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Double your gas mileage - guaranteed! A promise of double gas mileage (or half-price gas) certainly gets your attention. Yet it can be achieved easily, by driving a more efficient car or increasing the number of riders.
Surprisingly, a recent survey found only 40% of drivers would consider a car with better gas mileage! But simply driving a more efficient car can double your mileage (and cut your gas bill in half) with no other changes in behavior. For example, the Honda Civic HX gets 36 mpg in the city, double the similarly sized Subaru Imprezza WRX which gets 18 mpg in the city using premium fuel. If your family has two cars, drive the more efficient one, and when it comes time to buy another car, carefully analyze gas mileage. You can check gas mileage figures at www.fueleconomy.gov.
Similarly, if you pair up on a trip for which you and your friend would normally drive separate cars you can effectively double your gas mileage. Plus, car pooling has other benefits. A trip to the store can be more fun when your friend from down the street comes along. And you can "multi-task" on the commute by reading mail while your friend is driving. Car pooling benefits are multiplied further when you use public transit.
If you combine car pooling with driving a more efficient car, you can effectively quadruple your gas mileage.
Reduce and combine trips. Humans are creatures of habit. You tend to repeat the same driving patterns over and over again. But by examining your driving habits you can combine multiple trips into one.
For example, instead of running to the grocery store in the evening, you can stop by on the way home from work. Rather than driving around to find a special item, telephone the stores to find the one that carries it. Also, shop on line and have goods mailed to you. Shopping online has the added benefit of avoiding sales tax, a significant sum on big ticket items like computers. Combining two trips into one can effectively double your gas mileage.
Get the best gas deal. Gas prices vary by five cents or more per gallon from station to station. Yet often the more expensive stations have as many patrons as the less expensive, giving retailers little incentive to lower prices. Search out the least expensive station. This will not only save money but will reward the station with the lower price and encourage price competition.
Consider a gas rebate card. Many gas stations encourage loyalty by offering a 3% to 6% rebate on gas purchases with their branded card. If you use credit wisely and pay your balance in full every month, a rebate card is a good way to shave a few cents off every gallon. For example, $2.25 gas effectively costs $2.11 with a 6% discount and $2.18 with a 3% discount. You can find a list of gas rebate cards at www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20000710a.asp or www.e-wizdom.com/cc/gas.html.
Clear the junk from the trunk. Each extra 100 pounds you carry reduces your gas mileage by 1%. Removing your textbooks, barbells and snow tires can increase your gas mileage.
Idling cars are the devil's tool. A car at idle gets zero miles per gallon. And a car in rush hour traffic does a lot of idling. Plan your discretionary travel during non-peak hours. See a matinee instead of an evening movie. Go early to a sports event to avoid traffic and enjoy a leisurely meal while the cars pile up. Save time and money by traveling during non-peak hours.
Avoid the air. Using air conditioning during city driving significantly reduces gas mileage. In many of today's climate controlled cars, the air conditioner cycles on and off without input from the driver, sometimes even in Winter. Turn the air off and use your windows for ventilation in appropriate situations.
Additionally, many modern cars automatically turn on the air conditioning every time you use "defrost." Try cracking open the windows for ventilation on a rainy day instead.
Cut the commute. Significant fuel and time savings are possible by reducing your commute. First, consider living closer to work, or working closer to home. Second, see if you can work four ten-hour-days instead of five eight-hour-days. Finally, explore whether you can work from home one or more days a week. Cutting the commute can reduce gas consumption by 20% or more.
About The Author: Higher fuel prices are squeezing many budgets. But with thought, you can cut your gas spending by more than half. For more money saving tips visit http://www.rationalsimplicity.com/money.html
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