Gas costs continue to rise, whether the gas costs at your local stations have continued to rise or you simply have been lazy or unknowing of how to keep your gas and travel budget as low as possible, you could be saving money that you should have never should have spent. Below are some helpful gas money saving tips sure to help during your commute as well as on longer road trips and when on everyday errands.
Check your Info and Prices
Car owners should always check their owner’s manuals, upon doing so car owners will know the most effective octane levels of their car. Using higher than recommended octane levels more often than not is unbeneficial and more expensive, sometimes certain models of cars are better served by more premium fuels. However, if you have a car that may require premium fuels, you should check your car manual to find out if higher priced fuel is a necessity or a requirement. Meanwhile you also should shop around to get the best prices on gas, if you have a smartphone you can download specialized apps on which you can get the cheapest local gas prices, additionally, many local gas stations advertise local gas price specials at their respective locations via such apps and their own respective websites.
Price Incentives and Discounts
Saving money on gas can also can be done by using a credit card that offers cash back and other incentives on gas purchases. The rebate tends to be between two to five percent, however you always should make sure to read the fine print as interest rates, fees, various charges and benefits usually will vary, depending of the type of card you have and how you use your card.
Tech Specs
Modern technology now has made money saving more possible, however traditional means still also can save you money. Of the many steps you can take to prevent your gas costs from rising beyond cost, one is to monitor your tires. If you have allowed your tires’ condition to have become under inflated or your wheels have become improperly aligned, you may be wasting fuel as your engine in such conditions may be working harder than necessary. If your wheels are out of line and are reflecting of uneven tread wear, you may want to contact your local professional.
Travel Light
Another smart move in keeping gas costs low is removing excess weight, riding your vehicle without unneeded items is sure to go a long way. Storing less weight is certain to equate to lower mileage, do not store in your trunk and other areas more than what you need.
Commute Wisely
No matter what your car needs, more often than not certain trips and errands could be done without. If you commute or ride share, do so in the best cost effective manner, also keep in mind mileage whenever car sharing as everyone involved is certain to reap the benefits. Traffic conditions should also be kept in mind, whether individually or by car pools, knowing the best routes as well as the shortest routes is certain to help in the long term. Whether you are carpooling, sharing the costs with an individual or driving on your own, being mindful of traffic conditions, mileage and route options is a cost cutting certainty.
Drive Properly
How and the way you drive also has an effect on gas costs. Driving within speed limits equates to less wear and tear on a vehicle, staying within recommended speed limits almost always will result in the best gas efficiency (and less traffic ticket citations). Accelerating suddenly tends to guzzle and suck up gas unnecessarily, know your local traffic patterns so you can adjust accordingly, suddenly speeding up, stopping and speeding back up generally is less than healthy for your engine and ultimately your car’s gas mileage.
Car Care and Gas Costs
Despite common knowledge, air drag caused by open windows can hurt your mileage. You may have your air conditioning in perfect working order, however if you turn it off in stop and go traffic your fuel costs will certainly come down. Also having a perfectly maintained car engine yields maximum gas mileage, be sure to follow the recommended service schedules listed in most car manuals. Replacing fluids and filters per recommendations will also help in cost cutting, anytime you have engine performance problems, regardless of the cause, fixing a small problem generally will equate to better gas performance. In the event that you need repair work performed, just be certain to use auto workers who are ASE certified as is recommended.
Be Smart Always
Heed these tips as they are certain to help improve your gas mileage, you may also find that these tips will help extend the life of your engine. Saving on gas mileage is a wise move, however in doing so you may also extend the life of your vehicle in other ways, thus saving money on overall car costs and resales.