You’ve seen the gas prices lately. They probably gave you a shiver down your spine, right? Now here you are looking for any and every way to save on gas.
Although gas is ridiculously expensive, there are ways to save. There’s no need to pay full price for gas when there are so many tools you can use to save that money. All it takes is knowing where to find those tools!
Now is the time to start saving big. Why wait any longer? Let’s jump right in!
Ways to Save on Gas
There are plenty of ways to save on gas from learning more about your car to downloading apps. You can combine them all and impress your friends and family with how much money you can save on gas.
Pay attention to how you drive.
The way you drive actually has a lot to do with how much gas you save. Your habits can save or drain the money you spend on gas.
For example, if you’re an aggressive driver, you probably slam on your brakes and speed up often. This wastes more gas than you might think. If you use careful driving techniques like speeding up or slowing down a little more gradually, you could save a good amount of money.
Take care of your car.
There are a few ways to take care of your car better so you can save gas. The first trick is to remove some of the weight from your car. If you’re storing something in your trunk or backseat, try moving it to save those extra few cents on gas.
Another great way to save is by getting maintenance done regularly. Even getting the right motor oil for your car can improve your gas mileage by 1-2%. Make sure you take care of your engine so it doesn’t need to guzzle gas for any reason. Simple things like knowing the appropriate time to use cruise control are a huge help in saving gas money.
Even your tire pressure plays into the amount of gas you waste. Your gas mileage can be improved by 1-3% if your tires are too low or too full.
Know when the best time is to get gas.
Typically the gas prices are lowest on the bookends of the work week. This means Monday, Sunday, and Friday are the prime times to fill up.
It’s also best to get gas in the cold hours of the day. If you fill up in the early morning or late night, the fuel won’t burn at such a fast rate. Don’t be afraid to fill up the tank all the way, especially when you hit these times of the week.
Also, be sure to avoid waiting until the last minute to fill up your tank. Your car could be taking in dirt and debris along with that remaining gas and that won’t help at all. This could ultimately damage the filter in your fuel tank and it could stop working.
Download some apps or join rewards programs.
Tons of apps could save you money on gas. One of the easiest ways to save a ton of money on gas is by signing up for reward programs for gas.
There are tons of grocery stores that have membership cards you can scan at the pump. Many grocery stores also have apps that allow you to save money, so the more you spend on groceries, the more you can save on gas!
Know the best places to get gas.
You probably know that gas is more expensive in the cities. Keep this in mind when you’re planning your week and deciding where to fill up. Also, if you have rewards with grocery stores, try to fill up at the nearest grocery store gas station.
Many gas stations are connected to grocery stores as well which you might not know about. Check the terms of your grocery store deals and see all the goodies you can get! Then all you have to do is stop at the gas stations that partner with your grocery store, which shouldn’t be too hard to find.
Use cash instead of credit.
Each gas transaction on your credit card will come with an extra fee. Credit card companies will charge a gas station a 2-3% fee.
Because of this, gas stations make the cash option cheaper so you will use cash or debit rather than credit. You could save up to 10 cents per gallon doing this!
Fully warm up your engine before driving.
This might just be the biggest factor in why your car is burning that gas so quickly. If you don’t give your engine time to warm up, you’re going to face the consequences at one point or another.
Driving with a cold engine could damage the engine over time. However, it can also hurt your wallet day-to-day.
Your gas mileage is reduced anywhere from 15-24% when you drive with a cold engine. Think about how much money that wastes!
If you tend to run late to things, that’s totally understandable. There are ways to warm up your engine a little faster. Park outside in the sun whenever you can and keep the radio, A/C, and headlights off until it’s warmed.
Know when to use certain systems in your car.
There are a few systems in your car that can eat up your gas milage if you aren’t careful- air conditioning is one of them!
Using A/C in hot weather can reduce your fuel efficiency by as much as 25%. So if you’re trying to save gas, avoid pressing that A/C button for as long as you can.
Now go and save!
There are so many ways to save on gas. And the best part is that they aren’t difficult to remember. Combine these methods to save as much money as possible! That way no matter how much gas prices rise, you can know the secrets to keep the cost more affordable.
