How to Save On Fuel Costs

Chances are, the last time you filled your car’s gas tank up, you were shocked at the price.  In many areas, across the globe, the price of gas and oil has doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled over the last decade.  While this may not pack a punch to those that are well off financially, for the average Joe, these steadily increasing prices at the gas pump can hurt quite a bit.  With the prices of oil and gasoline on a constant incline, you are probably wondering about the different ways you can save on fuel costs.  There are plenty of ways that you can save a few bucks at the pump.

First and foremost, you should try to drive less.  Plainly put, the less you drive the less gas you use – and the less gas you use the more money you save.  However, in some cases it just is not possible to eliminate driving altogether, so it is a good idea to change your driving habits in order to save on fuel costs.  One way in doing so is to make sure that you properly maintain your vehicle.  For example, keep your tires inflated according to manufacturer recommendations.  If your tires are under inflated, the tires get worn out faster and it wastes fuel.  Another important maintenance factor is to ensure that your car’s engine is well-tuned.  Keeping your engine tuned up and running properly will waste less gas as well.

Additionally, as far as maintaining your car, always remember to avoid long warm-ups.  About one minute will do, otherwise you are wasting gas and money the longer you sit in the driveway waiting for your car to “warm up”.   When you fill up your tank, don’t top it off.  This causes excess gas to spill out of the tank and never get used, but you still pay for it.  Furthermore, when filling up your tank, always be sure to tighten the gas cap as tight as it will go to prevent leakage and extra evaporation.  If your current gas cap is too loose or doesn’t fit properly, it’s high time to invest in a new one to save some gas and some money.

You can also save a significant amount of money on fuel costs by modifying the way you drive the car.  For example, when on the highway, try not to speed or drive erratically.  The more pressure you apply to the gas pedal, the more gas is used.  Hitting that pedal frequently shoots more gas into the engine, using it up.  If you drive steadily, your car will use the existing fuel more efficiently.  Furthermore, don’t keep your foot on the brake while you drive either.  Whether you can feel it or not, it will cause some resistance and drag, which makes your engine work harder, thus using up extra gas and costing more money.

Aside from maintaining your car properly to save on fuel costs, you might want to think about buying a fuel efficient car.  If you haven’t already heard of the hybrid car which combines electrical and gas power, it is something to think about.  These cars are extremely energy-efficient as well as economical when it comes to the price at the pump.  The fuel efficiency of hybrid cars may double some older model traditional gas guzzlers.  Although many people cringe at the thought of spending a little more on a car initially, the costs are saved in the long run, with the money you save on buying gas later on.  However, many hybrids have come down in price, making it much more affordable for the average household to make such a purchase.

One type of fuel efficient car that is being studied now, for introduction perhaps in the next decade, is that of the water fuel cell.  Such cars actually use water as a source of fuel for the engine.  Can you imagine what kind of money you would save if water was a main component to power your car?  The cars would sustain a fuel efficiency level even better than the current hybrids and use even less gas.  The monetary savings would be enormous as well as the environmental benefits.  Water is our largest renewable resource.  Some studies are even looking into using salt water, rather than fresh water, to power these engines.  We must remember that the about 70% of the planet is covered in water, which makes it an excellent resource for fuel, if we can make this technology work efficiently.