05 Jul How To Battle Back Against High Gas Prices!

Fear not anymore, there are some ways that you can save yourself money at the gas pump! If you’re like me, every time your low fuel light comes on, you’re cringing over the amount of money that is about to come out of your pocket. But by using the following money saving tips and advice, you can stretch the miles between fill-ups and make your gas tank as efficient as possible.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE

• Get your car ready for the road! According to a study done by the Environmental Protection Agency, by tuning up a car and fixing any emissions problems, you can improve your gas mileage by about 4 percent. Also, replacing a faulty oxygen sensor it can boost fuel economy by up to 40 percent. In addition, tires that are not fully inflated cause your car to use more engine which in turn lowers fuel efficiency. Therefore, setting tire pressure to the automaker’s recommended level will maximize fuel economy.
• Before traveling, find the most efficient and shortest possible route to your destination. A GPS navigator or an online mapping service are great tools to find the most efficient path. For example, when traveling from New York to North Carolina, a mapping service can tell you that by traveling west of the Appalachian Mountains down Interstate Highway 81 rather than on I-95 South will save you 86 miles and 2 hours of travel.
• Not driving with your own car? Find a car with the best gas mileage. For instance, it costs about the same price to reserve a 24-mpg Chevy Cobalt as compared to a 32-mpg Toyota Corolla!

ON THE ROAD

• New technology offers a great money saving tool that compares gas prices at stations closest to you. Some GPS navigators and phone apps allow you to size up gas prices from your car, while online sites such as GasBuddy.com or Mapquest also allow you to see the cheapest places for fuel.
• How you drive can also play a major role in the fuel efficiency of your car. One way to increase fuel economy is to watch your speed while driving. A study done by Consumer Report showed that the faster you drive on the highway, the worse you gas mileage will be. For example, their test showed that the gas mileage in their Toyota Camry dropped by 5 mpg when they increased their cruising speed from 55-mph to 65-mph. Also, avoid fast acceleration and sudden braking as that can decrease fuel economy by 2 to 3 mpg.
• Skip the gadgets that claim to help save gas! Tests on several gadgets that claim to help have yet to reveal anything that actually works or shows a significant difference.