Gas Mileage Tips

Looking for gas mileage tips? Tired of paying too much at the pump? Me too! Here are 10 sensible tips to get better gas mileage out of your car. Even if you know nothing about cars.

Since we can't control the price of gas the only way to save money on gas is to use less of it. Easier said than done right? If you're anything like me you don't know a thing about cars and know even less about how to make your car more fuel efficient.

Good news!

I've done the research and compiled a list of 10 sensible gas mileage tips even the most novice car person can do to save money at the pump.

10 Gas Mileage Tips for people who DON'T know anything about cars

1 Shop around - It pays to shop around. You can save yourself alot of money if you know where to find the cheapest gas. If you don't know where that is in your town, no problem! Gas Buddy makes it easy to find the best gas prices in your town.

2 Drive safe - One of my common-sense gas mileage tips that most people under the age of 65 will probably choose to ignore. But if you want your tank of gas to go further then safe driving is a good start.

Try not to accelerate too fast, no sudden stops and drive the speed limit. Basically, you want to drive like you did on your driver examination with the examiner sitting in the front passenger seat holding a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

3 Heed your mechanic's advice - Contrary to popular belief, not all mechanic's are out to swindle you. Most run an honest and respectable business and have you and your car's best interest at heart. So when your mechanic suggests fixing a small problem do it - before it becomes a bigger, more expensive problem.

So how can your mechanic help you save on gas? Glad you asked, by keeping your engine finely tuned, changing the oil regularly and periodically changing the air filter.

4 Lessen the load - Needlessly weighing down your car makes it burn more gas than it needs to. Unload any excess weight and you'll see a definite improvement in your car's gas mileage.

5 Don't idle too long - Never leave your car idling for more than 2 minutes. Even on the coldest days most cars only need to warm up for approximately 30-60 seconds.

6 Limit useage of A/C - If you can bear it, try to limit the use of the air conditioner as much as possible. It makes your car harder on gas when it's on.

7 Keep tires properly inflated - Keeping your tires inflated at the recomended pressure is an easy way to make your car more fuel efficient.

8 Car pool - Car pooling with co-workers is a great way to save on gas but it's also one of the more environmentally responsible gas mileage tips on my list.

9 Use public transit - Consider using public transit for getting to and from work if you live and work on transit routes. This tip alone could slash the amount you spend on gas pretty significantly.

10 Walk or bike - I save the best of my gas mileage tips for last. If you can pull it off, walking or biking to work has the added benefit getting your blood pumping and helping you burn calories.

^ Back to top of Gas Mileage Tips

> Return to Household Money Saving Tips

> Return to Money Saving Ideas Home page