Gas is around $4 a gallon now and all indicators point towards even higher prices in the future. Add some environmental taxes and soon we could be looking at European $11/gallon prices too.
In other words, now is the time that saving on gas pays back big time.
Smart Money suggests nine simple steps you can take and include an estimate of what it can save you.
- Check your tires: $29
Under- or overinflated tires change the way a car handles, both adding drag and accelerating wear, says Weissman. That, in turn, reduces fuel efficiency by 3.3% [...]- Forgo premium fuel: $86
Unless you drive a Dodge Viper or other high-end sports car that lists premium fuel as a requirement in its owner’s manual, you should use regular unleaded gas, [...]- Get a tune-up: $129
[...] A faulty engine can reduce fuel economy by 4%, for example, while a clogged air filter knocks off about 10% [...]- Slow down: $95
[...] Every five miles per hour you drive above the speed limit adds 20 cents per gallon to your fuel bill [...]- Combine errands: $107
[...] making several cold-start trips, say, to the store, the dry cleaners and the babysitter, will consume twice as much fuel than if you combine errands and make them all in one run, [...]- Let go of your aggression: $95
Rapid acceleration and hard braking reduce fuel economy by about 10% [...]- Pack light: $17
[...] Every 100 pounds of added weight reduces fuel economy by about 2% [...]- Swap vehicles: $25
If you have more than one vehicle, drive the more fuel-efficient one [...]- Look for gas incentives: $150
To help lure in visitors, hotels and tourism boards are offering incentives to help offset travel costs such as discounted room rates or gas station gift cards. Hotel chain Best Western is offering $25 with any two-night stay through Dec. 14. Yet more offers stem from individual chain properties, or bed and breakfasts. Spend your week’s vacation at the High Haven House Bed & Breakfast Inn in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., and get a gas card for $75 to $150, depending on where you’re from. Someone driving a 2008 Toyota Prius from Atlantic City, N.J., could get there and back on about $64 in gas, reaping an $86 profit on the gift card offer.
The tips are backed up by the AAA, Fuel Economy (by the government) and other reliable sources.
Comment