Improving your fuel economy means you simply have to change your driving habit by handling our cars with more care and treating the environment right. Here are 8 tips to follow:
1. Correctly inflated tires
One thing some of us seem to forget is checking tire pressures regularly. It is okay to buy a new car or a hybrid car that is fuel efficient but if you’re in a hurry to drive and you just keep ignoring small tasks that can help improve fuel efficiency then you may end up not saving much on fuel.
Tires that are correctly inflated also last longer than those that are not. Your car’s recommended tire pressure can be found in the owner’s manual. You should fill up your tires with air if the pressure level is below the stated amount. Checking your tire pressure regularly should also be a part of you! Once you check your tires and you notice that they are below the amount specified, pick up a tire pressure gauge, detect which tire is low and fill it up with air. If you don’t have one, this can be done at a gas station or an auto shop.
2. Be gentle on your brakes
Safety comes first when driving, but in some cases we tend to brake too hard even when we don’t have to or accelerate suddenly. These habits negatively affect how much gas is consumed. According to fueleconomy.gov, driving not just slowly but sensibly will improve fuel economy and save you money.
3. Cheap gas prices
Scout around for cheap prices. Thank goodness we have the internet at our disposal. Cheap gas prices are only a click away. Purchase gas from cheap gas stations and save money. Great sites include gasbuddy.com if you’re leaving in US or Canada and for our United Kingdom friends you can visit www.ukpower.co.uk/cheap-gas.
4. Dirty Air filter!
Just like hairs in the nose capture dust before they make their way into our system, the same way air filter prevents particles from making their way into the car’s engine and the air conditioner. Clogged air filters will prevent the engine from running smoothly. This means that the engine would have to suck more gas in order to run smoothly. Ensuring your air filter is changed regularly will increase air flow to your engine thereby making it last longer.
5. Turn Your Engine Off
Idling should be discouraged at all times. Idling your car not only wastes gas but also pollutes the environment by releasing toxic substances such as carbon dioxide. When we stop idling, we reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the environment. This carbon dioxide is a principal gas that contributes to climate change!
6. Walking or carpooling
This is another great alternative. Instead of driving every day, walk, carpool or take your bike. You get to exercise, save money and protect the environment at the same time. It’s a win win!
7. Remove extra weight from your vehicle
If you’re carrying around items you only need on weekends or seasonal items, its best to take them out of the car because they contribute to the weight of the car and this means more fuel consumption.
8. Make one trip instead of several trips
If you’re planning on driving to a particular city and you’ve got several tasks to accomplish; why not combine all trips and make a single trip. All it takes is planning. For example, my family and I drive to Buffalo for sightseeing, visit some friends and to also do some shopping (sometimes) so we normally just combine our activities and get them done in a day or two. We sleep over at our friends’ and then come back home. Instead of making three separate trips we get to do everything we want to do in a single trip!
What ways do you improve your fuel economy? I’d like to hear from you. Drop a comment below.
Glad to see some common sense tips here. Nicely done and all very good ones.
Thanks for dropping a comment Eric.
Hey, great tips for fuel saving. I never knew about the tires impacting the amount of fuel we use. Awesome tip.
Hi Dale, Tires do play a great role in helping you save money on fuel. Thanks for stopping by.
I have never considered dirty air filter.
Even though I don’t use car my dad always complains about the engine does not run smoothly. the problem could be the air filter. In that way we can even save money too.
When you have a dirty filter, it means the required amount of air is prevented from getting to the engine and this affects the emission systems of your car because there is minimal air flow which can also disrupt the proper functioning of the engine. This can lead to serious problems and of course a lot of fuel is consumed in the process. I hope you get your dad’s engine to function properly. You may want to have it checked.