Advice On Conserving Gasoline

by SuzyQ

posted on 06/04/2009

Although gasoline prices are more than a dollar lower than they were last year at this time, the prices at the pump are starting to climb again, which means we need to revisit the topic of gas conservation. This year, gas prices will hit consumers even harder than last year, thanks to the recession. If you've lost your job this year, you are going to be squeezed even more if prices rise much higher than they are now. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help conserve gasoline.

Bundle your errands into one trip
Although this seems like a no-brainer, it's one of the best ways to conserve gas. Instead of making four or five separate trips to the store, softball practice or the library, go once and take care of all your business in one trip. Not only does it save gas, it also saves time.

Avoid driving with a lead food
Keep a light food on the accelerator pedal. You're not going to save any time by pushing the "pedal to the metal" and you'll use up way more gasoline when you floor the accelerator pedal. Drive as if there were an egg under the pedal. You'll improve your gas mileage and it won't cost you any time.

Keep your car tuned up according to manufacturer's specifications
Get your oil changed regularly and make sure your car is serviced at regular intervals. Just a few minor tweaks under the hood can help the car's performance, resulting in gas savings.

Keep your tires properly inflated
Driving on over or underinflated tires can affect gas mileage, so be sure to check your tire pressure regularly ... at least once a month if not more frequently. Invest in a digital gauge so it's easy to read. Some of them even talk to you and tell you when the tire is low.

Clean out the junk in the trunk
Why carry more weight than you have to? Clean out any stuff in the trunk that doesn't belong there. Excess weight causes you to use more gas.

Avoid congested roads
Sitting in traffic burns lots of gas. Avoid congested roads and any routes that may cause you to get stuck in backups. It is often more efficient to add a few extra miles to a trip if those extra miles is continuous driving, rather than sitting around burning fumes but not going anywhere.


Secure your gas cap
Make sure you tighten your gas cap after filling up. A loose cap will allow fumes to excape!


It's not that difficult to conserve gas once you really think about it. It makes sense to bundle trips together and look for alternate routes to your destination. And even if gas prices stabilize, these tips are valuable for protecting the limited petroleum resources available in the world today.

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jtrombetti says:

(1y 56d 10h 37min ago)