With the Summer months upon us, the price of gas has inevitably crept up recently. A few cents here, a few cents there, and WHAM we may hit $3.00 a gallon again any day!
So naturally, we are all looking for ways to save at the pump. Here are my top 7 tips for saving fuel:
- The most simple way to save is to drive less. Easier said than done, right? But if you strategically group errands in a single trip, you can reduce miles driven. Other options include carpooling, walking or biking if at all possible.
- Meal Plan. Yes, you read that right! If you have a healthy stockpile, and plan for weekly meals, the drive thru or those quick trips to the store will become unnecessary.
- Proper maintenance is essential for good gas mileage. This includes regular oil changes, checking your tire pressure, and replacing dirty air filters.
- Lighten your load! If your car is full of clutter or bulky objects, it will affect your mileage. I frequently remind hubby to remove his golf clubs from the trunk!
- Slow down. Not only is it just plain safer, your car will get better mileage at speeds below 60 mph.
- Accelerate and brake with care. This was something I changed about my driving habits last year, and I noticed a huge difference! Ease on and off the pedals and you will save fuel.
- Pay cash at the pump. This may be a challenge if you have kids in the car, but many stations charge a hidden fee if you are paying with plastic. Check carefully to see if your station has a fee.
For more Frugal Fun, visit Life as Mom.
What tips would you add to my list?
I’ve been using Speedway’s Speedy Rewards program. It doesn’t cost anything to join, and it takes a little while to earn points. But I’ve gotten to save 10 cents off per gallon for several fill-ups so far. Every little bit helps!
If you use a roof rack for long road trips , it adds a lot of additional drag and will reduce your miles/gallon. So, remember to take it off after the road trip is over – and if you can avoid a roof rack or roof top bike rack for the the long trips altogether, it will really help you improve your fuel economy. Great post!
today i was able to get gas for $2.79 [which is really cheap compare to $3 in CA] and it was while i was out getting other great deals so it felt even better to put gas at lower than usual 🙂
.-= Maria´s last blog ..thank you so much HotPrints! =-.
today i was able to get gas for $2.79 [which is really cheap compare to $3 in CA] and it was while i was out getting other great deals so it felt even better to put gas at lower than usual 🙂
.-= Maria´s last blog ..thank you so much HotPrints! =-.
Sorry… forgot to say great post – can’t wait to read your next one!
My tip doesn’t save money immediately, but it could help a ton at tax time. A lot of times if I know I have a trip to make on the other side of town, or in a different area, then I’ll schedule a mystery shop over there. Then I can deduct my mileage as a business expense on my taxes. I keep track of the locations that I mystery shop at and keep of spreadsheet of all of that detail. Then I just print a mapquest on each location, multiply mileage by two to account for there and back, then multiply by the IRS rate. Last I heard it was 50.5 cents per mile. It can add up to a lot of savings in a year’s time.
.-= Danielle Miller´s last blog ..Oops! =-.