With gas at its highest prices in two years, you may find yourself less excited to head on a road trip, let alone leave your house for even just a few errands!
Here are some tips to help you spend less money at the pump:
- Find the cheapest of gas prices on websites like GasPriceWatch.com or GasBuddy.com.
- Cruise Control can save you big time when driving long distances on a highway. Keeping a consistent speed will conserve gas, but for trips to the store, it is best really just for keeping you within the speed limit. You won't really see a savings on smaller trips.
- Be mindful of the speed limit. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is equivalent to paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas.
- Avoid aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking), it wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
- Enjoy a Train Ride through the mountains:
- Manitou & Pike's Peak Cog Railway
- Royal Gorge Route Railroad
- Georgetown Loop Railroad - April - Dec
- Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Remove unnecessary heavy, bulky items from your trunk, less weight uses less fuel.
- Avoid packing heavy or bulky items on top of your car, this restricts the vehicle's design wind resistance and will lower your mpg.
- If you have Over Drive use it. When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear. If you have a tachometer, watch for between 2500 and 3000 rpm for optimum shifting (most manual transmission passenger vehicles). Listening to your engine will give you the same clues, if your engine is constantly wrapping up or "whining" as you drive, that is eating gas. Again, you'll see the larger fuel savings on longer trips.
0 comments:
Post a Comment