Unless you’re a millionaire, saving money is probably an important part of your life. Maybe you want to buy a house, need to pay off debt, or you’d just like that pair of shoes you saw last week. If you are looking for ways to cut back on your spending and get the most bang for your buck, there are tons of tricks to make sure you stay financially responsible.
If you’re big driver, there are numerous ways to make the most of your gas. Here are some tips to keep you from breaking the bank at the pump.
1. Drive slower.
Gas economy worsens when you go past 55 miles per hour. So if you can help it, you should try to stay around there.
2. Keep your RPMs low.
You may have come to ignore it, but watching your tachometer and keeping it below 3,000 RPM will up your gas economy.
3. Change your oil regularly.
A clean engine will give you better gas mileage, and when you get your oil changed, that’s exactly what happens.
4. Don’t let your car idle.
If you’re waiting outside for a friend and you suspect you’ll be waiting for longer than three minutes, just shut your car off.
5. Don’t tailgate other drivers.
Maintaining a safe distance is not only smart for preventative measures, it also allows you to drive your car more smoothly, thus giving you better gas mileage.
6. When it’s hot out, use the A/C.
Rolling your windows down increases drag on your car at high speeds. Use the A/C on the highway and open the windows in stop-and-go situations.
7. Make sure your tires are properly inflated.
Deflated tires can cause a whole lot of issues, but did you know that it affects your gas mileage, too? You need to keep your tires optimally inflated in order to get the best mileage.
8. Utilize cruise control.
Because you don’t have to accelerate or decelerate manually while in the setting, you can optimize your mileage.
9. Change your air filter.
If you don’t, your engine can start to go into overdrive and waste precious amounts of energy, burning gas.
10. Time traffic signals to help increase your miles per gallon.
Starting from a complete stop is probably the worst thing for your gas efficiency, so if you can, predict when a light is going to turn green — even if that means slowing down a bit.
(via Drive Safely)
These tips should save you a ton of money in the long-term. So now you can finally afford those expensive shoes that you’ve been eyeing for quite some time now.