|
|
|
In a previous article, we offered some solutions as to how the average consumer can either save on gas prices or use less gas. These tips included using credit cards with cashback rebates, keeping your car tuned and tires inflated, and keeping the car washed and waxed, which reduces drag. Here are a few additional tips which will help ease the strain of filling your tank. Empty your trunk. Some people drive around with their trunks nearly full with things that just dont need to be there. Sure, you need a jack and a spare, but do you really need a toolbox, golf clubs, and that pile of old clothes youve been meaning to drop off at the Salvation Army? Any extra weight you carry requires additional energy to make your car or SUV move. Lighten the load and your engine wont work as hard or use as much fuel. Drive efficiently. That means accelerating gradually, rather than speeding out of an intersection. Your car uses fuel more effectively when you gradually accelerate. Once you achieve your desired speed, keep it steady, using cruise control if you have it. Speeding up and slowing down only uses more gas. Take mass transit. No, it isnt sexy to take the bus to work, but it can save a lot of money if your commute is more than five miles or so. If you cant take mass transit, you might consider a carpool. Shift appropriately if youre driving a car with a manual transmission. Shift at the factory recommended shift points, rather than running your tachometer all the way up before shifting. Your car runs best within a fairly narrow RPM range. Each of these tips offers a small saving in fuel consumption. When combined with others, they add up and can produce significant savings. If you can increase your fuel consumption by just two miles per gallon, you can save $30-40 on a 1000-mile trip in your SUV. When youre paying $3.09 per gallon, every penny counts. |
加入最爱