Gas prices are at a record high right now, and we don’t know when and if they’re going to go back down anytime soon. If you rely heavily on your vehicle for work or for life in general, and you’re starting to feel the crunch, then you will need to start looking for solutions to reduce your gas consumption.
While things like carpooling and taking public transit can work in some cases, they are not always an option for everybody, and there are plenty of other ways to save money on fuel that you may not have considered. Let’s take a look at a few surprising ways that you could save money on fuel.
Rotate Your Tires
The state of your tires makes a huge difference in your fuel consumption. Some people may be aware of the impact of underinflated tires but having unevenly worn-out tires can also affect how much gas your vehicle will use.
This is why you need to rotate your tires often and also pay very special attention to wheel alignment. If you’re looking for people who can perform these kinds of car repairs in Delaware, you should consider using Campanella’s, know that there are plenty of garages that specialize in tire services specifically, and they will be better able to tell you when your tires need to be rotated.
Know When to Use Your Air Conditioning
The way you use your air conditioning will also make a big difference in how much fuel your car will consume. If you can, you should try to avoid using the air conditioning in the city as it has been shown to increase gas consumption significantly. Try to turn down the air conditioning and lower the windows if the heat is bearable or use the air conditioning in spurts.
You should, however, never leave your windows open on the highway unless you have no choice. This is because keeping the windows open increases air resistance, which directly impacts how much fuel your car needs to move forward.
Use Department Store Gas Stations
If you have a Costco or another retailer that has gas stations close to where you are, try to plan your gas purchases so you can go there instead of other places. This is because department stores routinely sell gas at a loss on purpose so they can attract clients inside. This is a technique most retailers use on other items too.
Note that Costco, in particular, and Walmart tend to have better deals than others because of their incredibly colossal purchasing power, so if you have either of these stores where you are, try to privilege them over other options.
Use a Block Heater
If you don’t know what a block heater is, it is a device that will heat up your engine and the fluids in your vehicle before starting it. A lot of people don’t know this, but a cold motor will consume a lot more energy, and cold fluids reduce the energy efficiency of a vehicle, so try to see if you can get a block heater for your vehicle if it doesn’t have one or start using yours if you have one already.
Use Cruise Control
Another way that you could save money on gas is to use cruise control. A lot of drivers prefer keeping control over their vehicle, but cruise control is calibrated to use the least amount of gas possible. Even if you can modify the way you use gas to reduce costs, you can never be as efficient as cruise control. Not to mention that you burn more gas when you drive over the speed limit.
Choose the Right Day to Fill Up
You may assume that the price of fuel is entirely dictated by crude oil price or supply and demand, but that’s not the only factor that comes into play. Just like airlines, gas stations will have certain times of the week when the cost of fuel will be more expensive. Mondays and Tuesdays are considered the best days to fill up gas, while Fridays and the rest of the weekend are considered the worst. So, try to fill up at the beginning of the week, and if you’re planning to go on a long trip over the weekend, try to fill up on Wednesday or Thursday instead.
Try to Avoid the Drive Thru
You should also try to avoid drive-thrus at all costs. In most cases, it would be much better for you to go inside. The only exception is if you’re really tight on time or if you don’t want to leave your children in the car alone. Besides that, spending 15 minutes at the drive-thru just because you don’t want to get out of your car does not make sense when considering how much fuel a car can consume when staying idle that long.
Follow Big Vehicles but Do Not Tailgate
If you see a big truck on the road while on a long trip, try to drive behind them because they will take care of most of the air drag for you. This is why birds fly in formation; it allows them to use the vortex from the birds in front of them.
One thing you shouldn’t do, however, is follow them too closely. Driving too close to any vehicle will force you to brake too often and is dangerous. So, try to keep about a two-car distance and try to drive as slowly as you can to prevent an impact. You could also use the automatic distance function from my-cardictionary on your vehicle if you have one.
As you can see, there are tons of different ways that you can keep your fuel costs low, and they won’t require that you make major changes to your life. Try to apply these tips in your everyday life and look for more ways to save money as it will make a huge difference on your gas costs and total expenses at the end of the year.
