ALT-20 What you can do to Save Money on Gas
These days, gasoline is so costly that a simple trip to the gas pump can lighten your wallet considerably and dampen your mood. With gas prices hovering around and above three dollars per gallon, every cent saved adds up and makes a difference. Here are ten easy, proven ways to save money on the gas you buy:
1. Avoid long warm-ups. Even when it's freezing outside, your car doesn't need to warm up for more than a minute. Anything longer than that is just wasting fuel.
2. Make sure all electronics are turned off before you start your car. If you start your car with the radio, air conditioner, or any other electronic device automatically on, it puts tremeandous strain on the engine. If you turn off these devices before starting your car, you'll get better gas mileage.
3. Drive evenly. Quick, jolting starts and stops are a strain on the engine and use up a lot of extra gas.
4. Fill up when it's cooler outside, like in the early morning or late evening. Gasoline lets off vapors; in cooler weather, these vapors are reduced.
5. Don't park in direct sunlight, if possible. Direct sunlight, as you've probably noticed, heats up your car until it feels like an oven. This heat causes more gas vapors to be let off, and the fuel tank to expand- allowing these vapors to leak into the atmosphere and deplete your fuel.
6. Don't weave. Keep your wheel steady and you won't burn as much gas.
7. If you're the type to drive around a parking lot for ten minutes looking for a space closer to the entrance, stop if possible. This driving wastes a lot of gas, gas that could be saved if you settled for a space further away. As an added bonus, the walk is good excercise!
8. Make sure your tires are inflated properly. If your tires are under- or overinflated, the engine has to work harder to move your car.
9. Remove all unnecessary weight from the trunk of your car. The heavier your car is, the more gas it'll burn.
10. Drive the speed limit. When you drive at 70 mph, you waste at least 20% more gas than you do driving at 55 mph.
For even more money-saving tips, ranging from the obvious to the nearly unheard of, visit:
Ask Asa's 50 Ways to Save on Gashttp://www.wnbc.com/askasa/9246003/detail.html
