There are few people in the world who are not feeling the burden of high gas prices. The average American drives 12,000 miles a year and the average car gets around 25 miles to the gallon, which means the average American is burning through 480 gallons of fuel each year. If the national average price for gasoline is $3.901, then that means we are paying around $1872.48 a year on gas. No matter who you are, that is a lot of money! Luckily there are many things we can all do to save on fuel costs. Take a look at the top ten tips below and try a few of them because when it comes to saving gasoline, every little bit helps.
1. Cut down on idle time – If you are in your car and you are not traveling, you should really turn off the engine. Idling vehicles waste tons of fuel each day in the United States. Many believe that it takes more gas to turn a car off and then back on again, but that simply is not true. If you are going to be waiting more than ten seconds, it makes sense to turn off the engine.
2. Watch the lead foot – As a rule of thumb, you’ll burn 10% more fuel if you drive 75 mph as opposed 65 mph. Lets not forget that it is probably a lot safer too!
3. Pump it up – Improperly inflated tires account for a huge amount of wasted gasoline. Changes in temperature can affect the pressure in your tires, so check them out each time you fill up.
4. Lose the junk in your trunk – Driving around with a trunk full of goodies may be convenient from time to time, but it can really take a toll on your gas mileage. So it may be best to lose the set of clubs in the back. Besides…are you really golfing that much?
5. Take a hike – If all you need is a loaf of bread, why not take the old bicycle for a trip instead of firing up the car? If you are not much of a cyclist, then lace up your shoes and take a hike. You can save some money on gas and get some exercise in for the day. We could all use that, right?!
6. Work together – Rather than driving all the way to work by yourself, find a friend who works with you or close by and travel together. Carpooling is a great way to make friends, and it is also a great way to save tons of money.
7. Ride, don’t drive – We could all use a break. Why not hop on the bus and let someone else do the driving. You can save yourself the frustration of the commute, and save yourself some serious bucks too.
8. Have it made in the shade – Believe it or not, parking in the shade can actually save your gasoline. Gas tends to evaporate, especially if it is in the hot sun. Parking in the shade will also keep your car cooler so you will not need as much A/C to cool it down. A double bonus!
9. Plan ahead – Before you leave the house, make a plan to condense your trips for the day. By doing so, you can avoid backtracking and unnecessary stops.
10. Seek and ye shall find – Most people have access to smartphone apps or the internet, so why not use these tools to find the cheapest gas in town. Check out the following links to find the best gas prices around: GasBuddy, Fuel Finder, Indy Gas Prices.
These are the top 10 tips that we want to share, but we would love to hear your thoughts on how to save gasoline. Saving fuel is not just a cost benefit, but is also our environmental responsibility. Gasoline is a dwindling resource, and it is up to all of us to conserve it in any way we can. At Real Green Cleaning, we do our part by driving an economical vehicle for our services. Many other companies drive large commercial vans that burn a lot of fuel to get to their customers. Our fuel-efficient ride gets over 30 miles per gallon!