Save Money on Gas

I'm sure you work hard to earn what you have.

I also expect you'd rather spend as little as possible on gas so that you can buy other things.

So, imagine this: What if you could save a few hundred dollars each year (and maybe more) by making simple changes?

Would you be interested?

If so, here's what to do.

You will save the most gas by not using your car.

Doing this may require some creative thinking. Or it may require making some changes.

First, please recognize that applying these suggestions depends upon being safe and following common sense.

For example, you could:

a) Walk to local stores.

Most people can walk a mile in 20 minutes. This is often equal to the time spent driving and parking.

This can save a lot because short trips use more gas than long trips. This happens because the car burns extra gas to warm up the engine and ignite combustion in the catalytic convertor.

b) Ride a bicycle for local errands or commuting to work.

Most people can travel 5 to 10 miles per hour by bike. If you choose to do this, buy a commuter bike with wide tires and multiple speeds. These cost less and are safer to ride than other types of bikes, such as touring, mountain, or dirt bikes.

In many areas riding a bike to work will take less time than creeping along in rush hour traffic.

c) Let your fingers do the shopping.

Buy things by phone or over the Internet. Call first to confirm that the store has the item that you want.

Often the cost of shipping can be less than the cost of gas. And you also save the time of having to drive back and forth.

That is, travel when others are less likely to be on the road.

You will save gas and time by avoiding delays. In some cases, you may be able to reduce your travel time by half.

If you drive to work, avoid rush hour traffic by leaving an hour early. Or, leave an hour later. In either case, you will be able to drive with fewer delays and less stress.

If your company permits flex time hours, choose a time window that avoids having to drive during rush hour.

Also, consider shopping early or late in the day. Besides encountering less traffic, you will find there are fewer shoppers and shorter lines in the stores. This produces a time saving bonus by making your shopping more efficient.

Potential Savings: Hundreds of dollars per year

Some people leave the engine running when they park.

For example, I often see an unattended car in a parking lot with the engine running. Besides wasting money on gas, this exposes the car to theft. A thief could easily hop in that car. Then minutes later that car would be in a garage being stripped of parts.

Or I see someone sitting in their parked car while the engine runs.

Once in our local park, I saw a man sleeping in a truck with the engine running. An hour later when I returned from my walk, he was still there, sleeping in the truck with the engine running. That nap cost at least ten dollars.

Do this to save money:

1) Turn off the engine as soon as you park.

2) Start the engine just before you drive. That is, lock the door, put on your seat belt, and then start the engine.

3) Turn off the engine any time when you have to wait, such as at a railroad crossing.

Potential Savings: At least a hundred dollars per year (for one car).

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Important: Never shut off the engine while the car is moving. This could lock the steering, resulting in an accident.

This means that letting a low mileage (e.g., 10 miles/gallon) vehicle run idle for 20 minutes can waste a gallon of gas (or more).

In addition, letting the engine run to "warm up" the car wastes even more gas.

Engines are designed to run fuel rich upon start up to ignite combustion in the catalytic convertor. So once you start the engine, you may as well be moving.

If you manage a business that owns trucks, tell the drivers to shut off their engines as soon as they stop at their destinations. This might save thousands (millions?) of dollars each year.

Some people weave through traffic, drive too fast, and crowd the car ahead of them.

This is terrible because: a) It wastes gas - lots of it, and b) It causes accidents - lots of them.

Instead, drive carefully and respectfully.

Allow enough room for an emergency stop. Make sure that other drivers can see you when you pass them.

You'll save money, feel better, and provide a more enjoyable ride for your passengers.

Potential Savings: Hundreds of dollars per year plus (maybe) your life

1) Aggressive drivers depend upon others for their safety.

Accidents often happen because two drivers made a mistake.

For example, one of them was driving too fast and the other failed to notice the approaching car.

2) Aggressive drivers cause other drivers to make mistakes.

Aggressive driving scares other drivers. As a result, they may make an unexpected move that causes an accident.

But do this in your car.

Pretend that you have to peddle in order to make your car move. Thus, avoid making quick starts, racing up hills, and driving into a stop.

Instead, start gradually, take it easy going up hills, and coast to a red light - just as if you had to do the work of moving your car.

In general, drive with minimum effort. You will find that this is safer and more relaxing, while saving on gas.

Note: Your car gets less than a mile per gallon during a jackrabbit start. If you do this routinely, it can increase your daily driving cost by a dollar or more.

Potential Savings: Hundreds of dollars per year.

Critically evaluate every trip for its importance.

Here's how:

a) Seek ways to combine trips on a single outing.

b) Shop from local merchants.

c) Join a car pool for commuting to work.

d) Form a car pool with neighbors to take your children to school.

Or walk with your children. The exercise will benefit all of you. (Note: Certainly your children's safety is important. So make sure they have safe travel to and from school. Give them a ride if it's the safe thing to do. Choose neighbors you trust. Use common sense.)

e) Use public transportation.

Often this costs less and takes less time than driving. Then you can use the travel time for a useful activity, such as planning your day, writing notes, or reading.

Potential Savings: Hundreds of dollars per year plus hundreds of hours

Carry only those things that you need in your car.

Remove anything that represents excess weight.

For example, I've seen a trunk filled with a complete set of mechanics tools, bags of cement, and enough spare parts to build an engine.

The heavier the vehicle, the more gas it requires to start and move. And excess weight wastes gas.

Remove flags and other decorations from your car. These make a car less efficient as it moves, and thus waste gas.

Potential Savings: At least a hundred dollars per year

Some people spend dollars to save pennies.

Example #1: People to drive out of their way to buy gas from a station that has a low price. Radio announcements, blogs, and web sites encourage this by identifying the lowest gas prices in town.

Is this worth it? Maybe not.

In many cases, the cost of the gas used to drive to a bargain priced station could be more than the money saved. Or the money saved never justifies the time spent. It's like working at a job that pays a dollar per hour.

It's more economical to buy from local merchants while on routine shopping trips or while commuting.

Example #2: People drive long distances to discount stores to save money on food or other purchases. This may make sense, depending upon how far they have to drive, how long it takes to drive there, and how much they save.

Before your next trip, estimate the cost of gas plus the value of your time. Then compare those costs with the savings that you expect.

For example: If you use an extra gallon of gas each week to shop, that amounts to $150 to $200 per year (assuming you drive only an extra 20 miles and gas costs only $3.80 per gallon).

Potential Savings: More than a hundred dollars per year

Consider this:

1) What is the mileage for your car?

If, for example, your car gets 20/miles per gallon, a ten mile trip will use half a gallon of gas. That can cost more than the money saved on the less expensive gas.

2) What is your time worth?

Compare that with the time it takes to drive ten miles. In most cities, this could use half an hour. So, for example, would you accept a job that paid $2.00 per hour?

The point: Save money by buying gas at local gas stations or while traveling on other errands.

Buy routine tune ups. Fix problems as soon as you notice them. Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule.

A well tuned car uses less gas. It's also safer to drive and easier to sell.

Both of these will save you money.

Potential Savings: At least a hundred dollars per year

Make sure the tires are properly inflated.

Soft tires use more gas as they roll, which causes your car to use more gas.

Check and adjust the pressure in your car's tires about once each month. Of course, do this at a station that is close to home before warming the tires by driving.

This can increase your fuel efficiency by a mile or two or three per gallon. For some drivers, this can amount to saving a gallon of gas on every tankful.

Potential savings: More than a hundred dollars per year

Sometimes you see (or hear) someone do this.

They rev their engine while waiting for a light.

Believe it or not, each Varooom! uses gas. Really.

While one Varooom may cost only a few pennies, a lot of them can add up to dollars.

So if this someone is you, here's a better idea. Just say, "Varooom, Varooom, Varooom!" Use a low voice to make it sound real.

Sure, this seems dumb, but it's a lot smarter than throwing money on the street.

Buy the most fuel efficient car that fits your needs.

When you buy a car, you buy two things: 1) The car, and 2) The gas it will use.

Some people spend more on the gas than they do on the car.

Thus, buy the smallest engine that will do the job (e.g., a four cylinder engine instead of a six). Buy a standard car for routine city driving, instead of a truck or SUV.

Possible Savings: Thousands of dollars per year (the car will cost less and you'll save money on gas)

Choose a job that is as close to home as reasonable.

Or, choose a home as close to your job as possible.

When we bought our current home, I gave the realtor a map with two circles on it and said, "We're most interested in homes inside the smallest circle because those are closest to my job. We'll consider homes inside the next circle. And we're not interested in any homes that are outside the large circle."

I was willing to spend 15 minutes driving to work (the outer radius of the first circle). I was not willing to spend more than half an hour (the outer radius of the second circle).

If you must choose a home that is far from work, then find one that is near public transportation. Then you can walk to a bus stop or train station that takes you to work.

Possible Savings: Thousands of dollars plus Hundreds of hours per year.

In some jobs, people can perform their work at home.

Or, perhaps, the job can be designed to allow you to work out of a home office.

Such options can save huge amounts of time and money.

For example, if you work at home, you might be able to manage with one car. And you'll save the cost of gas that would be spent on commuting.

Possible Savings: Thousands of dollars plus Hundreds of hours per year plus Greater freedom on how you use time.