The Best Ways to Use Less Gas

Unfortunately for all of us who drive regularly, gas prices are on the rise again - and don't appear to be stopping anytime soon.  Since most of us have accepted the reality of that sad fact, there is only one way for us to limit the amount of money we spend on fuel, and that is by using less of it!  Although increasing your fuel economy can seem like an intimidating thing to attempt, it really is not difficult at all.  In fact, the majority of the methods that really work for increasing fuel efficiency are either free or very inexpensive, and most of them are quite easy to accomplish!

Image via WikipediaThe two main areas of opportunity for decreased fuel consumption are driver behavior and vehicle performance.  Driver behavior has to do with things like changing your driving style, planning your trips, and other things that have to do with you and how you operate your vehicle.  Vehicle performance has to do with keeping up on regular maintenance and making sure that your vehicle is doing as it is supposed to do at all times.  Let’s discuss some specific tips of each type.

Changing your driver behavior for the better to increase gas mileage can be very easy.  For instance, think about how you could avoid driving during peak traffic times, or altering your route to avoid busy areas.  You can also plan ahead to make sure that you do not make several trips to the store or other places.  If you can plan your trips logically, you can do all of the things you need to do while avoiding making extra trips.

A very important part of driver behavior has to do with staying off the gas and driving more conservatively.  Doing aggressive things like accelerating towards a red light or driving in excess of 70 miles per hour on the highway only rob you of valuable fuel economy.  Many people do this to arrive places sooner, but the amount of time saved is not really worth the heavy loss in fuel efficiency!  (We will cover this tip in more detail later this week, so be sure to check back for this post.)

Image via WikipediaTo make sure you are getting the best vehicle performance for maximum fuel economy, make sure you stay up to date on maintenance.  This includes simple things like keeping the proper amount of air pressure in your tires, as well as more expensive things, like getting regular tune-ups.  You also need to pay attention to details by doing things like using the correct grade of motor oil.  You can even improve your vehicle’s performance by getting rid of excess stuff filling up your trunk!  According to experts, 250 pounds of extra weight can drop your fuel economy by one mile per gallon!  That adds up, especially over a long period of time.

The proper way to reduce your gas usage is by combining improved driver behavior with the best possible vehicle performance.  Only by emphasizing both will you experience the type of fuel economy that your vehicle is truly capable of.  On the other hand, if you stubbornly refuse to do such simple things, you will find yourself at the gas pump very often, which no one wants to do these days!  Therefore, the best course of action is to make a few simple changes while paying attention to your car’s performance.  That way, you can keep your money in your wallet and avoid paying more at the gas pump.