With the average price of gas more than $1 higher than this time last year, American consumers are feeling the pain at the pump as more of their income goes to keeping their cars on the road.
Here are 10 money-saving tips from the U.S. Department of Energy for everyone fed up with filling up at the pump:
Tune ups add up: Keeping your car engine tuned can improve mileage by four to 40 percent while saving 12 cents per gallon.
Pressure tactics: Save nine cents per gallon by keeping your car tires inflated to their proper pressure.
Don’t fool with fuel: Use the octane fuel recommended in the owner’s manual and save three-to-six cents per gallon.
Remove the junk in your trunk: Save between four and eight cents per gallon by reducing the weight in your vehicle by 100 pounds.
Slow down to save: You can assume that each five miles per hour you drive over 60 will cost you an extra 24 to 87 cents per gallon.
You better shop around: Comparing prices at different stations can save you hundreds of dollars a year. Consider paying for gas with a credit card that offers gas rebates or buy gas gift cards to use at the pump with a credit card that offers rewards.
Lose the lead foot: When driving, avoid fast starts and stops, and maintain an appropriate speed. Over time, you will save hundreds of dollars on lower gas and maintenance costs.
Time for a change: Use motor oil with friction-reducing additives labeled “Energy Conserving” on the API performance symbol.
Don’t get tripped up: Instead of making several different trips in a week to run errands, map out a plan to tackle several errands in one outing and minimize the number of miles driven.
Log on before starting out: Use smart phone apps and resources such as gasbuddy.com, which will show you where you might be able to find the cheapest gas near you.
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