I drove by the gas station this afternoon and sure enough, the price was up again! Financial concerns are a leading cause of stress in Americans. Our relationship with money has a significant effect on our overall health. Financial stress is linked to problems such as depression, sleep difficulties and high blood pressure.
It seems like the price of gas (among other things) is constantly rising! Because this is something that most all of us spend a significant amount of money on, I decided to do some research to see if saving money on gas is possible. I found out that there are many ways you can spend less on gas and reduce your overall fuel consumption. Here are some tips that I hope you will find useful!
Join a loyalty club. There are some gas stations and stores that offer lower prices when you present their membership card. I actually belong to one here in Eau Claire. After I check out my favorite grocery store, they print a slip indicating my fuel discount. Next time I go to a participating gas station, I present the slip and get my fuel discount! Some of the local programs around the Chippewa Valley include:
Mega Foods’ Mega Miles Program
Gordy’s County Market Pump Perks
Drive at a moderate speed. Although it requires some patience, driving at 55 mph instead of 65 or 75 will save you money. According to ConsumerReports.org, increasing a Toyota Camry’s speed from 55 mph to 65 drops the fuel economy from 40 miles per gallon to 35. Speeding up to 75 mph costs the car another 5 miles per gallon.
Drive smoothly. Avoid hard acceleration and braking whenever possible. Frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduce an average car’s mileage by 2-3 miles per gallon.
Reduce unnecessary drag. At highway speeds, over 50 percent of engine power goes towards overcoming aerodynamic drag. So don’t carry things on top of your vehicle you don’t have to.
Get the junk out of your trunk. Any additional weight reduces fuel efficiency. Plus, by getting rid of the clutter in your trunk and car, you may find that the new-found organization can help reduce your stress levels.
Don’t use premium fuel if you don’t have to. Don’t just buy premium under the belief that your engine will run better. Most cars are designed to run just fine with regular gas. Check your owner’s manual to find out if your engine really requires premium or if other grades are fine.
Keep tires properly inflated. Not only do underinflated tires decrease fuel economy, they also compromise handling and braking.
Park it. Park in the first spot you see instead of driving around to find one that’s close. This helps you get some exercise too!
Air conditioning vs. opening windows. Tests performed by Consumer Reports indicate that neither make enough of a difference to worry about. Using air conditioning while driving at 65 mph reduces a Toyota Camry’s mileage by about 1 mile per gallon. The effect of opening the windows at 65 mph isn’t even measurable.
For more fuel-saving tips visit:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/energysavings/savegas/flash.html
Are you currently doing anything to save on gas? If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!
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