Spend Less Money on Gasoline by Implementing These Simple Tips

Improve the Fuel Efficiency of Your Car

With the price of gasoline going higher and higher, with no end in sight, most of us are looking at ways to save money. Spending so much money on fuel has caused many households to look at other areas of their spending to cut back on, such as eating out or entertainment. Alternative methods of transportation aren't available in a lot of areas, so we have to drive our vehicles and put that golden gasoline in the tank. Here are some simple things we can all do to improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicle.

The U.S. Department of Energy says that by following the speed limit and avoiding aggressive driving (rapid acceleration and deceleration), drivers can improve mpg by anywhere from 12% to 55%. They also claim that an additional 19% improvement can be seen just by keeping your car properly maintained by keeping the oil changed, keeping the correct pressure in your tires, and replacing clogged air filters.

Edmunds.com says we can improve fuel efficiency by 7% when we use our cruise control, which keeps gas consumption at a constant consistent level. They also say we will see a 19% improvement by simply limiting the time our car engines sit idling either in traffic or at drive through windows. The golden rule on engine idling is if you are going to be sitting in idle for 10 seconds or more, shut the engine off when possible. If you see the line at a drive through window is going to be a long wait, park the car and turn it off and go inside for your food.

Another thing you can do is to make the weight of your car as light as possible. For every 30 pounds of extra weight your car has to carry around, your miles per gallon decreases by anywhere from one-tenth to one-hundredth of a percent. While this may not seem like much, you might be surprised how quickly the weight can add up if your trunk is full of heavy items that don't really need to be in there. I know my teens tend to carry around all of their music and sound equipment, and that stuff can get pretty heavy. It's a good idea to routinely check the interior and trunk of your vehicle to see if there are things you can take out to reduce unnecessary weight.