At the Gas Station
Filll up in the morning while the ground is cool. Gasoline expands in the heat.
Put the trigger thingy in slow mode. This allows the least amount of fumes to escape.
When putting the gas cap on, turn it until you hear it click 3 times to avoid losing any gas from evaporation.
Drive Less
"No Doy," you say, I know, but hear me out. I might bring up something totally obvious that you might not have thought about yet.
Carpool. Impossible you say. So I thought, too, but sure enough we found somebody close by who wanted to carpool. Get out there and start asking, you could get lucky!
Minimize trips. I make a list of everything that must get done and find creative routes to get it all completed in one trip. Even if I have an hour between places I'll pack a picnic for the kids and stop at a park during the off-time. Find a work-out place close to your kids' activities. Plan detailed meals for about two weeks ahead to avoid running out to the store.
Say no to summer camps. They are expensive and require lots of driving back and forth. Find a pool close enough to bike or walk to. Every place I have lived I have been able to find a pool close by. I hope you can, too. Say yes to playing in the backyard and the neighborhood, bikes, scooters and big wheels, like when we were kids.
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| My bike |
Ride a Bike, or like I like to think of it, ride your eco-friendly mini van. I pull my pile of kids behind me in a bright yellow trailer and my oldest son rides beside me on his bike. I once saw a woman riding her bike with one child in a front mount bike seat, another child in a back mount bike seat, and two more children in a bike trailer she was pulling behind her. My children and I have scouted out everywhere we can get to on our bikes and try to take advantage when we can.
Adjust Driving Habits
Driving aggressively wastes gas. Try to smoothly accelerate. Avoid breaking frequently and try to coast to a stop as often as possible. Using the breaks wastes the gas we just used to accelerate the vehicle.
Driving 60 and under gets the best mileage. Every five miles over 60 cost us an extra quarter right now per gallon!
Use Cruise Control when possible to keep from accidentally going faster than you want.
The Vehicle Itself
Take out anything that doesn't NEED to be in there. A heavier car uses more gas.
Regularly monitor your tire pressure. Get your own little gauge and look at the number next to the letters PSI. You want these numbers to come close to matching for your best mileage.
The A/C
Park in the shade when possible and always use windshield shades to lower the temperature inside the car. This makes less work for the A/C when the car is turned on.
When driving in town it is most efficient to lower the windows to stay cool. On the highways or at higher speeds roll up the windows and use the A/C to avoid drag.
Be Aware
Know exactly how much gas it takes to follow your normal routes. I know that each driving in and out of town costs me $1.50. I know that my husband's drive to work and back is about $6.
Pay close attention to your spending. Record when and how much you pay for gas. Record how long you can go between fill ups and set goal to extend that time range.
Bargain shop for gas. Every penny counts. Fill up when you are at Sam's or BJ's. Walmart usually has pretty competitive gas prices. Pay attention to gas signs and stop when you see a good deal.
Other Ideas
Stop at places that will give you a discount on a carwash.
Get a flying J rewards card and get a penny off every gallon.
Ditch the gas-guzzler and opt to rent an economy car for road trips. Bonus: You won't have all that mileage on YOUR car.
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| Save gas, ride a pony : ) |
*I am an expert on frugal and thrifty living. I gather information to allow my family income to stretch to its furthest length. I am not a car expert and I don’t work for Myth Busters so your guess is as good as mine.
Anything I missed???? Leave a comment!
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