Sunday 12 February 2012

Saving Money at the Fuel Pump

Gas prices are high, and just recently they have begun to climb again. High gas prices are just a fact of life, and if people are on a strict budget, then they will need to find other ways to save money on car fuel. Saving money on fuel is easier than you think, and it doesn't mean you have to drive all over town either to find the best deals at the pump. Follow these very simple tips and you will soon be saving money on your fuel budget.

Fuel Efficient Cars
The most obvious way to save money on car fuel is to drive a fuel efficient car. If you drive an older model car, you could be spending more in fuel than a newer model. Keep this idea in mind if you are ever budgeting to see if you can afford to get a newer car or not. Some people really like to drive bigger trucks and SUV's just to show off their image, With gas prices climbing again past $3.50 a gallon, maybe you should consider only driving what you need instead of what you want.

Don't Drive Around For The Best Price
Don't spend your time and your gas driving around town looking for the best deal at the pump. Many people will drive several miles out of their way just to save a few cents per gallon. What they don't realize is that they spent more money in gas getting to the gas station than they are saving. Think about this: the average sized gas tank on a car is about 14 gallons and 20 gallons on an SUV. Saving three cents per gallon means that you are saving 42-60 cents on the overall sale. This savings could easily be eaten up by driving only a few miles out of the way.

Avoid the Drive-In
Waiting in long lines at fast food restaurants will consume fuel fast. Consider turning off the engine if you anticipate a long wait before moving up, or go into the restaurant to place your order. The same concept applies when you are waiting in the driveway to pick up your friends.

Proper Maintenance Counts

Youhave probably heard that properly maintaining your car helps save on gas mileage, but you may not know about all of the things that can be done. Below is a list of just a few of these things.

-Tires
Inflating your tires to the proper recommended air pressure will increase fuel mileage.

-Air Filter
A dirty air filter will affect the fuel and air ratio and thus decrease fuel efficiency.

-Oil Change
Changing your oil will help lubricate your engine and reduce strain, which will increase fuel efficiency as well.

Losing the Junk in Your Trunk
A loaded down car will weigh more and cause the engine to work harder to make the car move. This will cause more fuel consumption when compared to a car that is empty and weighs less. Avoid weighing down your car with heavy equipment that you aren't using all of the time. I try to tell this to the wife but she never listens.

Take It off Cruise Control
Using the cruise control in your car will consume more fuel when you are driving and constantly changing elevation. When you are going uphill and downhill, the cruise control in your car will accelerate or decelerate to maintain a constant speed. This replicates the same actions you would take if you were manually accelerating to speed up or slow down. Setting the cruise control on smooth, flat surfaces is ideal.

Driving Habits
Stop and go traffic will also consume a lot of fuel, but driving habits play an even more important role. If you like to speed up as fast as you can from one red light to the next, then you are spending extra fuel and you are wearing out your brakes. The same goes for freeway traffic when you are speeding up to pass cars instead of just keeping pace.

Pay careful attention to the times you’re speeding up and racing around traffic and you really will see that you aren't going much further or saving time than if you just drive at a normal pace with the flow of traffic.

For similar money saving articles we have written a guide on how to save money on your car insurance quotes and saving tips.

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