As gas prices continue to increase, we should be considering all options at our disposal to save money at the pump.
Gas prices are expected to go as high as $5/gallon, especially with a ban on Russian oil imports.
Cutting down on speed is one of the quickest ways to increase fuel economy, which is reduced significantly once you go past 55 miles per hour, due to wind resistance.
Observing the speed limit and driving less aggres- sively can also make a big difference. Also, it’s possible to stretch gas mileage by 1% to 2% by using the thinnest viscosity motor oil recommended by a car’s manufacturer, thus saving as much as 6 cents per gallon.
Another gas-saving technique is “hypermiling.” That means getting the most mileage from every gallon. To do this, you can lighten the load on your car’s engine, slowly accelerate up to speed and keep a good distance from the car ahead of you to minimize the use of your brakes.
You can save as much as three cents per gallon for every two minutes that you don’t let your car idle. Therefore, do not warm up your car before driving; it’s not necessary on most cars.
Simple car maintenance is also important for saving money at the pump. Changing air filter, spark plugs, maintaining proper tire alignment and keeping tires inflated to the manufacturer’s recommendations are all important to reduce the use of gasoline.
Gas tends to be more expensive along highways, in affluent neighborhoods and on service roads. Make sure you have enough gas in your car so that you do not have to fill up in those places. And, if you are a member of one of the big box stores, you can get gas for less there.
“Change never happens at the pace we think it should. It happens over years of people joining together, strategizing, sharing, and pulling all the levers they possibly can.
Gradually, excruciatingly slowly, things start to happen, and then suddenly, seemingly out of the blue, something will tip.”
