People that want to save big bucks on driving to not have to look very far for ideas. A couple of minutes of brainstorming can yield some serious money saving ideas. A few of the concepts are listed below.
Keeping Cars Maintained Properly
A car that has a tune-up is going to work much better for drivers that are behind the wheel on a regular basis. When people let their spark plugs go without being changed for too long they will have issues with gas mileage. Something as simple as the changing of spark plugs or coils can totally change the way that the vehicle performs.
People may also underestimate simple things like rotating tires and oil changes, but these things can also affect performance. There is no point in burning more gas if there are preventive maintenance measures that can help drivers save.
Adjusting Driving Habits
Sometimes people go out without any type of regard to where they are driving. They may come home and drive right back out in the same direction that they came from. This is very unwise. Drivers should be mindful of each trip. It’s better to consider everything that needs to be done before coming home. People that take the time to pick up things on their way home can save lots of gas.
Drivers also need to ask themselves if they really have to go to the places that they are frequenting. Don’t go to the grocery store for a couple of items only to return a couple of days later with a full shopping cart. To the contrary, it is better to put priorities in order and get everything at once. When this is done people have a chance to save more on gas.
Carpooling
This is not a new concept, but carpooling is often overlooked by people that may not have considered sharing a morning commute with others. It is true that some people like to have their morning drive all to themselves, but people that want to save money should seriously consider the value of the carpool.
A person that can get multiple people involved can save a lot of money. It’s a good way to also reduce the wear and tear on your own car as well.
Pay Attention to the Prices
One big thing that a lot of people miss is the signs. It is incredibly important to be consciously away from the different signs for gas. A person can be getting gas on one side of the street and see another gas station with much lower prices. These are the type of things that people need to notice before they start paying for gas.
Sometimes there are trends. Gas may be going down during the course of the week. If the gas prices are dropping drivers should hold out for as long as possible. This way it will be easier to get the best prices at the end of the week. Smart drivers will take the time to recognize these trends in gas prices on a regular basis.
Anyone that takes the time to follow the tips above will have much better driving experience. They will be able to save a lot more money when they follow the valuable pointers on cutting driving costs. When people take the time to do these things many will be surprised by how many much can be saved while they drive.
Some Top Tips to Save Money On Petrol
There are all kinds of ways we lose money regularly: countless bills, hobbies, expenses and other unavoidable costs which we have no choice but to accept despite the fact that they can be so effective at whittling down our finances.
While they may be unavoidable though, in many cases there are still ways we can save money on them and reduce the amount we’re losing.
One of the best examples is petrol – sure if you drive regularly then you won’t be able to completely forget this expense, but at least if you know how to use less on your journeys you can reduce the cost a little each time – and this can add up to make quite a big difference to the overall amount you spend. Here are some top ways then to save money on your petrol.
Top Up Early
This might sound strange, but topping up either early in the morning or late at night could help you to save money on your petrol. How? Because the cold causes the molecules that make up the petrol to compress thus meaning you can fit more into your tank for the same amount of money. It may seem like a negligible difference, but over years it might save you one or two refills.
Lighten Your Load
The more you have in your car the heavier it is and the more energy you will require to move it forward. If you have a boot full of books then or are transporting a very heavy suitcase you don’t actually need, then this is tantamount to wasting fuel so it’s worth having an empty out before your next journey.
Tires and Shocks
The tires and shocks in your car should be well maintained if you want driving to be as easy as it can be. The damaged suspension will mean that your fuel is being wasted with up and down momentum, whereas flat tires will make driving similar to wading through mud. Pump up your tires as often as you can, and replace the suspension when needed.
Drive Further Back
If you drive too close to the car in front then you won’t just be being annoying and rude, you’ll also be wasting your fuel. The most fuel-hungry thing you can do with your car is to come to a stop and then start again – so in other words, if you want to save petrol then you need to react sooner to cars slowing down ahead of you so that you can just let your foot off the accelerator and slow down naturally.
Close the Windows
Cars are designed the way they are in order to make them aerodynamic, and the idea is that this allows you to ‘slip through’ the air rather than experiencing too much friction. If you have the windows open you create more friction, so keeping them closed and taking off your jumper instead can save you energy.
Turn Off the Radio
Your radio is run by your battery, but the battery is charged by your petrol – so even though the difference is again very small, running extra things like the radio or your heated seats will cost you money too.
How to Reduce Gas Usage in Your Vehicle
Every month we spend hundreds of dollars on gas. This is just crazy. Reducing gas usage isn’t hard, but helps to save a bit of money.
1. Get rid of trash.
Junk in the car weights a bunch, that’s why you should clean up your trunk form everything that isn’t used at all. Extra weight isn’t free at all. Auto Editor Be Wojdila, assures: 100 pounds of trash in the car is another mile. Outside junk, like racks and stuff, is included.
2. Fix the gas cap.
It is very important to keep track of the cap and turn it until it clicks. Surprisingly, according to Time Warner Cable correspondent, around 147 million gallons of gas are wasted just past year because of the little gas cap, being loosed or even missing. Watch if it’s broken or so, and you will notice that you’ll need less of gas to take, and most certainly, less money to spend.
3. Keep air conditioning on.
One of the wrong opinions about putting on air conditioning in the car takes lots of fuel. Actually, there are many misleading viewpoints we often here, including even those related to loans online which are falsely considered as predatory.
Experts say that air conditioning doesn’t require engine anymore and there’s no way it’s going to take any gas. New vehicles are better in using air conditioning, rather than opening all windows that get the wind all over a car and make it drag a little. However, this rule is related to recent models, designed later than the middle 90s.
4. Turn right.
This might be very interesting because it seems unbelievable. But the fact remains: during 200s, UPS created a new route to save money on less fuel usage. And unbelievably it worked: the route decreased the number of left turns as much as it was possible. United Postal Service managed to limit millions of gallons of gas for around 7-8 years. So what’s the actual secret in right turns? Some professional drives know while you’re turning left on a crowded two-way road, you wind up idling. When turning right, you just continue moving straight ahead.
5. Use your Smartphone.
Apps for smartphones have become more efficient in our everyday lives, especially when it is about saving our money. GasBuddy is a useful app for any driver, which helps to find the cheapest gas station wherever you can be.
Besides, there are some tips you should avoid doing. One of them is heating up the car for a few minutes before you take off. During winters modern cars are able enough to warm up the vehicle while you are already on the way. It turns out you’re just wasting gas for no reason. Remember that a fuel-injection system is powerful and after starting a vehicle you should take off immediately.
Improving Gas Mileage While Towing
Whether you tow boats or trailers regularly or you’re planning a long road trip with a tow, you’ll probably find yourself concerned about the massive toll towing can take on your gas mileage.
The Discovery Channel cites a study by Tundra Solutions which says that the most experienced towers have a decrease of up to 10mpg, and what when towing at higher speeds, the effect on your gas mileage can be even greater.
This might not be a huge concern if you’re only making a couple of trips, but if you end up towing regularly, knowing what factors go into increasing your mpg and what can be done to combat this increase will help you save money when you’re on the road.
1. Why Trucks are Made to Tow
It’s a no-brainer that large SUVs and trucks are the best vehicles for towing, and most people assume it’s because of size, speed, and precision. But a truck is also ideal for keeping your gas mileage down, especially if it runs on diesel gas.
Diesel gets about 15 percent more power from a gallon of fuel than regular gasoline, which is why it’s usually a bit more costly.
But if you’re towing a lot of weight more often, it can definitely be worth it because your truck will do the same amount of work but expel much less energy. A truck’s larger engine actually works in its favor while towing, too.
Even though trucks and SUVs notoriously get worse gas mileage than smaller cars, they actually see less of a decrease in gas mileage when they’re supporting more weight because that’s what they were designed for.
2. The Law of Inertia
Most drivers know that you burn more gasoline when you’re speeding up than you do when you’re maintaining a steady speed. The same is true when you’re towing.
If your trip involves a lot of surface streets and the potential for traffic, you’re going to get far worse gas mileage than if you can stick to the open road. Stopping and starting means your engine continually has to burn enough to get your entire load moving again.
But the law of inertia states that if you can continue at a steady speed, the momentum will keep you going faster while using a lot less energy. You can consider this when you’re planning your route – leave early in the morning, before the highways get too crowded, and you will save on gas as well as time.
3. Towing the Right Way
Using a hitch with weight distribution and sway control will save you a lot of money because your vehicle won’t have to constantly use up energy keeping your trailer or other loads straight on the road.
Even weight distribution reduces drag and increases safety, and so does getting rid of extra weight you don’t need. If you’re going on a boat or camping trip, be selective in the items you choose to bring – are they really worth added fuel costs? Pack light and store items carefully, and you should have a smooth ride.
Also, make sure your vehicle is properly maintained. Properly inflated tires with enough tread to withstand the extra weight are ideal for towing, and remember that poor alignment will cause the vehicle to use more fuel.
If you’ve never used your truck or SUV to tow before, it might take you a few times to get used to it and figure out the most efficient methods for you. Rising gas prices can cripple frequent towers, especially in the summer months when more people are on the road taking vacations.
If you want to avoid the strain on your wallet and protect yourself from safety risks, it’s important to know how do get the most power for the least amount of money.