Fuel Saving Tips

1. Chose a fuel efficient car to begin with.
Bigger is no longer better when the price of gas is skyrocketing. You may have noticed that even auto-manufacturers are touting their fuel efficiency in their ads. I saw an ad recently that said that 9 out of 10 GM cars have an MPG of 30 or better. I don't know if this is true, maybe they have fine print on the ad to explain, but that isn't important. The higher the MPG the better. Hybrid cars are more efficient than non-hybrids. Diesel is more efficient than gasoline. There aren't any hybrid/diesel cars yet, but when developed they should be the most efficient cars on the road. Let's just hope it doesn't take too long.

2. Public transportation
Look into public transportation. What better time than when gas prices are high, to re-investigate whether there's a train or bus that is on your route to work and can save you money.

3. Carpooling
Is carpooling the new way to meet your life partner? No, but it can save you enough to go on several dates.

4. Use correct grade fuel
Use the lowest grade recommended by your car maker. They made the car and know what is best for it. If you still prefer a richer blend - stop by the auto parts

5. Brand difference
Brands of gas. You could be paying more for next to nothing.

Crude oil is crude oil. The oil companies all use the same refineries, pipes and trucks to get the oil to your local station. Even if one brand in the future created something to make its gas more efficient, the other companies would follow suit. Just look for the cheapest gas you see, its pretty much the same as the most expensive gas you see anyway.

6. Check for leaks

This could be a safety issue too. You could be leaking oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, etc. Catching these leaks early could avoid both an accident or a costly repair.

“Gasoline evaporates you might not see a big pool of it but if you see some discoloration in the concrete you might have some, and yes if you're leaking gas you're leaking pennies and maybe dollars and that something to be fixed,” Csaba Csere, Editor-in-Chief for Car and Driver Magazine

7. Inflate tires properly
And make sure your tires are inflated properly. It's easy to do. Check the tire when its cold and compare that number to the recommended tire pressure. It will mean your car doesn't have to work as hard to get you where you want to go. All gases expand in the heat and contract in the cold. A tire properly inflated when the temperature is around freezing isn't properly inflated when its beach weather

8. Check your oil
A well lubricated car runs more efficiently.

9. Change air filter
Change your own air filter. For fuel to burn it needs air. The cleaner the better. The air filter actually filters the air of pollutants. But as these pollutants build up on your filter they limit the air needed to burn the fuel thus making the process less efficient.

10. Seasonal tires
Seasons change and so should your tires. Snow tires in the spring don't make a whole lot of sense.

11. Energy-saving oil
Look for oil labeled energy saving.

12. Use car wisely
Some small errands can be done by walking, this not only saves gas, but helps your heart.

13. Use shortest route
You can use a map service to find the shortest route, this not only saves gas but time too.

14. Use GPS
Think of all the gas you lose and time wasted when you are lost.

15. Multi-task errands
Plan ahead, make one trip instead of three.

16. Avoid rush hour traffic
Avoid rush hour & other peak traffic periods. No one likes to sit in traffic anyway.

17. Change work schedule.
If at all possible, change your work start time to avoid gridlock. Stop and go traffic hurts your gas mileage. It'll probably also help your blood pressure. No one likes to be stuck in gridlock.

18. Anticipate stops
Rushing wastes gas, plan ahead and you will still get there on time.

19. Follow traffic reports
Do you really want to sit in that 45 minute traffic jam if you don't have to?

20. Shop before you drive
Use the Internet, newspapers or phonebook to comparison shop before you drive to several stores. Then phone ahead to see if they have what you want in stock.

21. Grocery shop once a week
Small trips to pick up a few things add up to a big waste in gas. Stock up on essentials, so you don't have to make these small trips. If you have the essentials you can make due with what you have in the house until your next weekly grocery trip..

22. Avoid idling
Avoiding excessive idling can save up to 19 percent. If you are going to idle for more than a minute shut down your car. This is why the hybrid car's MPG is almost the same for city and highway driving. When the car is stopped, no gas is being used.

Modern starters with fuel injection and electronic ignitions minimize the amount of fuel needed to start you car. It's better to turn off your engine and start again than to sit with the car idling for over a minute.

23. Avoid warm-ups
Avoid long warm-ups. Modern cars have been designed to minimize the time needed to warm up one's car

24. Don't rev engine
Time to stop acting like a kid. It wastes gas.

25. Go the speed limit
When you drive, go the speed limit. It's calculated for maximum safety, but will reward you with maximum mileage. Count on getting more than 20 percent more mileage traveling at 55 than you would at 70 mph.

26. Keep brakes adjusted
If your brakes aren't adjusted, not only are you wasting fuel but you are also minimizing time between brake replacement.

27. Drive evenly/use cruise control.
Drive evenly with a steady foot. Don't jiggle the accelerator. Quick starts - are a quick way to the poorhouse. They burn plenty of gas. According to Edmunds.com using a cruise control saves up to 14-percent of ones fuel consumption, average savings of 7 percent

28. Avoid hard stops
The traffic light or stop sign isn't going to move. Getting to them faster, just to stop and wait isn't going to make your trip any faster and wastes lots of gas.

29. Use right foot only
To avoid riding the brake and wasting gas, use your right foot to control both pedals.

30. Junk out of trunk
The more you carry, the more energy you need. Why carry your bowling ball when your league is over for the summer.

31. Let kids walk
Let the kids walk or take their bike. They are often close enough to school and friends. The kids probably spend too much time playing computer games anyway, the walk could do them some good. If you don't think the walk is safe, then walk with them.

32. Walk or bike
If its good for the kids, it'll be good for you too.

33. Find delivery services
Consider dry cleaning delivery services, food and anything else that will bring what you need, without burning up your gas. If you need the paper everyday, the paperboy/girl still delivers its also cheaper than at the newsstand too.

34. Park and walk
This is the same recommendation from the American Heart Association too.

Don't drive around shopping for gas. It's counterproductive. Saving 5 cents a gallon when gas is $3 is only a 1.6% saving. If you have to drive a mile to find it you've wasted the first 15 cents of savings anyway, which would be your saving on $9 worth of gas.

35. Gasbuddy.com
A website called gas buddy will tell you where the deals are before you leave the house. Prices are statistically the cheapest on Wednesdays, but this

36. Don't weave, avoid aggressive driving
The more you weave the more gas your burn according to Edmunds.com you could have u up to a 37 percent savings, average savings of 31 percent

37. Don't accelerate up hill
Don't accelerate up a hill. When approaching it, build up speed before the incline then maintain on the way up - and of course you can coast down. It's more fuel efficient to keep at a constant speed than to accelerate.

38. Fill up when cool
Gas is less volatile when coller and won't evaporate quite so quickly and form ozone damage in the environment. So we recommend early morning or late evening.

39. Get a light colored car
Light colored cars reflect the sun's rays, keeping the interior of your car cooler. This will allow you to save air conditioning.

40. Park in the shade
Fuel expands in the heat causing vapors which can and do leak out of your car. Also when you get back into your car, it won't be as hot.

41. Don't top off gas
Don't top off your gas - it frequently winds up spilled on the road.

42. Tighten gas cap
This keeps the gas fumes in, eventually your car will cool and the fumes will return to liquid gas.

44. Buy octane additive
Store and buy a bottle of octane. A little of this every few tank fulls will keep your car and your pocketbook smiling.

45. Slow speed: no air
Around town at slow speeds, turn the air off and roll down your window. On the highway, at speeds of 40 and over, open windows

46. Use air on highways
Keep your windows rolled up. You know when you stick your hand out in a moving car how much force is pushing your hand back. When your windows are down at highway speeds that force enters your car and slows it down.

47. Avoid roof hauls
If you must, then check out some of the aerodynamic carriers to minimize drag..

48. Turn off electronics
Starting your car with electronic devices, like the radio and air conditioning, turned off, will put less strain on your engine which translates to better gas mileage. So remember to turn off your radio, AC, car phone charger etc. before you get out of your car.

49. Shift to high gear
Shift into high gear as soon as possible. Get there by lifting a your foot from the accelerator a tiny bit early.

50. Find discount gas days
Is only statistically true over a large number of days. It won't be true every week. Check nearby service stations to see if they offer discounts any particular days. Some stations offer 10 cents off on Tuesdays for high-octane gas. If the price is still over the price of your lower regular octane gas then don't buy it. See above about high-octane fuels.

51. Fill up several days before holiday (Don't fill up at the last minute)
Also, getting a fill-up three days before a holiday will help you save on the price bump. Gasoline like everything else is dependant on supply and demand. Buy when the demand is lower.

52. Wait until near empty
Don't fill until near empty. If you do this, it can extend your gas because you are hauling a lighter load as the tank nears empty. On cold days, however, you may not want to do this. Running a car with less fuel can be harder on the fuel pump life.

53. Find credit card discounts
Some credit cards offer gas savings when you use the card for purchases. This works in much the same way that some credit card companies give you frequent flyer miles when you use their card for purchases. BP Visa® Rewards Card

54. Member benefits
Some gas stations offer membership benefits. There are also department and grocery stores that give discounts at the fuel pump when you use their store membership cards.

55. Do bodywork as soon as possible.
You've been in an accident. Your car is now damaged but drivable. Is it worth fixing your car to get it back to its former glory or not. Well that is your decision. But cars these days have been designed with aerodynamics in mind. They are all tested in wind tunnels to minimize wind resistance and the damage to your car has made it more wind resistant than before. If you are going to fix your car anyway, might as well do it earlier than later. Not like the price of bodywork is going to decline in the future anyway.

56. Gate up on pickup trucks.
In testing, it has been determines that if you have a pickup truck, you get better gas mileage with the gate up than down.

57. Turn off engine while waiting on-line for fast food.
If there is 3 people waiting in front of you, you're car would be idling for a long time. Having you engine on and inching up one at a time isn't going to get your food any faster and you don't have to move up immediately with everyone else. Turn off your engine and wait in place while 2 or 3 people order in front of you. If there are 5 or 6 cars in front of you, parking and walking inside will save gas and you might not wait as long too :-)

more tips

1. Set your cruise control to 55 mph.

Cruise control applies the throttle more smoothly, reducing fuel consumption. More than 50 percent of the energy required to move a car is spent overcoming aerodynamic drag (pushing air out of the way). The faster you drive, the more aerodynamic drag increases and fuel economy decreases. Increasing your cruising speed from 65 mph to 75 mph will drive up fuel consumption by about 20 percent. Reducing your speed from 65 mph to 55 mph improves fuel economy by about 10 percent. And try to anticipate changes in traffic flow so you can ease into stops and starts. Driving at a steady pace saves gas.

2. Drive off promptly to prevent wasting fuel.

Don't leave your engine running when you first start up. Cars these days do not need to be warmed up before you drive them. Drive off straight away if you can, but drive gently until the engine has reached its normal operating temperature. This doesn't increase fuel efficiency as such, but it does mean your engine is switched on for less time.

3. Use your gears wisely.

Driving in the highest gear possible without laboring the engine is a fuel-efficient way of driving. A vehicle traveling at 37 mph in third gear uses 25 percent more fuel than at the same speed in fifth gear.

4. Neutral is also an option.

Learn how to coast between traffic lights, applying power intermittently, as needed to keep the car rolling with traffic. If you know you need to stop down the road, you can also save a lot of gas by simply lifting your foot off the accelerator and coasting long before you need to stop. What's the hurry? You'll only have to sit there at the light anyway. You can reduce the load on your engine at a red light by putting it on neutral as you're waiting. However, too many shifts between “N” and “D” can cause your transmission to wear out, so avoid using “N” for shorter wait times.

5. Switch off your engine.

There are two schools of thought on this one. Switching your engine off for short periods of time can actually increase fuel consumption, as it requires more fuel to get the engine started. Also your catalytic converter will no longer be running at full temperature and so your car will be less efficient, increasing the amount of pollution you cause. However if you are stopped for more than a few minutes then your car will simply burn less fuel with the engine stopped.

6. Fill up with a lower-octane gasoline.

Sorry to tell you this, but in spite of its name, buying premium gas won't help you get better gas mileage or performance. Buy the lowest grade or octane of gasoline that is appropriate for your car. Unless your car requires premium gasoline, filling up your car with high-octane fuel is a waste of money. That pricey premium fuel won't boost your car's fuel economy or performance in the least, so skip it.

If you're not sure what grade of fuel works best for your car, open up your owner's manual and take a look. As long as your engine doesn't knock or ping when you fuel up with regular unleaded, you're good to drive on this much cheaper gas. Passing on pricey premium gasoline could save you hundreds of dollars a year.

7. Don't top off.

Don't bother topping off when filling your car's gas tank. The gas tank needs room for the gas to expand, particularly on hot summer days when gas warms up and expands. If you continue fueling after the pump shuts off, you also increase the chance of releasing harmful gasoline vapors into the air. And why waste your money paying for gas your car won't use?

8. Tighten up that gas cap.

Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year, according to the Car Care Council. So be sure to tighten up that gas cap each time you fuel up your car. Also remember that early in the morning and in the late evening are the best times to buy gas. This will mean less evaporation of gasoline as you pump. During these times gasoline is also most dense. Gas pumps measure volume of gasoline, not the density of fuel concentration.

9. Keep your tank above one third full.

If your fuel runs low, the engine might not receive a steady supply of gas (since it will splash around while you're driving and it might momentarily splash away from the tube that leads gas out of the tank). Not having a steady supply of gas will make your engine less efficient. The benefits of having a full tank will outweigh the drawbacks of having the added weight.

10. Go easy on the air conditioning.

Roll down your car's windows and let in the summer breeze. Using the gas-hogging air conditioning as sparingly as possible will give your car's fuel economy a real boost. Air conditioning can drag down your car's fuel economy by 10 percent to 20 percent.

On days when air conditioning is a must, first try cooling your car the old fashioned way — rolling down the windows, opening the vents, peeling back the sunroof. You'd be amazed how much hot air you can clear out of your car just by opening up for awhile.

Flipping on the air conditioning full blast as soon as you hop into a hot car is a big waste of gas and money.

11. Air off, windows down at highway speeds.

Keep in mind, though, that at highway speeds, driving with your windows open drastically reduces your fuel efficiency, far more so than putting the air conditioning on. Yes, the air conditioning uses more gas, but with the decrease in drag and airflow obstruction, you're probably just about breaking even. And you'll have a quieter, more comfortable ride with a lot less stress.

12. Use the trunk.

A loaded-down roof rack cuts fuel economy by as much as 5 percent. But clear the trunk after a trip — and clean out your backseat. An extra 100 pounds reduces fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent. Smaller cars are affected more when they carry extra weight because the reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight. So, if you've been putting off cleaning out your trunk or emptying your roof carrier, there is no time like the present. Sure, maybe your garage will be more cluttered, but your gas mileage will increase.

13. Avoid rush hour.

Not only is stop-and-go traffic stressful and annoying, it's bad for your car's gas mileage. So avoid driving at rush hour whenever you can. Stagger your work hours so you can time your weekday commuting at less busy times of the day.

14. Use your garage for your car.

Got a garage? Clear it out and make room for your car. Parking in your garage will help your car stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and you won't have to depend as much on your gas-guzzling air-conditioning or defroster when you drive.

15. Go for the shade.

The hot summer sun that makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna also zaps fuel from your gas tank. If you let your car bake in the sun there's going to be a greater amount of evaporative emissions that take place than if you park in the shade.

So park your car in the shade of a building or tree whenever possible. And buy a good windshield shade. A windshield shade blocks sunlight and helps to keep heat out of the inside of your car.

16. Don't circle in a parking lot, and keep well away from the store fronts.

Look for a spot in the empty half of the parking lot. Many people spend significant time idling and creeping, waiting for a “close spot” to open up.

17. Tires effect fuel efficiency.

It is estimated that about 50 percent of tires on the road are under inflated. Aside from increasing the rate of wear, this wastes fuel and decreased your fuel efficiency. Check your tire pressures every fortnight. Worn tires will also decrease fuel efficiency (and your safety!), so check the tread regularly. If you are replacing tires then consider some of the newer “Eco” tires that are designed specifically to increase fuel efficiency.

18. Keep your engine in tune.

Fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can boost gas mileage by about 4 percent. So be sure to give your car regular tune-ups. You'll also want to watch out for worn spark plugs. A misfiring spark plug can reduce a car's fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.

19. Replace air filters.

Keep a close eye on your engine's air filter. When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent and save you 15 cents a gallon. It's a good idea to have your engine air filter checked at each oil change. The Car Care Council recommends changing your car's air and oil filters every three months or 3,000 miles or as specified in your owner's manual.

20. Use the right oil.

You can improve your car's gas mileage by 1 percent to 2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Opt for motor oil with the words “energy conserving” on the API performance label. This oil contains friction-reducing additives.

21. Maintain a log.

Maintain a log over time of how many miles you go (the main odometer) and how much gas you put in (from the gas pump, including fractions). Put it in a spreadsheet. It will keep you focused, and other methods are inaccurate; you will never know for sure if you're saving fuel, wasting fuel or just seeing errors from gas pumps that stop pumping at different points, or fractions of miles being dropped off your 'trip' odometer when you reset it.

22. Leave the car at home!

Probably the best way to decrease the amount of petrol you burn, is to leave the car and home, and take a bike, bus, or train, or to walk. A quarter of all car journeys in USA are less than two miles long, and walking or cycling are cheap and clean alternatives, and healthy too!

As gas prices continue to climb, increasing the fuel mileage is the best way to protect your pocket book. So give these tips a try and spend less money on gas by increasing your car's fuel efficiency.