8 Ways to Save on Gas

We're all looking to save money these days. With gas prices increasing, it only makes sense to save at the pump. Here are 8 ways to save on Gas, and money!

    Lighten Up: Driving around with an extra 40 pounds for three weeks is the equivalent of shuttling an extra passenger which requires more fuel. According to the Energy Department, carrying an extra 100 pounds reduces a vehicle’s fuel economy by 2 percent. The percentage is higher with smaller cars. Remove anything unnecessary from your passenger compartment or trunk.

    

    Carpool: Sharing a ride with neighbors or coworkers lets you make new friends while you conserve energy. Websites like Ride Search can get you started. There are also many regional sites that specialize in connecting commuters. Do a web search on “carpool” and the name of your region.

    

    Comparison Shop: It works as well as gas as it does with shoes. Websites from Gas-Buddy let you look up stations near you and find the one offering the cheapest fuel.

   

    Get Sleeker: Roll up your windows and remove the luggage rack. You’ll improve your aerodynamics, thereby improving your fuel economy. The Farmer’s Almanac estimates that remove a roof rack can improve fuel economy by 5 percent.

    

    Rewarding Yourself: Collect any available rebates when you’re forced to pay big at the pump. Gash rewards give users cash back and other incentives. Look at incentives from American Express’ Blue Cash (offering 5 perfect cash-back rewards on gas purchases) and Discover’s Open Road Card.

    

    Reduce Horsepower: Getting a car with a four-cylinder engine doesn’t have to mean a big image sacrifice. Car companies are enhancing their lower-horsepower offerings by adding the classic muscle—car engine rumble. Cars with less horse-power also tend to be cheaper.

    Visit the Mechanic: Replacing a clogged air filter for around $20.00 increases fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent, or about $0.40 cents per gallon at current gas prices. Meaning that the repair should pay for itself after you’ve driven enough to burn about 50 gallons of gas. An engine turn-up can increase a car’s mileage by up to 4 percent, or around 15 cents a gallon.

    

    Slow Down: This is the one driving tip that will probably save you more gas than all the others, especially if you spend a lot of time on the highway. The resistance of air increases exponentially as speed increases. So obviously if you are driving slower, the energy your car spends in overcoming air resistance will be significantly less. As your speed increases, this fraction increases rapidly. This is a factor that makes cars more fuel efficient compared to SUVs. Every 10 miles per hour you drive over 50 is like the price of gasoline going up about 54 cents a gallon. That figure will be even higher for less fuel-efficient vehicles that go fewer miles on a gallon to start with.

    

Got any other gas saving tips? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Your Local San Diego Real Estate Expert,

Stephen Nissou

Office 619-873-2772   |   Cell 619-250-4541

Stephen@StephenNissou.com

www.StephenNissou.com

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Nissou Realty Group   |   Keller Williams Realty

680 Fletcher Pkwy. #100

El Cajon, CA 92020