Tips for Better Fuel Economy

We all know how terrifying a trip to the gas station can be nowadays. Lately it seems like every time you drive by the pump prices are higher than the last. And what about those who need to drive large trucks for their business? It isn’t uncommon for a full-size pickup to drop over $100 at the pump. Fill up once a week with a bill like that and you’ll be debating whether or not you should tap a line of credit on your home or not. Only thing stopping you is that your home probably isn’t worth half of what it used to be.



So what do we do? Do we just pull out our wallets and hand over our first born children to the gas stations? Well, there are a few things that we can do to start cutting back on fuel costs. With the right attitude and a little diligence you can make some decent savings on your monthly gas bill. Here are a few simple tips for cutting back:



• Drive Slower- Whether or not this one is a "no-brainer" it’s true! Hard acceleration leads to greater fuel consumption. If you’re constantly revving up your engine getting around traffic, or racing off stop light you’re wasting fuel. Even driving too fast on the freeway can ruin your gas mileage. Think about how wind resistance increases at higher speeds; that wind means that your car has to work harder to keep you going.

• Keep the Windows Up- You may come across a person who will argue that the air condition uses gas, so you should roll the windows down. While it’s true the air conditioner draws on engine power to compress and cool air, rolling the windows down creates a lot of drag. As was mentioned before the drag and wind resistance on your vehicle will actually cost you more fuel than running the AC. So if you’re melting in Arizona, don’t dehydrate yourself with the windows down trying to squeeze gas mileage.

• Get a Motorcycle- Of course at this point you’re probably thinking "there’s no way! No one sees you and motorcycle accidents are terrible." While it is true that motorcycle accident usually don’t turn out so well, bikes really can get amazing gas mileage. Some even get over 100 MPG’s. Bye bye gas pump, won’t be needing you anytime soon.



No matter what you decide to do to improve your fuel economy make sure you stick with it. If you drive slower for one day you’re probably not going to notice a difference in your gas expenditure. Drive slow for 6 months to a year however, and you’ll be surprised at what an impact it can have.