Regarding personal expenses, we all want to spend as little as possible. That’s why so many of us are looking for ways to cut costs wherever possible. And given today’s challenging economic circumstances, one area that many of us need to scrutinize is our gas usage.
Regarding personal expenses, we all want to spend as little as possible. That’s why so many of us are looking for ways to cut costs wherever possible. And given today’s challenging economic circumstances, one area that many of us need to scrutinize is our gas usage.
From planning out your trips beforehand to storing your car correctly in winter, there are several tips and tricks that you can use to lower your gas usage and cut that annual spending.
So if you don’t want to be throwing money away at the fuel tank, and you’re interested in figuring out how you can save money on gasoline, keep reading!
Will Gas prices Stay this high?
The price of gas is going to be high for a long time to come. Jack Gillis, the director of the Consumer Federation of America, talked about the projected longevity of this price increase.
“Consumers need to hunker down and be prepared for months of these high prices,” Gillis said. Gas prices topped $4 a gallon for the first time in more than a decade as fuel costs soared over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to data from GasBuddy, the national average set an all-time record recently: $4.104 a gallon, breaking the 2008 record of $4.103 a gallon.
The overloaded GasBuddy app was unavailable on some days due to high traffic from bargain-hunting drivers. So, let’s get right on our list!
1) Use Gas Saving Apps!
The smartphone apps from GasBuddy, AAA, and Gas Guru are great when you’re away from your computer and using a gas station app or website. Fuel grades, prices, and directions are available on all of them. You can also choose one near you that is free. You can search for gas stations and petrol stations in GasBuddy and Fuel Finder and check for ATMs, restaurants, and carwashes. For instance, you might learn which restrooms to avoid from GasBuddy’s station reviews. You can also save your favourite gas stations in Gas Guru, so you’ll always know where to stop on your way back.
The app GasBuddy helps consumers save money on gas by providing other features as well as offering the lowest prices. The app is available for Android and iOS mobile users as well as on the internet. You will never have to pay to use the “free forever” GasBuddy card. You may get as much as 25 cents per gallon of gas saved. If you don’t want to use GasBuddy, you’re in luck! Yellow Pages LLC came up with the Gas Guru mobile app in 2012.
Similarly to Gas Buddy, it provides travellers with up-to-date information about gas stations and their prices. The app has been made available on both the Yellow Pages website and the mobile app. If you’re planning a road trip, you’ll want to know the current gas prices along your route. With the AAA gas prices page or the AAA Mobile app, you can easily find the cheapest gas and save money. The AAA Mobile app also provides maps and directions, member discount information, and AAA Diamond Rated hotel listings.
2) Did you know you can get a credit card for gas?
We’re sure you’re wondering, “Where can I get my own fuel credit card?” Unfortunately, finding the best credit card rewards for gas may be difficult since there are no guarantees that the card will give you the best bang for your buck. However, credit cards with the best gas benefits can be found at Bankrate.
According to GasBuddy research, less than 6% of drivers choose to pay with cash when they fuel up. However, gas cards and gas reward credit cards offer more significant discounts than cash, so more people prefer to use them. Make sure to check for special offers on gas purchases using your credit card.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express gives you 3% cash back at gas stations. For example, you can get 3% cash back at gas stations using the Sam’s Club Mastercard. The best option is the Sam’s Club Mastercard, which gives you 5% cash back on gas, up to $6,000. The best gas perks are on credit cards, compared through Bankrate.
There is one potential issue you might run into: Credit card offers for gas discounts might not be the best choice if you aren’t paying off the balance each and every month. So, can you get gas cashback? Yes! Many cards offer cashback on gas! For example, the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card offers as much as 4% cash back on eligible gas and grocery purchases! Although 4% might not seem like a huge amount, it is undoubtedly worth your while. It all adds up!
3) Earn Gas Gift Cards!
Swagbucks is a popular rewards site that allows you to earn money by doing things you already do online, like taking surveys, watching videos, and shopping. With over 7,000 gift cards given out every day, you’re sure to find something you’ll love! Another great option is Branded Surveys. It’s a great way to earn some extra cash by simply taking surveys and participating in fun challenges. You can cash out your earnings starting at 500 points, or $5, which is pretty low compared to other similar platforms. Also, with Branded surveys, you could opt for another kind of gift card, but think about what’s really more urgent, so swap out that Walmart gift card for gas!
4) Plan your trips first!
Driving around aimlessly and impulsively is one of the easiest ways to rack up a hefty bill on fuel. That’s because you have no control over where your journey will take you, which means you have no control over your fuel usage. For example, if you have to drive to work every day, then it doesn’t make sense to keep driving around the block waiting for a parking spot to open up.
One of the easiest ways to reduce your fuel costs is to plan your trips and have a route in mind before you set off. This will allow you to stop driving around aimlessly and get to your destination quicker. It can also help you avoid traffic jams and other potential delays, which can further reduce fuel costs.
On top of planning your trips, You also might not realize it, but how you drive can significantly affect your fuel usage. Wasting fuel is not just about how fast you drive. It’s also about how quickly you accelerate and how often you brake. If you can take it easy on the accelerator and ease off on the brakes as much as possible, you can reduce your fuel consumption significantly. Studies show that accelerating too quickly can use up to 10% more fuel than gradually accelerating. It’s also worth noting that braking harder will use up to 30% more fuel than gentler braking.
That’s because driving smoothly can reduce your car’s fuel consumption by up to 20%. In fact, driving with a heavy foot can cost you as much as $100 per year in increased gas costs. Driving smoothly also has other benefits, such as extending the lifespan of your car’s engine and reducing the risk of accidents. Driving smoothly will require you to drive at a consistent speed and reduce your use of the brakes and accelerator. If you drive at the same speed for the entire journey, you’ll avoid sudden changes in speed that can increase gas usage.
5) Why Cruise Control Works for you!
The most fuel-efficient roads in the country aren’t extra-urban dual carriageways or 20mph city streets; they’re motorways. So you can cruise along using little fuel, slow down, and even stop on a motorway in top gear.
Cruise control is best reserved for motorway driving because it only helps fuel economy when driving on a constant level surface. Driving at a constant speed is one of the keys to saving fuel. Cruise control can effectively accomplish this on level surfaces, helping you save fuel by preventing unnecessary acceleration.
However, if you use cruise control frequently on flat roads, you would encounter problems that would increase your fuel consumption. Your cruise control would be slower to respond to changes in the road grade, causing it to keep the power on longer when approaching the brow of a hill when you would normally take your foot off the accelerator to keep a constant speed. Driving like this would result in worse fuel consumption.
6) Turn off your car at red lights and other long stops
The Argonne National Laboratory suggests turning off your vehicle if it will be idling for 10 seconds or longer at a busy red light or if you’re stopped and waiting outside of your child’s school. Even turning off your vehicle for 10 seconds can conserve fuel and reduce carbon emissions, the government agency says.
The Argonne National Laboratory says that turning off your vehicle for as little as 10 seconds can save you fuel and reduce carbon dioxide emissions for both gasoline and diesel vehicles.
Experts say that diesel engines work on compression, so if you are driving a diesel vehicle, try to avoid stopping in lots of locations for long periods of time.
The Argonne National Laboratory says that if you are stalled at a busy red light or waiting for your kids’ school to open and it takes more than 10 seconds for the traffic to move, you should turn off your vehicle.
Even switching off your vehicle for as little as 10 seconds can lower your fuel costs and decrease carbon dioxide emissions, the government agency says. For diesel vehicles, however, the recommendations are different.
Most experts say that these engines operate on compression, so idling your diesel vehicle while it is stopped should not be quite as beneficial as it is for gasoline engines. Therefore, if you drive a diesel car, you should try to avoid stopping in areas where you will be waiting for a long time!
Maintaining a constant speed will save you gas if you are driving fast. When travelling fast, you consume more gas than when driving at a constant speed, says Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. Taking a slower approach to driving and avoiding racing through a red light would help consumers. You’d both save money on fuel and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He went on to say: Driving between 55 and 60 miles per hour is the most efficient for vehicles anything higher depletes the car’s efficiency. Take it easy and go 60 instead of 70.
Bonus Facts:
Thank you for staying with us right till the end. Here are a few bonus tips in which we’re looking into a few car maintenance tips:
Firstly, Match the grade of motor oil recommended by the manufacturer of your car. Using a lower grade of motor oil can reduce your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percentage.
Press the pressure-control button on your tire or wheel to find the maximum air pressure that it can hold. You can find this information either in your owner’s manual or on a sticker in the glove box or driver’s side door jamb. On some tires, the maximum air pressure may be higher than the number listed on the sidewall.
Avoid fuel economy problems by getting regular maintenance checks to check spark plugs, dragging brakes, sagging belts, low transmission fluid, or transmission problems. Fixing a faulty oxygen sensor can boost mileage by as much as 40%.
Don’t Ignore the check engine light—it may be able to alert you to problems that affect both fuel economy and more serious issues, even though your vehicle appears to be working properly.
That’s it for today, folks. We hope all these tips will aid you in becoming the economic driver we all should be in these trying times! But ultimately, the best way to reduce your gas usage is to drive less, and when you do drive, use a small and efficient car.
However, there are plenty of other ways to save gas money. By planning your trips and driving smoothly, you can reduce your fuel consumption by a ton. You can also save money by switching to a lower fuel grade and taking care of your tires.
It’s also worth noting that idling for longer than 10 seconds is likely wasting fuel, so it’s best to shut off your engine in traffic. If you follow these tips, you should be able to save quite a bit of money on gas.