We all have to drive to get from point A to point B. And with the rising cots of fuel, we need to be able to do it as cheaply as possibly. Here are some awesome tips on how to cut down your fuel expenses:
Related: 15 More Ways to Save Money on Gas
1. Check Your Tire Pressure
A car with accurate tire pressure can get as much as 3.3% better gas mileage.
2. Change Your Oil on Time
Dirty oil will cause your car to use more gas.
3. Use STP Gas Treatment
This inexpensive treatment can improve your gas mileage up to 10%
4. Buy 87 Octane Gasoline
Unless your car specifically requires that you use a higher octane, go with the cheapest available
5. Buy Your Gas on Wednesdays
It is right before the weekend when prices tend to go up.
6. Carpool
If you can ride to work with someone, even if it’s one day a week, that’s saving gas, oil, miles on your car and cash!
7. Condense Your Trips
Plan your shopping trips along the best route and try to get it all done in one day. The less trips, the better!
8. Watch Gas Prices
As you are driving around, watch the prices of stations you pass. If it is lower than what you usually pay, go ahead and fill up!
Related: The Cheapskate’s Guide to Saving Money
9. Test Different Brands of Gas
Just because one brand of gas is the cheapest, it doesn’t mean it saves you money. We find we get 10-15% better gas mileage with Shell or BP gas then we get with Raceway or no-name gas stations.
10. Shell Saver
Link your Shell Saver card to your debit account and earn 2c back per gallon
11. Exxon and Upromise
Earn a % back on your gas when you link your debit/credit card to Upromise and use it at Exxon to pay
12. Big Box Stores
Gas is sometimes cheaper at Sams and Costco. Check out your local club’s prices.
13. Walmart Gift Cards
Both Murphy USA and Sam’s Club take Walmart gift cards for gas.
14. Grocery Store Fuel Perks
Find out if your grocery store offers fuel perks. You can see a list of participating stores here.
15. GasBuddy.com
Find the cheapest gas in your area
16. Change Your Tires
My husband’s truck had the wrong size tires. When we change them, we noticed an immediate improvement in gas mileage.
17. Clean/Change Your Air Filter
Make sure you have a clean air filter. A dirty one can hurt your gas mileage.
18. Drive The Speed Limit
Speeding not only costs you if you get a ticket, but it also costs more gas to run over the speed limit.
19. Take Off Slowly
Don’t gas it when you take off from a stop light or stop sign. Slowly increasing your speed will use less gas.
20. Turn Your Car Off
When waiting in the car for any length of time, turn it off. You can always run the car until the air/heat is at a comfortable level and then turn it off until you start to get uncomfortable again.
Do you have a tip of your own? Share it below!
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Photo: Flickr/matsuyuki
