prices are here to stay. There’s no better time than now to start saving money wherever we can.