Here's an interesting way to look at gas prices: if you drive 1,000 miles a month and your car gets 25 miles to the gallon, you will spend almost $2,000 a year on gasoline, just for that vehicle. If your household has more than one car, then multiply $2,000 by the number of vehicles. Yikes!
Here are some measures you can take to save gasoline and bring your mileage up:
It's Not A Race
Slow down! You don't have to be the first out of the starting block when the light tuns green. I was always taught to pretend you have a raw egg between your foot and the accelerator. Keep the egg in tact; don't scramble it.
Are You Idling?
Research shows that if you keep your car idling more than 30 seconds, you're wasting gas. Now, I wouldn't turn your car off at a red light, although I've seen people do it; you'll really annoy other drivers, specifically, all the ones behind you. So, if you're dropping a friend off and you haven't finished the conversation, turn the car off while you're still chatting.
Use The Air Conditioning
So you think you'll save gas by rolling the windows down? The drag on the car will require more gas to move the car. According to Edmunds.com you'll use about the same amount of gas, so you may as well stay cool.
High Maintenance
Make sure you change the oil regularly. I do it more than I should, but a good suggestion would be every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. Also, underinflated tires will require more energy to move your vehicle. And be sure you follow all the required maintenance.
Junk In The Trunk
I have never owned a car that doubled as a warehouse. You shouldn't either. I have a friend that goes to his car if he's missing something after searching the house to no avail. It's anyone's guess all that he's carrying around and how much it weighs; every excess 100 pounds reduces your mileage by 2%.
Use Your Cruise
Since the cruise control is powered by a computer, it will give a steadier flow of gas to the engine than you can. I know it's hard to believe, nothing can be smoother than you are, but it's true.
Start applying these tips and let's start to tackle high gas prices by increasing our mileage. The more gas we save, the less we buy. The less we buy, the more the price will go down. Do you have any tips I've left out? Let's hear from you and you can help others.