By now, most of us are feeling the pinch with the high gas prices. At least the people who do not have electric cars. Unfortunately for people with gas cars, they have to buy fuel in order to get where they need to go, to do what they need to do. Drivers of electric cars are the lucky ones right now. Even though gas prices are going down, there are things we can do to make the most of the gas we buy. The tips below are some ways to save on gas.
Lighten the load
Lighten the load in the car. When the car is weighed down with a lot of stuff in the trunk, back seat, etc this causes the gas to burn faster. The lighter the car the less gas you use. Take this time to empty out the trunk of things you don’t need. This might be a good time to give away that stuff to your local donation center.
Drive slower
Reducing your speed helps save gas. The faster you drive the more gas you use. Driving in an aggressive manner or driving too fast, is a sure way to drain the tank. Hard braking and switching lanes often can also waste gas.
Plan your trips
When you do get gas, try to fill up to avoid making multiple trips for gas. Run errands for things that are on your way to or from your usual places. If something can wait and is not on your route, plan that for a day when you can do multiple things in that area. If you can, walk to the store or anywhere you need to go. Leave the car parked.
The earlier the better
Try to gas up your car early in the morning, before stations raise the price. Also, you might want to get gas earlier in the week, like on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Some gas stations raise the prices starting on Thursday in anticipation for weekend travel.
Pay with cash
Consider paying for your gas with cash. Some stations charge less when you pay with cash. This helps them avoid fees when customers use credit/debit cards. I know the plastic is more convenient, and in some cases safer than carrying cash.
Use reward cards
You may want to use discount, loyalty/rewards cards at your local gas stations. You can save anywhere between 3-25 cents or more per gallon of gas. This does make a difference.
Hope you find these tips useful. I’m sure you have heard some of these suggestions before, and if you have pass them along to someone else. The link below helps you find the cheapest gas prices in your area.