There are certain steps you can take that will save you money on gas and with the price of gas nowadays, every little bit helps. One of the most obvious ways to save on gas is, well, taking steps to do it. That is, in walking more.
Walking –
Safety should always come first in choosing when and where to walk. With the crime rate rising just as fast as gas prices are, caution and common sense should always be considered. Circumstances such as walking in remote areas, especially alone and at night, or across busy intersections during rush hour times, are very bad ideas. However, if you need to do some shopping in a shopping district and if some of the stores are in nearby locations, consider parking in a central spot and walking to the individual stores.
Planning your shopping trips –
You can also save money on gas by planning your trips accordingly. I remember one time in particular, when I was with a friend on her shopping trip. I was simply the passenger along for the ride, and what a ride it was. I watched in quiet amazement at how many times she backtracked along the way, simply because she followed her “to do” list and didn’t bother to map out her destinations. She could have saved a couple gallons of gasoline, not to mention a couple of hours, if she would have planned her trip by locations.
When you’re on a shopping trip, try to imagine your destinations as a picture of “connect the dots” and try not to overlap any “dots.”
Routes –
Taking the roads less traveled can help on gas mileage, as well as trying to avoid stop lights. No, this does not mean running red lights, but if you know the neighborhood in which you’re driving, try to take routes with the least amount of stop lights/signs. Even though a street may have lower speed limits, if you’ll be doing less stopping, it’s well worth it.
Timing –
Getting caught in rush hour traffic can be hazardous to the nerves, as well as your fuel economy. Stop and go traffic is one of the worst gas consumers and if you can avoid driving during these times, your fuel economy will be better off and so will your nerves.
Modes of transportation –
How you choose to travel makes a difference as well. You can opt to commute with friends, co-workers, ect., or you can ride a bike, take the bus, or even be a kid again and get some roller skates/blades. Hey, why not? It’s great exercise too!
If you have the finances to start looking at different vehicles, you should also consider types that gets better gas mileage. There is a wide variety of options available now, such as hybrid, alternative fuel, electric, etc. A little research and price comparisons can save you money in the long run, not to mention driving something that will be more environmentally friendly.
Gassing up –
When, where and how you gas up your vehicle can get you more for the money too. It’s obvious to find the gas station with the cheapest prices, but some companies have now been under scrutiny for not giving full gallons of gasoline, just as some will give you a little more than a gallon. You can look up gas stations in your area and see if they are listed under these investigations. Simply do a search such as – gas station inspections and your state.
Gas expands as it heats up, so try to buy your gasoline at the coldest time of the day that you can, since the more condensed the gas is, the more you will end up putting in your tank. It has also been advised to not let the gas flow at full speed when you fill up. With the new types of nozzles now, if you pump the gas at a slower rate, you will lessen the chance of your gas evaporating before it even gets into your tank.
Another hint about evaporation, is that if you keep your tank full, or at least as close to full as you can, the gas will have less chance to evaporate. The closer your tank is to being empty, it evaporates at a faster rate and you also run the risk of having sediment pass through your engine.
Fuel additives claim to help, but I find this very debatable, since I have used a few varieties and have ended up with a sputtering engine. Do some thorough research on these types of options.
Vehicle maintenance –
There’s a few things you can do to your vehicle, to assure that it’s as fuel efficient as it can possibly be. Having regular tune-ups, changing filters and keeping tires aired up can help dramatically, not to mention extending the life of your vehicle in general. A “not so common” tip is to check the air-fuel mixture ratio on your carburetor. If your vehicle is running too rich (a less air, more fuel ratio) you will be using much more gasoline than you need to be.
Last but not least –
Saving money on gas simple comes down to a bit of common sense and a bit of know how. I have listed some links that, hopefully, will help you in your quest for savings and “know how” knowledge. Above anything though, please always use common sense in your journeys. Trying to save money on gas is wonderful, but not at the expense of putting yourself in danger.
Gas Price checking –
http://www.gasbuddy.com/
http://www.fuelmeup.com/
Air fuel mixture explained –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air-fuel_meter
Understanding why low tire pressure makes a difference –
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/06/proper_tire_pre.php
Estimated gas mileage efficiency based on tire inflation –
http://www.carcare.org/tires_wheels/inflation.shtml
A wide variety of helpful topics from the United States Department of Energy –
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/
CBS News – Expert offers tips that apply to all conventional vehicles –
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/16/earlyshow/living/ConsumerWatch/main4355343.shtml?source=related_story
CBS News – Is your gas pump ripping you off? –
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/21/cbsnews_investigates/main4371783.shtml