ALT-21 What you can do to Save Money on Gas
With fuel prices at or close to record highs, they start to hurt in the pocket. In my area, regular unleaded is in the $3.20 range, premium unleaded is north of $3.40 per gallon, and diesel is north of $3.50 per gallon. Anyway, there are many ways to save money on fuel.
Shop around: There are many websites displaying fuel prices, such as gaspricewatch.com and gasbuddy.com. In addition, many radio stations, TV stations, and newspaper websites have a section with local area fuel prices. In addition, you can post fuel prices onto these websites to help others save on fuel. There, you can compare fuel prices in your area.
Skip the Full-Service option: Although this does not apply in New Jersey and other locations where self-service is not allowed, full-service gasoline is generally at least 10c per gallon more expensive than self-service.
Skip the Premium: Unless your car requires premium unleaded, or "super," don't put it in your car, as you'll be wasting money if you do. That extra octane won't do you much good and won't be worth the extra 20c or more per gallon difference. Likewise, don't even bother with mid-grade gasoline as it won't do you any good. Unless it requires premium or mid-grade, stick with regular unleaded.
Don't fill up on the highway: Many toll highways or highways that were formerly toll roads have service plazas with gas stations, restaurants, gift shops, snack shops, and tourist information. Prices there are usually a bit higher than at gas stations off the highway.
Keep your tires properly inflated: Having the tires under-inflated by a few pounds will lower your fuel economy by at least a few miles per gallon.
Get the junk out of your car: If you don't need it in your car, get rid of it. This includes the spare tire, ski racks, and luggage, as excess weight lowers fuel economy.
Change the air filter at the appropriate time: Not only does a dirty air filter lead to lower fuel economy, it also robs horsepower from your engine.
Don't race the engine: The higher the RPM rate (revolutions per minute), the greater the fuel consumption. This especially applies to powerful vehicles with large engine and/or cylinder capacity, such as V-8 vehicles.
Avoid idling the engine while waiting, as you will be wasting fuel, as idling your engine gets you 0 MPG. If you are going to be stuck somewhere or otherwise have to wait to pick up or drop off someone or something, just turn off the engine, as it saves fuel.
When you fill up your car, use a fuel additive that helps increase your car's fuel economy. For example, adding 1 ounce of acetone for every 5 gallons of gasoline increases fuel economy by around 15-20%.
Proper maintenance is very helpful in getting the most out of your car, including fuel economy and power.
