Tips To Help You Save Money on Gas

Gas prices continue to fluctuate all over the country. The national average for gas prices, as of 6/25/07, is $2.98 (EIA*). Depending on what car you drive and how often you drive it, your monthly gas bill can get pretty steep. According to the Texas Transportation Institute, the average driver in Sacramento, California spent $685 on gas in 2003; compare that with a $132 annual average in 1983. While we can't do much else other than complain about the price of gas, we can try to limit how often we purchase it.

Drive at Steady Speeds

Driving steadily at the speed limit can really help cut down on your vehicle's gas consumption. Stop-and-go traffic can lower your MPG, so try to avoid congested areas as much as possible. Driving your car too fast can really cost you, both with regard to gas and the speeding ticket you might receive! Experts say that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like adding an additional ten to twenty cents to each gallon of gas you buy.

Keep Your Engine Tuned

Not only do regular tune-ups prevent unwanted breakdowns, they also help you save money on gas. Some mechanics estimate that a poorly tuned engine can use up to 50% more gas than one that is running well. This includes remembering to change your oil and air filters every 3,000 miles, or as often as recommended in your vehicle's owner's manual. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that you can save up to 10% in gas mileage by replacing a faulty air filter.

Try to Minimize Your Driving.

Try to plan one long trip instead of several short trips; this includes combining errands when possible. If you can, try to carpool, use alternate forms of transportation (buses, trains, subways) or walk if your destination is nearby and you can spare the time. These are obvious ways to save gas, and they have the additional benefit of helping to spare the environment. You can also try to stagger your work hours so that you are not driving in prime traffic times.

Consider Buying a Smaller, More Fuel Efficient Car.

Smaller cars are not only often less expensive to purchase and cheaper to get car insurance for, but they also use less gas. Also, cars with automatic transmissions get an average of 5 miles per gallon less than manual transmissions, and six-cylinder engines get about 4-5 miles per gallon less than four-cylinder engines.

Shop for Car Insurance

If you still want to save some money, consider shopping around for a new car insurance policy. Using InsWeb.com's online car insurance application, you can shop and compare quotes without having to leave your home. According to an independent study, people who compare rates and switch carriers at InsWeb.com save an average of $301*. All you have to do is answer some questions, and then leading car insurance companies will contact you with their best car insurance premiums.

* Based on average savings information from InsWeb policyholder survey data from 4/27 to 7/4/2005.

*http://www.eia.doe.gov