Save on Gas

Following are five ways to save on gas: 1) Clean out the trunk. Removing excess weight from your car will save on mileage. 2) Slow down. Reducing your speed from 70 mph to 55 mph could increase your fuel efficiency by 23%. 3) Fill up before you have to. Stopping for gas before the situation is dire will give you time to find the cheapest price. 4) Skip the expensive stuff. Unless your user guide specifically tells you otherwise, regular unleaded gas works just fine. 5) Keep your tires inflated. Check your user guide for the proper tire pressure and stick to it. This will improve gas mileage and keep you safer on the road.

When buying a new car, consider smaller models. They're often cheaper because they're lighter and they usually get better gas mileage. Although sport utility vehicles are popular, they cost a lot more to operate and are often unnecessary unless you have a large family or special need.

If your family owns two cars, get in the habit of taking the smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle whenever you can. For example, by driving a Toyota Camry instead of a Ford Explorer to the mall, you would save about eight miles per gallon in suburban driving. This could save you the cost of a fill-up every month or two.

Paying a little more for a fuel efficient car initially may save you thousands and thousands of dollars on gas costs during the time that you own your vehicle. For example, a car that gets 30 miles per gallon may save you $1,800 in five years over a car that gets 20 miles per gallon. And, considering that fuel costs have been on the increase, a fuel efficient vehicle is the way to go.

Whether you're taking a long trip or a short hop, make sure your tank is filled before you get on the highway. Gas prices are typically about six cents more per gallon at EZ-off/EZ-on service stations.

When the weather outside is frightful, here's some gas-saving news that's delightful: with computer-controlled, fuel-injected engines, you need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before driving. Anything more and you're just burning up that expensive fuel and increasing emissions.

Be sure your tires are properly inflated by checking your tire pressure every other time you fill up on gas. Under inflated tires can reduce your fuel efficiency by up to three miles per gallon. You can pick up a tire gauge at any auto parts store for under $5.

Changing tires for different seasons isn't about fashion, it's about savings! Deep tread and big tires demand more fuel, and the extra power they pull isn't necessary in good weather when the roads are clear. Using winter tires out-of-season will also cause them to wear out sooner needlessly.

If you have a removable roof rack, consider taking it off when not in use. The wind drag created by a roof rack, especially at higher speeds, can cut your fuel efficiency by up to 5%.

Fuel efficiency decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 miles per hour. The faster you drive, the more gas you use per mile: each 5 mile per hour you drive over 60 is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas!

If you live in an area that has good public transportation, see if you can get to work or take care of your daily errands without your car. You may be surprised to find out that you don't really need a car for your daily commute or that you don't need a car at all! This is especially true for people who live in urban areas like NYC, Chicago and D.C.

Save money on gas by planning long-distance trips carefully. Keep in mind that the most direct route is not always the best. For example, you might want to avoid driving through suburban areas, since stoplights, intersections and pedestrian traffic all mean multiple stops and starts and extra fuel consumption. Using a four-lane highway is generally more fuel efficient than using a two-lane highway. Go to mapquest.com or maps at yahoo.com to find the best most fuel-efficient route.

How you use your car, and what options are in your car, can have an impact on the fuel efficiency of your car. For example, you sacrifice several miles per gallon when using air conditioning on the highway and even more in stop-and-go traffic. Six-cylinder engines get about four to five miles per gallon less than four-cylinder engines. At the end of the year, these modest differences in fuel efficiency can add up to a huge difference in operating costs.

If your employment gives you some flexibility in when you work, try to arrange your work schedule so you can avoid the peak rush hours to and from work. Idling in bumper-to-bumper traffic burns lots of gas and you'll find yourself filling up the tank more often than if you had a smooth commute.

If you are buying a new car in the near future, consider a hybrid gas-and-electric sedan that can get more than 60 miles per gallon. You'll save money on gas and you may even be eligible for a tax deduction or credit when it's time to do your taxes.

For most cars, premium gasoline offers no benefit. So, unless your car is knocking and pinging, don't use a higher octane gas than your owner's manual recommends. Premium gas costs up to 15% more at the pump than regular.

Don't let your gas money go up in thin air. Gasoline readily changes from liquid to vapor and will evaporate right out of your tank if your gas cap isn't closed properly. Be sure to screw on your gas cap tightly. Buy a new one if your current cap doesn't fit snugly.

Try to group your errands and activities so that you can accomplish several things with one trip, and you'll save more than you might expect on gasoline. Buy stamps at the post office on the way home from taking your kids to school; do your grocery shopping instead of going home during his/her soccer practice.

Avoid "jack rabbit" starts from traffic lights. Jack rabbit starts, along with hard braking stops, only reduce travel time by about 4 percent. That's equal to 2뿯½ minutes on a 60 minute trip. Fuel consumption is increased by 39 percent! Moderate starts and stops, on the other hand, save money on gas and save lives, too, because they're safer.

If you frequent fast-food restaurants, skip the drive through if the line is long. Wasting time idling your engine in long lines at the fast-food drive-through is a waste of gas.

If you must drive to work every day, spend a little time to figure out the smartest route to your destination. Instead of burning gallons of gas on rush-hour highways that seem more like parking lots, you can map out less traveled side roads. You'll keep moving and end up saving on gas money even though you may travel a few miles further.

If your car has a cruise control setting, make sure you use it on the highway, or other roads that don't require a lot of starting and stopping. You will improve your gas mileage by maintaining a steady speed.

When possible, take advantage of daily commuter carpools and ride-share programs either those set up by government agencies in your area or with neighbors in your community. There are lots of advantages. As well as dramatically reducing fuel costs, multiple riders speed along in the less crowded High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.

The right levels of fluid, such as coolant and automatic transmission fluid, ensures that your car can run efficiently. This will help you keep repairs to a minimum and may also save you money at the pump. It's also true that keeping car fluids at appropriate levels could save you the expense of having to replace car parts more often than necessary because there's more strain on those parts when fluid levels are extremely low.

When traveling on the highway, it is more fuel efficient to run your car's air conditioner with the windows closed, than it is to roll down the windows. The wind resistance created by having the windows open at high speeds causes the car's engine to burn more gas than it takes to run the air conditioner. This doesn't hold true at lower speeds, so feel free to give the A/C a rest when running to the grocery store.