Gas prices have hit record highs in the United States. With a nation so dependent on our cars, this has hit us all hard. The rising cost of gas has led us all to feel poorer and reaching for some solutions.
There are many options to reduce the cost of gas, some of which I will list here. If you know of any others… please include them in the comment box below.
Simple things you can do to reduce the cost of gas immediately:
1. Drive less. Take the bus, train or subway. Walk or ride a bike.
2. Share driving. Carpool with family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
3. Combine errands. Do all your errands at one time. Arrange errand runs with your neighbors.
4. Plan a route. Using a map to find the shortest route can save gas. It is also good to plot out all your errands on a map to determine the shortest driving route when you have a bunch of stops.
5. Drive slower. This is especially true on the freeway, where the most fuel-efficient speed is 55 mph.
6. Drive steady. It is also critical to drive a constant maintained speed. Slowing down and speeding up takes more gas than one constant speed. If you have cruise control, use it.
7. Take the route with the least stops. Avoid traffic lights and traffic in general. Your car uses the most gas going from 0 to 25 mph.
8. Pump up the tires. Check the air pressure in your tires. If it is low, your car will require more gas to run.
More extensive things to do that reduce the cost of gas in the long run:
1. Give your car a tune up. A highly functioning car uses less gas.
2. Buy a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Smaller cars typically use less gas.
3. Consider purchasing a hybrid automobile. While they can be expensive, at gas over $4 a gallon… the payback to your wallet is quick.
4. Move, so you are more convenient to work and shopping.
5. Avoid long car drives. Plan your trips and vacations closer to home.
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