With rising fuel costs, food prices are going up and it’s getting harder and harder to make ends meet. Many consumers are now practicing a big juggling act between paying their bills, buying the necessities and staying on the road. If you want to pay less money at the pump and keep it in your wallet instead, try using these five tips to save money amidst rising gas prices:
1. Reduce your trips – run fewer errands.
Learn to multitask when you run errands. Instead of stopping at the pharmacy to fill a prescription and a supermarket for groceries, try to find a one-stop shopping solution that has both groceries and other services. If you can’t find a single store to run all your errands, try to find a mall or shopping plaza that has multiple stores you can use without driving to many destinations.
2. Save money at the pump with a gasoline credit card.
Many major gasoline companies offer gas credit cards that feature gas rebates. When you make a gas purchase using a special gas credit card, you may save up to 5-10% off your gas purchase. With gas prices in excess of $4.00 across the nation, this adds up – fast. If you use a gas credit card and pay it off regularly, you’ll also be improving your credit at the same time you’re saving money.
3. Keep your car well-maintained.
A well-maintained car burns less fuel than a car that’s processing gasoline inefficiently. If your wheels are out of alignment, your fuel filter is dirty or your oil needs to be changed, you may be using more gasoline than you need to use. Your car runs better when you keep up with all the little maintenance chores, and that translates to savings at the pump.
4. Obey the speed limit.
When you’re driving on the highway, try to keep your speed around 55MPH. On the interstate, stick to around 65MPH. Not only is this the speed limit, but it’s also the most fuel-efficient range for your driving. Drive much slower or faster, and your car burns fuel less efficiently – meaning it costs you a lot more gas for a slightly faster trip. Also try to avoid accelerating and decelerating frequently; use cruise control or stick to one speed to save gas.
5. Make your car light and streamlined.
Carrying around extra weight is a good way to burn fuel. If you have equipment in your car that you don’t need – take it out. Hang onto your emergency kit, but if your car is full of stuff that you keep meaning to drop off at home, make time to do it. A light car burns less fuel than a heavy car, so reducing the weight will save you money. The same thing goes for unnecessary obstructions, like luggage racks, bike racks and ski racks. Remove these things when you’re not using them, and you’ll get more gas mileage and pay less at the pump.
-Money Maven
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