Unless you’ve been under a rock the last few weeks, you’ve certainly noticed what’s been happening to gas prices. According to USA Today, as of March 8, 2022 the national average for a gallon of gas is $4.17. This is the highest on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2008. We’ve got five tips below you can use to save a little money on gas.
GasBuddy.com
Sometimes you’ve just got to say “God Bless the Internet.” Information sharing makes it easier to compile and share useful information. In this case, it’s finding out where the cheapest gas is. I’m sure there are other sites that do this as well, but a popular website & app is www.GasBuddy.com. It shows a list or on a map of where you can find the cheapest gas in your area. Since they have an app, it can be accessed from the internet or from an app on your smartphone. Just don’t get sucked in to driving too many extra miles to save that penny or two on your gas or the savings will disappear.
Rewards Programs
Many gas stations have different promotions that come with gas discounts as a reward. Costco, for example, often has cheaper than normal gas, but you have to be a Costco member to get it. Other stations bypass credit card fees (for them) by letting you signup for a direct debit from your checking account. In exchange, you get a cheaper per gallon cost off of the listed price.
Ease up on the lead foot
As far as driving habits go, having a lead foot can really cost you money. Excessive acceleration & braking causes more engine strain to get up to speed, thus causing more fuel usage. Additionally, every engine has an optimal zone of performance. For most passenger cars, you’ll get peak fuel economy at steady speed around 50 mph. You’ll get where you’re going a little slower, but you’ll use less fuel along the way.
Keep tires inflated properly
One of the simplest ways to get better mileage out of your vehicle is to keep the tires properly inflated. Look inside your door jamb for a sticker telling you what the recommended air pressure is for all of your tires and keep them at the right number. Be careful not to overinflate though because of the risk of decreased performance, excessive wear, and even tire failure.
Avoid idling
Your engine runs, and burns gas, even if you’re not going anywhere. Therefore, you should be sure that your vehicle isn’t excessively idling. Modern cars take a very little amount of time to warm up to be ready to drive. Some newer vehicles are also outfitted with auto start/stop engines that will turn the engine off at a stop light because it burns less gas to start the engine than it does to idle more than 10 seconds. Be aware, however, that these kinds of vehicles have heavy duty starters that can take the frequent starts/stops of the engine that a normal vehicle doesn’t have.
I hope you’re able to use some of these tips to keep your gas budget down a little bit while we navigate these unprecedented times.
Be safe out there!