Easy Methods of Saving Gas

Gas prices are always a hot topic these days, as they have continued to rise
and rise, with no sign of stopping or even slowing down. Many drivers are
understandably frustrated, as they are being squeezed hard by the high prices,
and seem to have no way to make gas more affordable for themselves. Since it
may be foolish to expect a drop in gas prices anytime soon, one of the best
ways to deal with the ridiculous price of gas is to look for whatever ways you
can to reduce your gas usage.

Many of the best methods for reducing gas usage are also among the very
easiest! This is very fortunate for those who do not have mechanical expertise
or extra money to invest in products that make exaggerated claims of increased
fuel efficiency. If you number yourself among the many that are growing tired
of spreading themselves thin because of gas prices, take a look at some of
these very simple and free ways to free yourself of some of the cost of gas.

Of course, it is obvious that when you do not drive your car, you use no fuel,
which is easily the most affordable option of them all. However, if your car
stays parked at home, so do you! What are the alternatives when you have places
to go and people to see? Well, a car pool is a great option, if you can make it
work. Car pools have been around for years and are quite common. With a car
pool system, you can reduce your impact on the environment while you also
reduce the impact of gas prices on your wallet!

Most people think of car pools as a way to get to work, but if you know someone
who lives near you that has other places to go, you can still car pool! If you
have to go to the mall, for instance, check and see if one of your neighbors
wants to go, as well. Maybe next time, they will return the favor.

Smart trip planning is another weapon that consumers have to fight the roaring
albatross that is gas prices. To swing this deadly blade and slay the beast,
simply plan ahead when you go out to make sure that you consolidate all of your
shopping and errand-running needs into one trip. If you live in a small town and
must take the highway to get shopping done, it is even more important to plan
your trips well to avoid excess driving!

One big "no-no" that is easily avoided is leaving your car's engine on when you
are not going anywhere. This can include when you run in quickly to the store or
gas station, or when you are waiting for a friend to come outside so you can go
somewhere together. In most cases, it will make much more sense to simply turn
your engine off. If you are not currently moving, there is no reason to have
your engine on, anyway!

Finally, avoid having excess weight in your car when you are driving around.
This means that you do not want to leave items that you do not need in your car
for long periods of time, particularly if they are somewhat heavy. This also
means that you probably want to make friends with very light people! Well, that
may not be true, but it is important to reduce the weight in your car, since
every 100 pounds can cause you a loss of 1 or 2 percent of your fuel economy.

It is plain to see that increasing your vehicle's fuel efficiency does not have
to be a complicated or expensive process. It is important to remember that there
are alternatives to simply staying home and not driving if you want to save
money on gas. The trick is simply to be a bit smarter about where, when and how
you drive!

The Best Ways to Use Less Gas

Unfortunately for all of us who drive regularly, gas prices do not appear to be
going down anytime soon. Since most of us have accepted the reality of that sad
fact, there is only one way for us to limit the amount of money we spend on
fuel, and that is by using less of it! Although increasing your fuel economy
can seem like an intimidating thing to attempt, it really is not difficult at
all. In fact, the majority of the methods that really work for increasing fuel
efficiency are either free or very inexpensive, and most of them are quite easy
to accomplish!

The two main areas of opportunity for decreased fuel consumption are driver
behavior and vehicle performance. Driver behavior has to do with things like
changing your driving style, planning your trips, and other things that have to
do with you and how you operate your vehicle. Vehicle performance has to do with
keeping up on regular maintenance and making sure that your vehicle is doing as
it is supposed to do at all times. Let's discuss some specific tips of each
type.

Changing your driver behavior for the better to increase gas mileage can be
very easy. For instance, think about how you could avoid driving during peak
traffic times, or altering your route to avoid busy areas. You can also plan
ahead to make sure that you do not make several trips to the store or other
places. If you can plan your trips logically, you can do all of the things you
need to do while avoiding making extra trips.

A very important part of driver behavior has to do with staying off the gas and
driving more conservatively. Doing aggressive things like accelerating towards a
red light or driving in excess of 70 miles per hour on the highway only rob you
of valuable fuel economy. Many people do this to arrive places sooner, but the
amount of time saved is not really worth the heavy loss in fuel efficiency!

To make sure you are getting the best vehicle performance for maximum fuel
economy, make sure you stay up to date on maintenance. This includes simple
things like keeping the proper amount of air pressure in your tires, as well as
more expensive things, like getting regular tune-ups. You also need to pay
attention to details by doing things like using the correct grade of motor oil.
You can even improve your vehicle's performance by getting rid of excess stuff
filling up your trunk! According to experts, 250 pounds of extra weight can
drop your fuel economy by one mile per gallon! That adds up, especially over a
long period of time.

The proper way to reduce your gas usage is by combining improved driver
behavior with the best possible vehicle performance. Only by emphasizing both
will you experience the type of fuel economy that your vehicle is truly capable
of. On the other hand, if you stubbornly refuse to do such simple things, you
will find yourself at the gas pump very often, which no one wants to do these
days! Therefore, the best course of action is to make a few simple changes
while paying attention to your car's performance. That way, you can keep your
money in your wallet and avoid paying even more at the gas pump!

Little Known Ways to Improve Fuel Economy

There is not a single driver among us who would not prefer to spend less of
their hard-earned cash at the fuel pump. That is why people are becoming more
and more aware of the many simple and cost effective ways that they can improve
their fuel economy. However, what do you say to people who are already familiar
with the basics? Fortunately, there are many little known ways that you can
improve your gas mileage.

Just about everyone knows that if you want to save gas, you need to drive
slower. After all, that is common sense. Even though you can save a lot of gas
by going slower on the highway, many people are unwilling to do so, for
instance. The trick is to find ways to increase gas mileage without having to
do things that you are not willing to do in the long term. That is what these
tips will help you do.

First of all, stop neglecting the regular maintenance that your car needs!
According to studies, a dirty air filter can cost you up to 20% of the gas
mileage you should be receiving. A quick change of spark plugs can increase
your fuel economy by over 10%! Also, many people are not aware that they can
increase their gas mileage simply by keeping their tires properly inflated!

Similarly, too many drivers are carting around a vehicle full of unnecessary
things that are robbing them of valuable gas mileage. For every 250 pounds of
excess gear in your car, you can count on around one mile per gallon lost!
Also, make sure that you take bike racks and other items off of your vehicle
when it is not the proper season. It may take a few minutes, but such items
produce extra wind resistance, which makes your vehicle work harder to
accelerate or maintain speed.

You can even save some money on gas while you're spending money- at the gas
pump, that is. For example, when the auto shut off kicks in, do not squeeze in
a couple of extra cents to make the dollar amount even. This is one of the ways
in which people waste money, since most of that extra gas will not end up
properly going in the tank. Also, most drivers are unaware that a loose gas cap
can not only cause your "service engine" light to go on, but can also result in
lost gasoline, which escapes as vapor out of the tank!

Finally, make sure that you use your car's features to their maximum effect.
You can save a little money on gas by using your cruise control often, since
your engine will not be working to match the fluctuations in pressure that you
are putting on the gas pedal. Also, make sure that you use the overdrive
function when possible, since it allows your engine to avoid overworking itself.

Driving and maintaining your vehicle in a way that allows for increased fuel
economy is mostly a matter of having the proper knowledge, then putting that
information to work. It is vital that you not only know the methods for
increasing gas mileage, but that you are consistent in their implementation,
unless you want to keep visiting the gas station regularly!

Free Ways to Increase Your Gas Mileage

Companies are well aware that consumers are desperate to reduce their fuel
consumption. That is why the market has been flooded with products that
supposedly increase your gas mileage significantly. Let's ignore the fact that
none of these products' claims have been proved by the Environmental Protection
Agency for a minute. It really does not matter either way, because the fact is
that there are plenty of ways to increase your gas mileage without having to
spend a dime!

It is rather unfortunate that many of these extremely easy ways to increase gas
mileage are still unknown by much of the general public. The gas prices and
their constant increases have caused the economy to sputter, and have put a lot
of pressure on lower and middle class families. It is important for these folks,
along with everyone else that drives regularly, to know that they can save on
their gas costs without making any extra financial investment!

Many of the methods for increasing gas mileage are quite simple. For instance,
did you know that having the proper level of air pressure in your tires can
help you to save gas? It is true! Best of all, most gas stations and even car
washes have free air machines that will help you to monitor and adjust your
tire pressure according to whether it is a bit high or low.

You can also increase your gas mileage by avoiding certain things while
driving. For instance, you can avoid using the air conditioning system in your
vehicle, since air conditioning makes your engine work harder, which in turn
means that you use more gas. At the same time, you can drive with the windows
up on cold days, which will also improve your aerodynamics, and thus, your gas
mileage. Open windows increase drag, which causes resistance that your car must
overcome, after all.

Another great tip for increasing gas mileage without spending a penny is simply
to slow down a bit on the highway. If you stay at the speed limit for most
highways (55 miles per hour), you will be operating your vehicle at right
around the optimum speed for maximum fuel efficiency. Any faster than that, and
you will be sacrificing fuel efficiency to get to where you are going just a
little bit earlier.

You should avoid doing certain other things, as well, such as idling your
engine while you run errands or buy items at the store. It is always better for
your gas mileage for you to turn off the engine when you are stopped, even if
you are only going to be gone for a couple of minutes. You are wasting gas if
you leave your car running, since you have no need for it to be running when
you are not going anywhere! You also do not need to "warm your car up" in the
winter, as the only way to truly warm an engine up is by driving. If you want
it to be warm inside when you get in, try to limit the amount of time you warm
up the interior of the car, at least.

These are just a few of the free methods for increasing fuel efficiency. Try
these ideas, and see how well they work for you!

Slow Down to Save Gas

Gas prices have every driver feeling the pressure these days. With gas prices
continuing to soar upwards, no driver wants to have to visit the pump any more
than they absolutely have to. That is why it is important to find easy ways
that you can increase your fuel efficiency when driving, so you can save a
little bit of gas in the process. After all, every little bit helps, right?

The best ways to save on fuel consumption when you drive are also quite often
among the cheapest methods, as well. For instance, did you know that you can
save on gas expenses simply by making a few small changes to your driving
style? If this sounds too good to be true, do not worry! It is quite possible
to increase your fuel efficiency quite dramatically, with even a few subtle
changes to the way that you drive. Read on to find out just how you can
accomplish these changes.

First of all, you should know that driving in excess of 55 miles per hour
really eats up a lot of gas. If you compare your mileage when you are driving
55 miles per hour to your mileage when you are driving 75 miles per hour, you
will see a drastic difference. Many experts have speculated that you use about
20 to 25 percent more fuel when you are driving 75 miles per hour, compared to
what you would use if you drove at 55 miles per hour. That is why it is very
important to consider going a little bit slower when you are driving on the
highway or interstate road.

It may seem like a bit of a chore to have to putt along at 55 miles per hour
when everyone else is going 65 miles per hour (or even faster), but remember
that you will still get to where you are going, and in the process you will
save some money! If you are only going a short way, such as a one hour trip,
you will only spend about ten extra minutes on the road. At that point, you
have to decide for yourself whether getting to your destination a few minutes
faster is worth paying a few extra dollars for fuel expenses to get there. If
your trip is shorter, such as a thirty mile trip, going ten miles per hour
slower will only cost you five minutes of driving time! Surely, you can afford
an extra five minutes spent in the car!

It is important to note that you do not necessarily have to drive 55 miles per
hour to get the benefits of increased fuel efficiency. Even if you slow down
from, say, 65 miles per hour to 60 miles per hour, you will still save a bit of
gas. You just will not save as much as you would have, if you had gone down to
55 miles per hour. However, any gas savings are better than no gas savings, so
even if you can slow down just a little bit, you will be helping yourself out
the next time you have to go to the gas station!

It is also important to remember that going slightly over 55 miles per hour
does not cost you as much fuel efficiency as an increase in speed when you are
already going quite fast. In other words, five extra miles per hour when you
are already going 70 miles per hour will cause a more marked decrease in fuel
efficiency than the difference experienced when you go five extra miles per
hour over 55 miles per hour.

You won't only enjoy increased fuel efficiency by driving slower. You will also
avoid getting costly traffic tickets, which can often cost about two hundred
dollars! Plus, you will be a safer driver, and more likely to escape a
potentially deadly crash. If you want to save money at the pump, you should
seriously consider slowing down your speed.

Decrease Your Speed, Decrease Your Fuel Consumption

It is becoming a more and more painful experience to have to fuel up at the
pump nowadays. Gas prices have continued to rise with no sign of letting up. It
is sometimes hard to justify making extra trips or car rides, simply because you
know that when you have to visit the gas station, it is going to seriously cost
you. Luckily, there are easy ways, such as slowing down your speed, that you
can control your fuel consumption. If you are willing to do such a simple thing
as to ease off the gas pedal a bit, you can benefit with some seriously
decreased fuel consumption. This will lead to less money spent at the pump, and
more money kept in your wallet!

There are many products on the market today that claim to help increase your
fuel efficiency. However, it makes little sense to spend money on a product
that will supposedly save you money, right? Fortunately, there are several very
easy ways that you can save money spent on gas without having to pay for extra
products in the process. One of these ways is to simply ease up on the throttle
a bit! Let us discuss further this concept.

Various studies have indicated that going faster than 55 miles per hour, which
is the speed limit on many highways anyway, can really cost you in fuel
efficiency. For instance, studies have shown that going 75 miles per hour can
increase your fuel consumption by one-fifth, or even one-fourth, versus the
amount of fuel you would consume by going twenty miles per hour slower. As you
can see, there is a lot of money to be saved by keeping your speed down when
you drive on highways or other roads with a high speed limit.

If it seems like a real pain to have to take your foot off the gas and drive 55
miles per hour, keep in mind that it is a much better alternative than
continuing to fork out excess money at the gas station! It can be difficult to
go at this speed, especially when people may be passing you left and right
while going 10 or 20 miles per hour faster than you, but remember the fuel
savings you will be experiencing! Most of the time, unless your trip will take
you further than 60 miles away, you will only be costing yourself five or ten
minutes of extra driving time. This is really a pretty small amount of extra
time spent driving, when considering how much fuel you can save in the process.

If the idea of driving 55 miles per hour makes you feel as restless as Sammy
Hagar, remember that you do not have to drive that slowly to realize the
benefits of decreased fuel consumption. Even if you slow down only five or ten
miles per hour from your normal speeds, you will experience at least some
savings. If driving 55 miles per hour simply is not going to work for you, then
simply try to drive as slowly as you can, and be mindful of the fuel consumption
that excess speeds costs you.

Also, if you do frequently drive over 70 miles per hour in your car, you
probably have had a few speeding tickets over the years to show for it. Another
useful benefit of easing up on the gas pedal is that you will not only save on
fuel consumption, but you will also attract less attention from the "boys in
blue". With speeding tickets being quite expensive themselves, it is important
to note that you will save money in more than one area by driving a bit more
slowly on the highway. As you can see, there are plenty of reasons, including
safety as well, that you should slow down a bit when you get on a highway.

How Maintaining Your Car Helps You Save Gas

If you drive even somewhat regularly, it is likely that you are as sick of high
gas prices as the rest of us are. However, there is very little that any of us
can do to directly affect the price of gas, so we are forced to turn our
attention to doing whatever we can to limit the amount of gas that we use. You
may or may not be aware that there are very easy methods for increasing the gas
mileage you get in your car, van, truck or sport utility vehicle. In fact, many
of the ways that you can help your vehicle's gas mileage are through simple
maintenance that you should be performing on your vehicle anyway!

It is unfortunate that many who are attempting to escape high gas prices have
turned to costly products that claim they can help your vehicle get more gas
mileage. Of course, it makes little sense to spend money in order to save
money, particularly when these products are largely unproven to begin with.
That is why when you are trying to dramatically increase your vehicle's gas
mileage, it is better to stick to the more reliable, more basic methods
instead. These methods definitely include performing the regular maintenance
that your car requires already.

Most drivers are fairly diligent about getting oil changes regularly for their
vehicle. After all, regular oil changes are among the most fundamental (and
cheap) ways to maintain your vehicle's performance and condition. Many people
do not know, however, that regular oil changes also help to limit fuel
consumption! That means that you will save money in the end, even if you have
to spend money to perform an oil change or have one done for you. Also, while
you're at it, make sure that your car is running on the appropriate grade of
oil. This can reduce your fuel consumption by one or two percent.

One of the better ways to easily increase your car's gas mileage is also one of
the easiest. The next time you pull up to a gas station or car wash that has an
air pump, check the air pressure in your tires and add air, if necessary. At
many gas stations or car washes, this will not cost you anything. Even if the
only machine you can find is a pay machine, it will still likely only cost you
as much as fifty cents. The price (or lack thereof) and simplicity of this
method makes it a great way to help keep yourself away from the gas pump.

Another type of regular maintenance that your car requires consists of regular
tune-ups. Tune-ups help to ensure that your car is performing as well as it
should be, including in respect to gas mileage. Also, most tune-ups include a
check of other important areas, which may reveal a problem with your car that
is costing you valuable gas mileage. Fixing many of these areas may result in
drastically improved performance and gas mileage, so that is a side benefit of
tuning your car, as well.

The vehicle maintenance that will net you the most improved gas mileage is
definitely that of checking and replacing dirty, clogged air filters. If your
air filters are filthy, make sure to switch them out with clean, new ones right
away! Doing so can boost your gas mileage by one-tenth! That is a pretty
significant amount when you consider today's unsavory gas prices. Think about
one-tenth of a gallon of gas where you live. That's how much you can expect to
save, per gallon, if you drive with clean (rather than a dirty) air filters.

These types of relatively simple vehicle maintenance prove once and for all
that it is not necessary to buy costly products to increase your gas mileage.
Simply do the maintenance that you should already be doing for your car, and
you will reap the benefits!

Driving Slow to Save Some Dough

You are not alone in your frustration over gas prices these days. Everyone who
has to pull up to the gas station and fuel up their vehicle shakes their head
when they see the price, after all. Along with the frustration over gas prices,
many people feel helpless. What can you do to lower gas prices? It is not as if
you can simply stop driving altogether to send a message about your feelings on
gas prices! That may be true, but there are things you can do to reduce your
spending on fuel.

While the price that you pay for gas per gallon may be well beyond your
control, the amount of gas that you use is something that you can change. You
can do this in a few ways, such as buying a more fuel efficient automobile, or
staying home instead of driving around so much. However, for those who do not
want to buy a new vehicle or who can not just stay at home indefinitely, what
options are there? One of the simplest options, actually, is something that can
be done quite easily. Simply put, you can slow down!

When many people think about slowing down their driving, they are primarily
thinking about either avoiding speeding tickets or becoming safer drivers.
While it is true that slowing down provides these two important benefits, you
can also save quite a bit of gas by slowing down your speed, both in town and
on the highway.

Too many people ride the accelerator as they drive in city situations. They
speed up, even though a red light is ahead, or someone ahead of them is slowing
down. If you can take your foot off the gas and coast a bit, you can save some
gas and avoid having to quickly brake when you get to where you have to stop.
This means you can conserve gas as well as your brakes! Who knows, you might be
coasting when the light turns green, which means that instead of starting from a
dead stop, you will start to accelerate with some momentum already built up.
This also saves you gas.

Even more gas can be saved on the highway. While your driving style in city
situations can raise or lower your gas mileage, it does not affect your fuel
consumption as dramatically as does your speed on the highway. You can save a
lot of gas by driving at 55 miles per hour instead of 75 miles per hour, for
instance. How much? Estimates vary from as little as 20% to all the way up to
30%, but either way, that is a substantial amount of gas! When you figure in
the cost of gas right now, it really does pay to slow down a bit on the
freeway, interstate, or highway. Again, not only will you save on gas expenses,
but you will also avoid traffic tickets when you drive at lower speeds.

It can be very difficult to slow down your speed when driving, especially if
you are used to driving quite fast, or if you are impatient. Remember, if you
are not running late for something important, you do not need to race to your
destination! Doing so will only cost you gas, which costs you money.

Driving Fast Will Cost You Money!

Drivers these days are prisoners of high gas prices. The worse thing is, there
is really nothing that any of us can do to help control the price of gas
itself. However, we can control, to a certain extent, how much gas we consume.
Think about it: the less gas we use, the less we have to buy! If your idea of
conserving fuel is simply to make less trips in your car to different places,
remember that there are other ways to control how much gas you use, as well.
For instance, if you prefer to drive at high speeds, you are saving yourself a
little time (and maybe having some fun), but you're costing yourself a lot of
money on gas!

Life moves very fast nowadays. Most people have a lot of responsibilities to
attend to, including work, family activities, or any number of things. These
types of things lead to people having to rush to get around, which in turn
leads to a feeling that "faster is better" when it comes to driving. While it
is obviously true that you will get where you are going faster if you drive at
a higher speed, you will also spend more money on gas if you drive that way!

It is a basic fact that any vehicle, be it a smaller car, or a large van, truck
or SUV, consumes more fuel when driven at faster speeds. Chances are that your
vehicle gets its best gas mileage at 55 to 60 miles per hour. Therefore,
driving faster than those speeds is going to increase your fuel consumption,
which means you are going to buy more gas. Buying more gas? Well, we all know
what that means, and we would all like to avoid having to do so. If you are
feeling the pressure of high gas prices, maybe you should consider reducing
your speed a bit, so that you can buy less fuel.

There are a lot of speed demons out there who routinely go 75 miles per hour,
or even faster! For these folks, it is important to note that not only are you
greatly increasing your chances of a traffic ticket for speeding (and
increasing your chances of death or serious injury in an accident), but you are
also greatly increasing your fuel consumption, by as much as 20% or more! That's
right; someone driving at about 55 miles per hour will only consume about four
gallons for every five that the speed demon uses. At upwards of four dollars
per gallon of gas, no one can afford to use more gas than they need to!

It can be a big change to have to control your speed on a busy highway or a
high-speed freeway. After all, you will see impatient drivers passing you
constantly, all while you feel like you are practically standing still.
However, if you can successfully make the change to driving at slower speeds,
you will definitely appreciate the money you are saving on gas expenses! It's
also worth noting that you do not necessarily have to slow all the way down to
55 miles per hour to experience the benefits of increased fuel efficiency. Any
reduction in speed will net you some sort of decreased fuel consumption, though
obviously you will save more gas the more you slow down.

You may want to pick and choose the times when you put the proverbial pedal to
the metal. After all, if you are running late to an important meeting, you may
be able to justify driving a bit faster. If you are simply on your way to a
weekend cookout at Uncle Jimmy's, it is not quite so important to drive 80
miles per hour to get there. If your trip is relatively short, you will only
cost yourself a few extra minutes of driving time, anyway.

Cool Off Your Fuel Consumption

If you are one of the many drivers who is looking anywhere for answers in
relation to the extremely high gas prices, look no further. There are many
simple ways for you to reduce the amount of gas you use without spending any
additional money, or making difficult changes. It is really quite easy to
maximize your car, van, truck or sport utility vehicle's gas mileage, and as
mentioned, you will not have to spend a fortune to do so!

It is important to know that you do not have to spend money on expensive
products that claim to increase your gas mileage or decrease your fuel
consumption. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has tested many such
products, and has yet to find one that causes a dramatic increase in fuel
efficiency for any vehicle. Therefore, it simply does not make sense to spend
extra money (gas is expensive enough as it is) for a product that may only have
a negligible effect on your gas mileage, if it has any effect at all. Many of
the alternative methods for increasing fuel consumption are as easy as turning
a knob or two!

For instance, you can save a lot of gas by not using the air conditioner in
your car. If you have ever paid attention to how your car's engine sounds when
you drive, you have probably noticed before that when your car's air
conditioner is on, the engine is a lot louder. At the same time, your vehicle
will not accelerate as readily when press down with your foot on the gas. These
are all in result to the car's air conditioner being on.

In addition to decreased engine performance, running your vehicle's air
conditioner also causes your vehicle to use more gas. That is why, unless it is
absolutely necessary, you should try to leave your vehicle's air conditioner off
whenever possible. After all, if you are like so many other drivers today, you
are probably not interested in using any more gas than you absolutely have to.
More fuel consumption leads to buying more gas, which leads to you not having
as much money as you would like!

There are alternatives to running the air conditioner in your car. For
instance, you can try to avoid driving during the hottest parts of the day, and
take trips whenever possible during the cooler hours of morning or evening. If
you know that you have to go to the grocery store, for instance, try to wait
until the sun goes down to do so. This way, you will be less tempted to turn on
the car's air conditioner, as it will be much cooler outside than it would be
earlier in the day, when the sun is beating down on you.

You can also simply roll down the windows if you need to cool off a bit. This
works particularly well on the highway, since the wind will be coming in your
car very quickly. Not only does this save you on the gas you would spend to
have the air conditioner on, but it also feels great to enjoy a nice breeze on
a hot summer day! It is true that you may lose a little fuel efficiency by
having the windows open, since this will create more "drag" on your car,
causing the engine to work a bit harder. However, this is not nearly as big of
a deal as having your air conditioner on is, and you can offset some of the
drag by going a bit slower on the highway.

In the warmer months, everyone wants to cool down a bit. However, most of us
would like to cool down on our fuel usage as well. While you may be a little
warmer in your car than usual, avoiding the use of your car's air conditioner
will make you feel pretty "cool" when you can drive by the gas pump without
having to stop!

Coast Your Way to Gas Savings

Everyone is frustrated about the continued price hikes for gasoline, but there
are very few concrete answers or solutions to the problem. At this point in the
game, many drivers are looking for ways to alter the only thing they can truly
control, which is their own personal gas consumption. Luckily for thrifty
drivers, there are many very simply ways that you can ease up on the gas, and
in the process, ease up on your gas usage. If you become a more opportunistic
driver and are aware of what is going on around you, there are many times when
you can let off the gas a bit and save some fuel, as a result. These minor
changes to your driving style can pay you big dividends in the end, as you will
use much less gasoline.

Many drivers suffer from a bad case of lead foot, and not just on the highway,
either. If you look around the next time you're on the road, you will see many
such drivers. Is it a result of impatience, or just bad habits? It could be
both, but it is not hard to change your driving style for the better, without
costing yourself extra time on the road in the process. This way, you can spend
less money at the gas pump, while going a bit easier on your car as well.

The gas pedal is not always your friend, as many drivers should be able to
attest to. If you are among the many drivers who is nearly always accelerating,
think about whether that is a smart decision or not. If you are nearing a stop
light or stop sign, do you really need to continue to have your foot pressed
down on the gas right up until it is time to stop? Doing so does not save you
any time, as you will have to stop anyway, particularly at red lights. There is
no prize for reaching the light in a quicker amount of time, as you will have to
wait for it to turn green, anyway!

Instead of impatiently roaring up to a red light, if you notice a light has
turned red, take your foot off the gas. You can begin coasting, and if you are
lucky, you will still be doing so when the light turns green again. Then, you
can merely put your foot back on the gas and continue on without ever having
had to stop. Your car will work a lot less if it can accelerate to a good speed
from a "rolling start" rather than from a complete stop, so if you are going,
say, 20 miles per hour when the light changes, you are saving your car a lot of
gas. Like we discussed, since the light is red anyway, why would you speed
towards it as quickly as possible? This kind of driving causes wear on your
brakes, increased gas usage, and doesn't get you where you are going any more
quickly. The same kind of strategy applies to turns. Do not accelerate until
the last minute, then slam on the brake to make your turn. Instead, coast for a
few seconds, then ease on your brake before the turn.

It simply makes no sense to always be accelerating on the road. There are
times, such as when someone ahead of you is turning, when it makes much more
sense to simply coast until you can accelerate again (once they have turned out
of the way).

Sure, you could stay on the gas pedal and accelerate right up to their bumper
before getting on the brake. How would this benefit you, though? It doesn't!
Since driving a little bit less aggressively will save you gas (which saves you
money) and does not cost you any time, why not make a few changes to your
driving philosophy today?

Why You Should Avoid Fuel Economy Products

A lot of things have happened due to the huge increases in gas prices that we
have seen over the last several years. One of the more intriguing results has
been the creation of a new market, which is the area of products that claim to
increase gas mileage of cars, trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles alike.
The manufacturers of these products are counting on a frustrating and fed up
public to support their products in an effort to escape gas expenses. However,
are these products worth the money or not?

First, you have to look at the things that the manufacturers of these products
are boasting. They claim significant increases to fuel efficiency, but have
they proven these claims? According to the Environmental Protection Agency (or
EPA), they have not. The EPA is responsible for testing and certifying the fuel
economy of vehicles, among other tasks. When you go to a car dealership and see
on a sticker that a vehicle gets x miles per gallon, that is information
obtained by testing done by the EPA.

The EPA also has tested a number of products that are supposed to increase gas
mileage, but they have not found any yet do so significantly. That is one
reason why you should use caution when shelling out money for these types of
products. They may claim to do wonderful things, but if there are no proven
results to back up the claims, they are not to be taken without a grain of salt.

It is also important to note that you do not have to buy expensive and costly
products to increase your car's fuel efficiency. In fact, there are a nearly
endless number of ways to increase gas mileage without spending a dime! For
instance, you can make sure that you remove unneeded items from your car, so
that you are not driving excess weight around. You can also do something as
simple as use the cruise control more often, or avoid using the air
conditioner, since it leads to more fuel usage than normal.

Other valuable tips include simply tweaking your driving style. If you can
control your speed on the highway and try to coast when you know that you may
have to stop shortly, you can see some improvements to your fuel economy.
Often, you will notice huge changes by simply staying off the gas a bit when
driving on the highway; far bigger changes than you would ever receive from
pouring a product in your gas tank!

There are even more very simple tips, such as not leaving your car running when
you leave it to go inside a store or gas station, or keeping your tires properly
inflated, since not doing so can cost you some of your ideal gas mileage. Again,
there is simply no shortage of easy and free ways to increase your vehicle's
fuel economy!

That is why you really do not need to rely on expensive products to increase
your fuel economy. After all, there are so many ways to do so already, that
unless you are taking advantage of all of them and still not getting the
results you want, why would you pay for a product that supposedly does the same
thing?

Using Your Car's Features to Minimize Gas Use

The quest for relief from oppressive gas prices have led drivers on searches
far and wide for ways to minimize the effect of the high prices on their
wallets. However, many drivers are literally at arm's length from ways to help
themselves, and do not even know it! In fact, many features that come standard
with new vehicles are not only convenient, but can help you to save on gas
usage as well!

Since every gallon counts at today's gas prices, even the simplest improvements
to gas mileage can lead to more money in your pockets. Although many products
make gaudy claims to improve gas mileage drastically, most (if not all) of
these claims are unproven. As usual, the best remedies are usually the simple
and somewhat obvious ones. For instance, use your car's already existing
features to ease up on your gas usage when you are driving around from place to
place.

Cruise control is a great feature for many reasons. It can keep you from having
to glance down at your speed all the time, for one thing.
This means that you can avoid getting a speeding ticket by merely setting a
consistent speed that will not get you pulled over. Using the cruise control
feature effectively takes away any chance of you accidentally getting a heavy
foot and an unintended speeding ticket as a result.

However, cruise control is also a great way to conserve gas! When you are on
the highway, the cruise control can help your car to stay at a consistent
speed. This means that you will not be accidentally increasing your speed and
making the car periodically work harder. So, you see? Some of the best ways to
conserve gasoline are also convenient methods of driving, anyway!

If you have an "overdrive" option for your car, you should use the overdrive
gears whenever possible. Overdrive allows your engine to work much less than it
would otherwise. Of course, the less your engine works, the less gasoline you
use. In other words, overdrive alone will increase your vehicle's fuel
efficiency!

While you are at it, keep your eye on your RPM gauge, especially if you drive a
manual transmission automobile. After all, any time your car is running in the
high end of the RPM range, you are using more engine power than you need to,
and thusly, more gas. Make sure that you are not staying in the low gears for
too long before shifting, and spend as much time in the comfortable RPM range
of higher gears as you can, since you will save yourself some gas in the
process. The RPM gauge is another example of an under-utilized feature that, if
used correctly, can help you to conserve gas.

While we are talking about features to use, let's also mention a feature that
you should stay away from if you are trying to conserve gas: the air
conditioning feature. If you turn on your car's air conditioning, your car will
end up working much harder than usual, which means your car will consume more
gas to fuel that work. The easy translation here is to avoid the air
conditioning whenever you can. After all, it may be hot out, but you definitely
do not want to have to sweat it out while pumping gas into your empty tank,
right?

As you can see, there are many fairly basic features that can help you to keep
your car going and away from the gas station. Even though some of these
features may only have a small effect on your car's gas usage, if you follow
all of the tips, it will add up. Again, with gas prices as high as they are
now, even if you can save a gallon or two here and there, that can be a pretty
substantial savings for you!

Using Public Transportation to Cut Gas Costs

In all but a few communities, it seems that public transportation does not get
a fair shake. After all, most people are not tempted by the idea of sharing
space with many strangers on a bus, and instead opt for the considerably more
expensive (and damaging to the environment) option of driving their own cars
instead. While no one can blame someone for their own personal preference, if
you are serious about cutting your personal gas costs, you may want to give
public transportation a bit of consideration!

Let's face it -- the cost of gas is not letting up anytime soon. Though many of
us do not really understand what forces are driving the cost up so much or why
gas prices have to continue to rise, we do know that it is unlikely that gas
will become much more affordable anytime soon. That is precisely why it is up
to all of us to reduce our gas usage so that we can enjoy a break from paying
big money for fuel at the pump. After all, while we may not be able to control
the price of gas, we can certainly control how much gas we use and how often we
buy it.

While there are many ways to increase your vehicle's fuel efficiency, there
simply is no way to beat the value of simply not driving at all. If your car
stays parked, it uses no gas whatsoever, after all! That is why you should
probably look into transportation whenever possible. Although there may be
barriers in your area towards incorporating public transportation into your
lifestyle, there may be more options than you would think.

For instance, even if the local bus or subway does not stop anywhere near where
you work, that does not mean that you can't occasionally use these methods of
transportation to go shopping or to a night out on the town on the weekend.
Depending on what activities you decide to engage in on a weekend night, you
may be better off with the convenience of public transportation, anyway! You
can take a bus downtown, then take a cab home at the end of the night!

Many folks are not satisfied with the areas of travel that are provided by
their local public transportation options. However, routes will not expand if
people are not taking advantage of public transportation to begin with! The
only way to get more coverage is to support the system that is already in
place. You can do this, along with speaking with your local officials about
expanding the public transportation system, and you may be pleasantly surprised
by the results.

While there is no way to force anyone to use public transportation, there has
never been a better time than the present to give it a try! In many areas,
there is a negative stigma surrounding public transportation, which is
unfortunate. After all, public transportation provides a great way to save gas
money, all while helping the environment by reducing the number of vehicles on
the road (and therefore, the amount of emissions). What could be better than
getting to where you need to go at a low price, all while helping to preserve
the environment? If gas prices have got you down, give public transportation a
try!

The Cost of Driving at High Speeds

There is really nothing that most of us can do to make the price of gas let up
a bit. All we can do, then, is try to use as little gas as we can. When most
people think of decreasing their fuel consumption, they simply think of staying
home more often and limiting the amount of miles they drive. Few drivers tend to
think about how much money they cost themselves by driving at excessively high
speeds!

No one can deny that the pace of the average life these days is quite high.
There are many things to do, especially if you have a career, a family, or
other responsibilities that keep you frantically running around. It would seem
to most people that one of the best ways to save a little time is to "put the
pedal to the metal" when they get in the car. This may be true, and it may get
you to where you are going a little bit faster, but it may also cost you quite
a bit at the gas pump!

Simply put, your car, truck or sport utility vehicle uses more gas when it
drives at higher speeds. Most vehicles operate at peak fuel efficiency at
around 55 miles per hour. If you are driving at a higher speed than that, you
are probably costing yourself quite a bit of fuel efficiency in the process.
Using up more fuel means more frequent visits to the gas station. And, of
course, more frequent visits to the gas station means less money in your purse
or wallet. That is why you should consider slowing down a bit, so that you can
stop costing yourself extra money in fuel expenses.

If you are one of the many people who drive at over 70 miles per hour
frequently, you are costing yourself quite a bit of money! Your fuel
consumption will be up to 25% more than if you were going 55 miles per hour,
depending on your vehicle and other driving conditions. With gas prices
surpassing four dollars per gallon in many places, it is easy to see that this
kind of cost can add up, especially if you are driving a vehicle that is not
exactly fuel efficient, such as a van, truck or sport utility vehicle.

Most people are not very receptive to the idea of slowing down from their usual
speed and driving a little slower on the highway, freeway or interstate. If you
do want to save money bad enough, though, you will be willing to make some sort
of change to the speed that you drive on these types of roads. It may be hard at
first, particularly when people start passing you on the road, but remember that
you are saving yourself a substantial amount of money in the process!

Also, you do not necessarily have to change your speed dramatically to see some
level of savings. Even if you are completely unwilling to slow down to 55 miles
per hour, if you can slow down from 75 to 65 miles per hour, you will still
notice that you go through gas a bit slower. The key here is to find a speed
that you can live with, but that is not as excessive as the speed that you
traveled at before. Also, consider the situation. If you are on a weekend trip
to a friend's house, do you really need to arrive five minutes earlier? If not,
simply relax and ease up on the gas a bit. If you aren't going to be late, you
really don't have to drive so fast!

You will experience other benefits from slowing down on the highway, as well.
You'll be less likely to be seriously injured in a crash, and you'll attract
considerably less attention from the highway patrol, as well. Speeding tickets
aren't cheap, so slow down and you'll save money on gas as well as costly
tickets!

Stay Away from Air Conditioning, Stay Away from the Pump

Exorbitant gas prices have most drivers trying to find any way that they can to
decrease their fuel expenses. Luckily, there are several very easy ways that the
average driver can limit their car, truck, van or SUV's gas usage. Most of these
methods rely on simple changes made by the driver in particular, and will not
cost you any money to enjoy their benefits.

First of all, do not waste your money on spendy items and products that boast
increased gas mileage after usage. After all, most of these products are very
unproven. The Environmental Protection Agency has not found that any of the
products tested so far have significantly increased gas mileage for the
vehicles they were used in. That is why when you are looking for ways to
improve fuel efficiency, you should look to methods that you can easily take
advantage of on your own, without having to rely on costly products or gimmicks
in the process.

One of the easiest ways to conserve gas is to simply avoid turning on the air
conditioner in your vehicle. Most people are already aware that when the air
conditioner is on, the engine seems less responsive and powerful. It may even
feel a little sluggish, because your car is working hard to power the air
conditioner. Not only does the air conditioner affect your engine's
performance, however, but your vehicle will also get worsened gas mileage if
you drive with the air conditioner on as well!

The solution is fairly simple and predictable: try to avoid using the air
conditioner in your vehicle, unless it is absolutely necessary. This may lead
to a somewhat less comfortable environment in your car, but you have to balance
out that negative against the very attractive positive involved with saving on
fuel consumption. After all, you will definitely appreciate the extra money you
will have in your wallet when you can stop making such frequent stops at the gas
pump!

It is also important to mention that you do not have to sweat like crazy in
order to save some money. There are ways that you can stay cool while avoiding
the use of your car's air conditioner. One very simple way to do so is to try
to constrain your traveling to times of day when the weather is less
oppressive. Avoid driving when the sun (and the temperature) is at its peak, as
this will only tempt you to turn on the air conditioner. Instead, try to make
trips in the evening or morning, whenever possible.

Another way to cool off without taking the step of turning on the car's air
conditioner is as simple as rolling down the windows. When you are driving at
higher speeds, you will notice a very nice breeze coming in, which will often
be enough to keep you comfortable, even on hot days. This is a fun way to save
a little money on gas, while enjoying a comforting breeze at the same time!

Some people would point out that driving with the windows open can cost you a
bit of gas mileage as well, which is true. However, the effect does not compare
to the increased fuel consumption that driving your car with the air conditioner
causes. Also, you can combat this effect by simply backing up off the gas a bit
and driving a little more slowly on the interstate.

No one wants to feel the heat of summer, but we also do not want to feel the
heat of the gas prices bearing down on us. If you can find ways to avoid using
your vehicle's air conditioner, you will probably be quite pleased with your
car's increased fuel efficiency. After all, none of us wants to make more trips
to the gas station than we already are, so make sure to only use the air
conditioner when it is absolutely necessary!

Simple Ways to Stay Away from the Gas Pump

If you have driven a car in the last couple of years, you no doubt have noticed
that gas prices have gotten a bit high. That is probably an understatement, as
you would have to have been living under a rock to have not known about the
stratospheric rise in gas prices. Unfortunately, there seems to really be no
end in sight to the extremely high gas prices that have caused many of us to
really think about how much we should be driving, what we should be driving,
and a million other things.

However, drivers can help themselves in the fight to keep gas prices from
making them bankrupt! One of the easiest ways to lessen the cost of driving is
to take whatever measures are available to you to reduce your fuel consumption.
Fortunately for drivers who are tired of shelling out hundreds of dollars at the
gas pump, many of these solutions are very inexpensive or even free! Here are
some free ways to relieve yourself of some of the cost of driving these days.

One of the best ways to use less fuel is to simply not drive. You are probably
wondering how you will get from place to place if you do not drive your car.
Well, find a different way to get around! Car pooling, for instance, is one of
the oldest and most plausible ways to reduce gas usage as well as help reduce
emissions, too. You can car pool with co-workers or others to decrease your
fuel expenses, while helping the environment as well!

Even if you are going to run to the grocery store, see if your neighbor needs
anything as well! You may be able to car pool together, and you will have some
company along for the ride as well. If you live at somewhat of a distance away
from your work or other places you have to go consistently, car pooling is a
great way to save money.

Even if you have no one to car pool with, you can plan your trips ahead so that
you can save gas. If the grocery store is on your way home from work, try to
know what items you need so that you can simply stop by the store on your way
home from work. This will help you to save time as well as money spent on gas.
If you can not avoid making a special trip out, try to combine several stops
within one trip so you can conserve gas.

When you do get to the store, try not to leave your car running while you
quickly "run in" to the store. Doing so decreases your miles per gallon to zero
(think about it), and contrary to popular belief, is not more fuel efficient
than turning off your engine and turning it back on a minute or two later.
Unless you want to idle your way all the way to the gas pump, make sure that
you turn your car off whenever you are making a stop!

Also, try to reduce the amount of weight you carry in your car. It can be easy
to be a bit lazy and leave items in your trunk for a long time, but even a
hundred extra pounds can reduce your car's fuel economy by a couple percent
compared to normal. Many people like to pack their car with sandbags during the
winter months for added traction. If you decide to do this, make sure to remove
the extra weight when it is no longer needed!

As you can surely see, there are many very uncomplicated ways that you can
increase your car's fuel efficiency. While not all of the tips will improve
your fuel efficiency that dramatically, even an extra gallon here or there is a
substantial savings with today's gas prices.

Simple Vehicle Maintenance Can Save You Money on Gas

You are likely among the millions of drivers that would love
to find any way possible to avoid spending so much money on gas. Since there is
no drop in sight for gas prices, the most that we can all do is try to control
our fuel consumption whenever possible. What most people do not know, however,
is that there are many very simple ways to increase your car, truck, van or
sport utility vehicle's fuel efficiency, all without spending a lot of money!
Most of these methods will not require much money or much time, as they can be
performed quite quickly.

It is quite understandable if you do not want to shell out money for expensive
products that say they will increase your vehicle's gas mileage. However, that
will not keep you from saving money on gas, since many of these products have
not proven their claims of increased fuel efficiency, anyway! Really, most of
the best ways of reducing gas usage are also the easiest ways to do so. This is
especially true when it comes to the simple vehicle maintenance you can perform
to enjoy better gas mileage.

One extremely easy way to keep your car at its best in the area of fuel
efficiency is by checking the air in your tires often. Tires that are not
properly inflated to the right levels cost you precious gas mileage, believe it
or not. Fortunately, this is an easy problem to fix. Many gas stations and car
washes have free air dispensers to fill up your tires to the levels they need
to be at. Even if an air machine does cost you money, it will not usually be
more than a quarter or two. This is a very cost effective way to ensure that
you are getting the type of gas mileage you should be getting when you drive.

Regular oil changes also help to keep your car's gas mileage where it should
be. Even though it can cost money to do your own oil change or have a mechanic
do it for you, it is still a cost effective method of increasing your vehicle's
fuel efficiency. After all, you have to change your vehicle's oil anyway, so you
might as well make extra sure that you stay on top of it, since you can save on
gas expenses that way. A car that is running on the right type of oil will run
much more efficiently, which is why frequent oil changes help you to conserve
gas.

Also, make sure that you are getting your car tuned when it should be. Tuning
your vehicle can keep it at peak performance, which again, helps to increase
gas mileage. Meanwhile, regular checkups may reveal a problem that is making
your car use more gas than it should. By fixing certain problems with your car,
you can really dramatically improve your car's performance and fuel efficiency.
Like with oil changes, you need to regularly tune up your car anyway, so why
not make it a real priority, since it can help you save gas?

Finally, one of the very best ways to conserve gas when you are driving is to
check your air filters on a regular basis. If they are clogged or dirty, make
sure to replace them. Again, this is something that needs to be done anyway to
keep your engine running smoothly, but it is even more important now, since it
will help you to increase your gas mileage significantly. How significantly?
Well, many experts say that having clean air filters can increase your gas
mileage by about 10%! Think of how much 10% of a gallon of gas is. That's a
pretty decent sum of money, by any estimation.

Remember, it is important to perform these types of regular maintenance on your
vehicle anyway. Since you can actually save money by taking care of your car,
why not make it a priority?

Save Gas By Performing Simple Maintenance

Vehicles can be very expensive, as any driver probably already knows. There is
the cost of oil changes, repairs, car insurance, and let's not forget, gas! The
price of gas alone is enough to make many drivers want to go into hibernation
and simply wait for them to come back down to earth. However, that is not a
real option, as we all still have places we have to get to, and it simply costs
money to get there.

Luckily, the regular maintenance that you have to perform on your vehicle
anyway can actually help you to get more mileage out of the fuel you use! It is
nice to know, especially these days, that the money you spend on this kind of
maintenance can also help you save money at the gas pump! Conversely, if you do
not have the regular maintenance done on your vehicle like you should, your gas
mileage is sure to suffer.

One of the very rudimentary things that has to be done with your car every so
often is getting an oil change. Oil changes can occur ever few months or even
sooner, if you drive a lot, but you do not want to let them slide (no pun
intended)! After all, oil changes keep your engine running smoothly, which in
turn allows you to get more mileage out of the gas you put into your car. It is
also important to use the correct grade of motor oil, as this can have a small
effect on your gas mileage, as well.

Another type of regular maintenance that can help you to increase your gas
mileage is getting your car tuned. Tune-ups are hard to measure in terms of
increased fuel efficiency, but it has been speculated that a car that is
properly tuned will use 4% less gas than a car that is not tuned and has not
been in some time. While 4% may not seem like that much money, think of it as
sixteen cents of savings for gas, if the price is $4 per gallon. As you can
see, that can add up to a substantial amount!

It is also of the utmost importance to get your car checked regularly,
especially your fuel intake, exhaust and other systems that can affect gas
mileage. If there is a problem with an important part of these systems, you car
will probably still run, but fuel efficiency can be very badly affected, causing
you to lose almost half of your fuel efficiency in some cases! It definitely
pays to get problems like those fixed!

One of the least expensive, but most effective, improvements you can make for
gas mileage is to simply replace old, clogged air filters. Although it may not
seem like a big deal to drive around with dirty air filters, filthy ones can
rob you of 10% of your fuel economy! Again, for the price it costs to fix this
simple problem, you really can't beat the results you receive!

These are a few of the things that you should be already doing for your car
that will provide you with benefits to your vehicle's fuel efficiency. If you
have been slacking on these areas of maintenance, make sure to get on the ball!
It may cost you money to maintain your car at first, but it may very well save
you money in the end!

Plan Your Trips Ahead To Avoid Wasting Gas

It is unfortunate but true that most of us have no direct effect on the
substantially high cost of gas. After all, gas prices are set by forces that
are far beyond our control, and there is nothing we can do about the expenses
we incur while driving, right? Well, that is only partially correct. See, while
we may not be able to control the price per gallon of gas, we certainly can
control how much gasoline we use, and therefore, how often we have to fill up
our automobiles! Doing so is not as difficult as you may think!

When most people think about conserving gas, they figure that it must be an
annoying and inconvenient process. However, learning to conserve gas can
actually be a very easy thing to do, and may lead you to develop better overall
habits as well. For instance, planning your trips ahead of time is a great way
to use less gas, and it is also a good idea anyway, as it is a skill that helps
you to remain more organized in your daily life.

Many people today live outside of city areas, sometimes up to dozens of miles
away in rural towns or other areas. For these folks, it is absolutely vital to
plan ahead when considering trips that have to be made, at least if they want
to save money on gas! Since these people have to drive many highway miles per
week as it is, it is not advisable for them to make extra trips into town,
especially when they could have consolidated all their shopping needs or errand
running into one trip.

Another aspect of trip planning is being smart about where you will go and
when. If you know that you can wait to drive around the city and get done 
whatever you need to get done, then try to avoid doing so during peak driving 
hours. Nothing kills your gas mileage more than sitting in a traffic jam, or 
stuck a hundred feet from a stopped traffic light, waiting for everyone to take 
turns accelerating once the light turns green. If you can avoid these 
frustrating and gas guzzling driving situations, you will be one step closer to 
your goal of limiting your fuel consumption.

Finally, make sure that you are organized when you go to the store or out
shopping. It is a good idea to make a list before you leave, even if you
believe that you will not forget anything. It is easy to forget to buy an
important item at the grocery store, especially if you are in a hurry or have a
lot of other items to remember. This means that when you return home, you will
have to go back to the store to get the forgotten item(s) or simply make do
without them until your next trip to the store. Alas, neither of these options
are very attractive ones, so try to be organized when you head out to the store.

As you have probably realized, it is not difficult to make proper trip planning
a part of your regular daily life. If you do so, you will easily be able to
minimize your driving, and you will find yourself having to fuel your vehicle
up far less often as a result.

Change Your Driving Style to Conserve Gasoline

It seems as if the massive increase in gas prices over the last few years have
had drivers everywhere trying to make sense of it all. Why are the prices so
high? What can we do to save a bit of money at the gas pump? While the first
question is not so easy to answer, we have quite a bit of control ourselves
over the second one. After all, there are a number of relatively easy ways that
we can conserve gas and therefore, make less frequent stops at the local gas
station. One of the easiest ways that you can increase your vehicle's fuel
efficiency without spending a dime is by making some simple tweaks to your
driving style.

Most drivers are not thinking of fuel consumption when they decide what kind of
driving style they will have. In past years, that may have been a perfectly
reasonable thing, but with the gas prices getting to be so high, we must all
think about how we can reduce our gas usage. After all, it is getting harder
and harder to be able to afford frequent fill-ups at the gas station! What
follows are a few pretty basic ways that you can change your driving style to a
more fuel efficient one.

One mistake that many drivers make is accelerating too often. If you pay
attention, you will notice that the vast majority of drivers accelerate almost
all the time. It does not matter whether they are 50 feet from a red light or a
turn that they will have to slow down for, they will continue to have their foot
on the gas right up until they have to brake. This is a mistake for a number of
reasons, all of which can affect fuel consumption.

First of all, it makes no sense to speed up towards a red light that you will
have to stop for in a short distance. Instead, why not take your foot off the
gas and coast a bit? This will not only allow you to save your brakes, but if
the light changes, you can continue coasting until it is time to accelerate,
and you may be able to do so without ever having to completely stop. Your car
will use a lot less gas starting from a coasting speed of 20 miles per hour
than it would from a complete stop. Again, the light is red anyway, there is
simply no need to accelerate towards it.

If you have a turn coming up shortly, there is also no need to accelerate right
up until the point where you must turn. Why do so, when you will then have to
brake aggressively in order to safely make your turn? Instead, when you reach a
close distance to your turn, take your foot off the gas pedal and coast a bit
before slowly easing on the brake and making your turn. Doing so will not cost
you much time, and it will save gas as well as your brakes, both of which cost
a fair amount of money.

Finally, try not to tailgate behind other drivers, and anticipate future stops
or having to slow down. If you give yourself a good amount of distance between
yourself and the car(s) in front of you, you can see whether people are
stopping or turning with much more notice, which allows you to coast a bit
rather than having to slam on your brakes. Again, you're only wasting gas if
you speed up to ride the car in front of yours' rear bumper. This is needless
and can also be the cause of an accident!

These subtle tweaks to your driving style won't cost you any time, and will
save you a lot of gas and wear and tear on your car. Also, if you drive less
aggressively, you will accumulate less traffic tickets and accidents, which can
cost you way more money than gas ever did!

Buyer Beware: Products that Increase Your Gas Mileage

Everyone is reacting differently to the continued increase in gas prices that
we have experienced over the last several years. Many drivers have taken to
doing whatever they can to increase their gas mileage, which has created a
market for products that claim to do just that. The companies that manufacture
these products seem to have a great idea, since they know that the public is
desperate to decrease their fuel usage. The question is, do these products
really provide a big difference, or are these companies just making a quick
buck off of consumers who are sick of paying so much at the pump?

It can be easy to get roped in by the very gaudy claims that the companies who
make these products are making. Do these products really provide increased gas
mileage? Can they prove the claims that they have made? That depends on who you
ask. However, the EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, has tested a number
of these types of products, and has not found one yet that significantly
increases gas mileage. This means that the foremost authority in fuel economy
has yet to certify one of these products as being legit.

That is not to say that the products do not work. Perhaps they do provide gas
mileage increases in certain vehicles, or maybe they increase gas mileage by a
marginal amount. However, since there is no concrete evidence of such an
increase from testing done by an unbiased party, so there really is no proof
available yet. Again, this does not mean that the products are altogether
worthless or useless. However, it is debatable whether or not you should spend
your hard-earned money on these products, especially when there are very cheap
(or even free) ways to increase your gas mileage alternatively.

For instance, you can do something as simple as put the proper amount of air in
your tires, and check their air pressure regularly. This simple task will
usually cost you nothing (although some gas stations may have machines that
charge a quarter or two), and will help you to save some of your precious gas
when you drive. This is just one simple act of maintenance that can help you to
preserve your fuel.

Another cheap way to increase fuel efficiency is to change your air filters
regularly. Although this costs more than most fuel economy products do, it also
provides proven benefits that are pretty substantial in regards to fuel
efficiency. If you have the choice between spending some money on an unproven
method, or something that is proven to work, what would you choose?

These ways of increasing fuel efficiency are just the tip of the iceberg. You
can do simple things like avoid packing your trunk with excess junk that
increases drag and decreases fuel mileage, or make sure you use the proper
grade of motor oil. Even simple things like avoiding the use of the air
conditioning system can provide a marked increase in fuel economy!

In short, there are just too many cheap or inexpensive ways to improve gas
mileage to be able to recommend buying costly products that may not work much,
or at all. With so many easy ways to increase your fuel economy, why pay money
for something that is not proven to work?

Automobile Features That Can Save Fuel

Drivers seem to let out a collective groan whenever they realize that it
is time to stop to fuel up their automobiles, thanks to the sky-high gas prices
these days. You would be hard-pressed to find a driver that would not like to
save a bit of money at the gas pump, but many people simply do not know how to
achieve this. Many consumers turn to products that promise better gas mileage,
only to be disappointed. Others believe that they must buy a smaller vehicle or
sell their current one, due to the expensive fuel problem.

What many drivers do not know is that there are many ways to use less fuel,
some of which are so laughably easy that you will be stunned that you had never
thought of them before. You do not have to buy expensive products, as most of
the best ways to conserve fuel have no cost, or at least a very small cost.
Indeed, some of the easiest ways to increase your gas mileage are right under
your nose when you drive- literally! Read on to find out how some of the
features in your car can help you save gas!

One of the favorite features a car can have for many drivers is cruise control.
Long beloved by drivers who must endure long trips, cruise control has a number
of different benefits, although it is a very simple feature. For instance, many
people have earned themselves speeding tickets by having a heavy foot that got
out of control, but with the cruise control set, you can drive at a consistent
speed without glancing at the gauge every three seconds!

Did you know, though, that setting the cruise control can help you to save gas?
That's right, since your car will be driving along at a consistent speed, there
won't be the little accelerations here and there that the inexact science of
using a foot pedal can result in. These slight accelerations cause the car to
work a bit more every now and then, which obviously results in increased
gasoline use. Imagine- a convenient way to drive that offers greater fuel
efficiency as well!

A somewhat less used feature for most drivers is the "overdrive" feature. Many
people do not even know that their car has overdrive, or what it can do.
Basically, overdrive allows your car's engine to work less hard at higher
speeds. Again, as we mentioned earlier, when your engine works less, you use
less gas, so setting the overdrive on can help you to easily save a little gas!

You probably look at your MPH (miles per hour) gauge quite often, if you are
like most drivers. However, how often do you look at the RPM gauge? Probably
not nearly as much! If you drive a manual transmission especially, keep an eye
on your car's RPMs. After all, the higher your car is running in the RPM range,
the harder your engine is working. If you do drive a stick, make sure that you
are changing gears before you get too high in the RPM range, and use your
higher gears at a consistent speed whenever possible!

Not all features are beneficial for gas usage, however. If you are a big fan of
using your car's air conditioning, you are costing yourself in fuel efficiency!
Having the air conditioning on makes your car work much harder, as you can tell
because of the lessened power and responsiveness when you accelerate. Whenever
you can, try to drive with the air conditioning off!

As you can see, these are some fairly simple ways to take a little of the pain
of filling up your car's gas tank away. Remember that if you can try to control
your fuel usage, you can lessen your gas expenses without having the ability to
change the price of gas itself!

Less Junk in the Trunk, More Cash to Pass

Many of the solutions to using a lot of gas are so simple, yet they somehow
elude us, despite their obviousness. After all, modern men and women have
quested long and far to find any possible solutions to the problems caused by
unrelenting gas prices. While many have adopted very extreme methods of saving
gas, such as becoming hermits and refusing to drive, or buying an expensive new
hybrid vehicle, there are many simple ways to reduce fuel consumption as well!

It is important to make sure that you explore all of your options before
resorting to a drastic choice such as becoming a shut-in, or buying a Toy-onda
Motors Hybrid LX 1300 SP. Many of the ways that you can decrease the amount of
gas you use, and therefore the amount of money you spend at the gas pump, can
be had without making any major changes to your lifestyle. You simply have to
be smart. For instance, let's discuss the junk in your trunk, and why you
should get rid of it!

Many drivers make their way around town with an arsenal of items, goods and
ancient artifacts in their cars that really do not need to be there. They do
this without knowing that carrying all of this extra weight in their car is
costing them whenever they have to fuel up! That is because added weight in
your car makes your car work much harder to get from place to place, thereby
increasing your vehicle's fuel consumption!

How much does the added and unnecessary weight decrease your gas mileage? Most
people say that an extra hundred pounds can decrease your gas mileage by 1 or 2
percent. This may sound like an insignificant amount, but think about gas
prices. Two percent of four dollars, for example, is eight cents. Would you
take some old items out of your trunk in order to save eight cents a gallon?
Most drivers will drive across town for savings like that!

Also, consider that you may be carrying more than an extra one hundred pounds
in your car. Depending on the amount of unneeded stuff in your car, you can be
hampering your gas mileage and fuel efficiency by a somewhat significant
margin! Again, it only takes a minute to remove excess items from your car; the
key is to motivate yourself to get it done!

Many people consider their cars to not just be methods of transportation, but
also as a sort of mobile storage facility for things that they do not care
about enough to keep in their homes. That is the kind of thinking that wastes
gas, ladies and gentlemen. There are many different ways to decrease fuel
consumption, of course, and this is just one of them. But at the same time,
every gallon counts! If you can save a little bit of money at the pump, why
pass that chance up?

It is ultimately up to you to make sure that you do the things necessary to
improve the fuel efficiency of your car, truck, van or sport utility vehicle.
With gas prices continuing to go up and no end in sight, any type of relief is
better than nothing! With that in mind, get rid of that junk in your trunk and
start saving!

How to Organize a Car Pool to Reduce Gas Expenses

Who would not want to spend less money at their local gas station every week?
It would be hard to find someone who is not interested in conserving gas, but
doing so is much harder than it would seem to be, at times. One of the most
obvious ways to reduce fuel expenses is to simply not drive, but for many
people, that is really not feasible. After all, most people have
responsibilities that require them to be at specific places at certain times,
and this in turn requires them to operate a motor vehicle to get there.

However, many people are not taking advantage of the somewhat popular practice
of car pooling. Car pooling has been around for years now, and while it has
steadily increased in popularity, it still is not as widely used as it should
be. The reasons vary, as some people simply prefer to drive by themselves to
and from places, and others do not know anyone that lives near them, or do not
want to coordinate a regular car pool. The reality is, however, if you want to
save money on gas, there are few better ways to do so than by participating in
a car pool.

Organizing a car pool can be fairly simple. For instance, it can be as easy as
posting a sign up at your work, or asking around to see if anyone who shares
your place of employment lives near you. If they live along your route to work,
you can also simply pick them up every day, in exchange for a little monetary
contribution towards the expense of gas. This will not cause you any major
inconvenience, but it will save you a lot of money spent on fueling up your car
each week!

Many people only think of car pooling as a way to get to and from work, but there 
are many other times when a car pool is an equally great idea. For instance, you 
can form a car pool with people that live near you for things such as going to 
the gym, shopping at the grocery store, or heading out to the mall. If you are 
planning on taking a vacation, it can be a very expensive endeavor, especially if 
you will be driving. However, if you pair up with a couple that you enjoy being 
around, you can all take one car and cut your gas costs literally in half!

It may not always be convenient to car pool, but the barriers are usually not
that serious. What you really have to consider is whether it is worth it to you
to have the comfort of driving in silence and solitude, even if it means that
you will pay the full cost of gas all by yourself. Most people would rather
have a little company, all while saving some money at the fuel pump. That is
why car pools continue to be a fairly common thing, even to this day. If you
have never tried car pooling before, give it a shot! With gas prices being so
high, there really has never been a better time than now to give car pooling a
chance. You never know, you may even enjoy the company and make a new friend or
two!

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