How to Save Money at the Gas Pump

With gas prices climbing higher and higher, each stop to fill up the tank takes more and more out of our wallets. We can almost hear the audible whirl of the gas ticker as we fill up with 10, 15, 20 gallons of gasoline. So how can we combat the rising prices of gasoline? We must be informed consumers, knowing what our options are before committing ourselves to spending more and more at the gas pump.

Seeing Green in Your Car and Wallet

The recent gas price climb has influenced many car makers. As we all know, hybrids came screaming onto the market, promising cheap gas usage, more miles to the gallon, and slick designs. These cars have more than doubled in production numbers, as car makers who failed to introduce a hybrid were caught by surprise at their instant success. Many people looking to save gas money started buying these cars and touting their genius when they reached 40, 50, even 60 miles per gallon. So it is no surprise that many 2008 model cars have introduced the kinetic energy alternative alongside the combustion engine. These new hybrid models promise to save money at the pump and to look good while doing it. The hybrids have become more powerful, with many new SUVs—a traditional gas guzzler. There are many sites online that can help you find the perfect hybrid vehicle, including Hybrid-car.org and GreenHybrid.com.

What if you cannot take the financial leap that comes with purchasing a new car? We take a look at alternative means to save money on gas.

Save Money on Gas with Common Sense and without Myths

Have you ever been told that to let your car run when stopped for a few minutes is better than stopping and starting the car? This myth may have come down from the wisdom of your father or grandfather, but it is actually not true with newer fuel injection engines. The injectors eliminate wasteful gas use when starting, as compared to older cars. This means if you are stopped for a few minutes, you would actually be saving gas money by stopping and starting the car.

There are many common sense tips that can help you save money on gas. If you are in a cold weather climate, modern cars respond to cold much faster than older cars, so there is no need to “warm” the car up for as long. If you are traveling this summer, then take into consideration the route you will take. A websites entitled Traffic.com can help you avoid traffic jams, construction, and many other gas guzzling disasters of travel. Have you checked the air pressure in your tires? Having under-inflated tires can increase gas usage on a long trip, just as over-inflated tires can do the same.

Discount Gas and the Law

Hey, Lead-Foot! Slow it down! We have all seen the guy in his SUV barreling down the interstate at fifteen miles or more over the speed limit. The lead-foot drivers are losing money on gas faster than their car is moving. Studies have shown that traveling at or close to the speed limit can actually reduce gas usage. This includes drivers who enable cruise control to maintain a steady 65 or 70 miles an hour on the interstate. Give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to be and do it at the speed limit. It will save you money at the gas pump.

Your Comfort and How to Save Money on Gas

When the air conditioner is turned on, we think we see the gas line drop every few seconds. Why not put the windows down and enjoy the fresh air? A recent study revealed that gas usage on a car running the air conditioner stayed the same as the same car motoring with the air off. This tells us that it is ok to run the air conditioner. And the myth that having windows down while traveling creates unnecessary drag on the car, thus increasing the gas usage, can be thrown straight out the open window. The drag created does not matter as much as the terrain, wind, weight of the car, and mechanical stability of the car. Feel free to roll the window down, or blast the air conditioner, because neither makes much difference when it comes to saving money on gas.

If it was up to the oil companies, we would all drive large Hummers with safes full of money strapped to the roofs. The majority of us, though, would rather drive an economical car and pay attention to common mechanical needs of that car in order to save money on gasoline. We can make a difference in our own finances by using common sense, and not giving in to the marketing of a giant, gas guzzling automobile manufacturer.