Saving money when driving is always a good thing to do. Many of us worry about good driving habits only when gas prices go up, but shouldn’t you really try to save money all the time, no matter how cheap or expensive gas is? Besides, we know gas will go up again someday, so why not just make these habits automatic.
Plus, not only will these save you money on gas, they’ll also help you extend the life of your car!
- Keep your tires inflated – Your mileage can be affected by 5-10% if you have tires that aren’t inflated properly. Keep check of your tire pressure to make sure they’re inflated to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Improperly inflated tires can also promote uneven and premature wear of tires, which is definitely not a money saver if you have to spend money on new tires prematurely!
- Stay off the road during congestion – If you have set hours or have a destination that requires you to be on the road during stop-and-go traffic, that’s one thing, but if you can, try avoiding some of the stop-and-go traffic that can kill gas mileage.
- Pay attention to traffic lights ahead – You should always keep your eyes on what’s going on right around you, but keep an eye on the next traffic light up ahead. If you can tell that it will turn red before you’re going to get to the intersection, it’s OK to let off the gas a little (or maybe all the way depending on how close you are).
- Quit stomping on the gas peddle – Most gas is used during acceleration, and the harder you accelerate, the more gas you’ll use. A gentle acceleration is just fine and you’ll get up to your traveling speed within a few seconds of when you would have gotten there by flooring it.
- Get a cashback rewards credit card – Pay at the pump and use a card that pays you cash back. Even if you only get 1%, that’s money in your pocket that you can get for doing something (filling up) that you have to do anyways.
- Look for the lowest prices – Make sure you keep an eye on gas stations to ensure that you’re not paying more than another station is offering. Tools like Gas Buddy can help. (Tip 1: Don’t drive all over town looking for the lowest price as you’ll burn away any potential savings.) (Tip 2: Make sure you factor in any differences between cash/credit prices, which is common with gas stations these days)
- Keep your car maintained – A car that receives proper routine maintenance, such as oil changes, air filter changes, etc. will run better than a car that skips these things. Not only will it improve your mileage to keep your car up, but you’ll have a car that lasts longer.
These are tips that anybody can do without a lot of lifestyle changes or extreme changes in driving habits.
What tips do you have to save money on gas? Are you guilty of only driving smarter when prices go up?
Thanks for reading!