They say the state of California is going broke (personally, I think they’ve been broke for awhile). So, it’s my conspiracy theory that gas prices are jacked up and the government is benefitting from it.
So, gas in my area is up to $3.06 $3.12 (0.06 hike in one day)! Tell me there is no price gauging goin’ on!
And that is at the cheapest local gas station! I thought it might be a worthwhile time to mention some gas-saving tips.
- Tighten up that gas cap. Gas will evaporate from your car’s gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year, according to the Car Care Council. So be sure to tighten up that gas cap each time you fuel up your car.
- Use your garage for your car. Got a garage? Clear it out and make room for your car. Parking in your garage will help your car stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and you won’t have to depend as much on your gas-guzzling air-conditioning or defroster when you drive.
- Pump up your tires. Don’t get caught driving on underinflated tires. Underinflated tires wear down more quickly and they also lower your car’s gas mileage.
Your car’s gas mileage may plummet by as much as 15 percent. Driving on underinflated tires may also reduce the life of your tires by 15 percent or more. - Check your tire pressure once a month. Buy a digital gauge and keep it in your glove box. Compare the pressure in your tires with the recommended pressure listed in your owner’s manual and on the placard in your car door. Then inflate your tires as needed. Be sure to check tire pressure when your tires are cold. A good time is early in the morning after your car’s been idle overnight.
- Straighten Up. Poor alignment not only causes tires to wear out more quickly, but also forces your engine to work harder. Align your tires, and save up to 10%.
- Keep your engine in tune. Fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can boost gas mileage by about 4 percent. So be sure to give your car regular tune-ups. You’ll also want to watch out for worn spark plugs. A misfiring spark plug can reduce a car’s fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.
- Replace air filters. Keep a close eye on your engine’s air filter. When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent and save you 15 cents a gallon. It’s a good idea to have your engine air filter checked at each oil change. The Car Care Council recommends changing your car’s air and oil filters every three months or 3,000 miles or as specified in your owner’s manual.
- Use the right oil. You can improve your car’s gas mileage by 1 percent to 2 percent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. Opt for motor oil with the words “energy conserving” on the API performance label. This oil contains friction-reducing additives.
- Don’t skimp on maintenance. Be serious about auto care. Your car’s performance depends on it.
- Slow Down. For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you can reduce fuel consumption by 7%.
- Lay Off The Brakes. Riding with your foot on the brake pedal will not only wear out brake pads (which will cost you at the maintenance shop) but can also increase gas consumption by as much as 35%.
- Lighten Up. For every 100 extra pounds carried around, your vehicle loses 1 to 2% in fuel efficiency. Don’t drive around with too much junk in the trunk.
What are some of your great ideas for saving on gas? you know it will only go up because summer is just about here!
Our petrol is selling for a £1.10 a litre. $3.06 per gallon would be almost free. Get ready for the future as I really dont think we will be going back.
Good luck
Moneyfunk deluxe!!
Man…there are some tips here i’ve neeeever thought of.
i don’t need gas to go up, i drive a huge retro car so could do with all the petrol saving tips i can find.
always hear about tuning your engine and that kind of jazz, but what’s that mean?
free-wheel would probably be my main tip if anybody asked me how i keep gas bills down. lol 🙂 and be creative when you hit the hills 🙂
coolness
alex – unleash reality
@ lizzie: You have a point. And I agree… it’s really not going to get much less than it is now. Never again.
I am thinking though… where you are located, is it more bicycle friendly if you wanted that as a mode of transportation? Unfortunately, where I am placed in California it is not. So, we have to rely on cars.
@ Alex: huge retro car… ya, you definitely need some gas saving tips! lol. And you’re right about Free-wheeling. I just thought of that and am wondering if I need to reword the title to include Gas saving “car” tips. 🙂
tune your engine… get the regularily scheduled maintanance…30K miles, 60K, etc… always get your oil changed. Definitely worthwhile. I have 75K miles on my car and it still runs perfect! Its great for a little beer can of a car it is!
Yes, definetly pretty bike friendly. Town is just a couple of miles away and there are bike lanes most of the way.
@ Lizzie: oh, how I am envious of your bike friendly area. I would love to bike ride most times. Not to mention I think my body and figure would benefit from it! 😉
Wow, and I $2.55 was getting ridiculous! Thanks to being tied to home with a sick child, I’ve been able to go two weeks on a fill-up. (Last time I filled up gas was $2.37/gallon). Geez. By the time we go to the lake it will probably be back up to $4.00.
One of my saving tips for the summer time is to not use the air conditioner unless absolutely necessary. For some reason on my car, the air conditioner sucks twice as much gas.
Thanks for the tips!
@ Sharon: I checked the prices yesterday and they went up $0.12! $0.06 in one day in my neck of the woods. And there isn’t a darn thing I can do!
Air conditioning is a definite factor in saving. I hate when I turn it on and you can feel the car slow down.
I think the last time I filled up we were at $2.17…but I live in Texas, so that’s why. Still, I have seen the gas prices creeping back up. I like these tips and can’t stress enough the importance of good car maintenance. The better you keep up with your car’s maintenance, the better it runs and the better gas mileage you get.
Now, I’ve heard that if you ride with the window’s down, it uses just as much gas as your air conditioner. So, the better tip is to ride with the windows up and the fan on. I don’t know if that’s true, though. I’d be interested to know if anyone else had heard this, as well.
One I have read about is to always back your car into parking spots. That way when you start your car and the engine is cold (and runs inefficient) all you have to do is pull straight out and go.
When you get to where you are going, the engine is warm (and running much more efficiently), so you can back in and do all the maneuvering necessary while using less fuel.
I have no idea how much it saves, but over a lifetime, it adds up.
@ Kristy: You’re definitely right on that one! Car maintainance is key. Like I said… I have 75K miles on my car and haven’t had any problems with it because I make sure to take it in when scheduled! 🙂
I haven’t heard of the car window issue. So, during the hot summers we need to remain in a sweat box. lol!
@ Over the cubicle wall: that’s a new one I haven’t heard of. Perhaps that is why I see so many backed into the car spots.
I think another idea would be a hybrid car. 😉