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One thing that is painfully obvious with every trip past a gas station is the reality of the high price of fuel.  With gas costing so much these days, it is just as important to not waste gas as it is to find ways to save money on gas.  The truth of the matter is though that every day people waste gas and sometimes they don’t even know it.  Many of the mistakes people make that cause them to waste gas are simple and all too common.  Few people are immune from wasting fuel, do you make these mistakes and waste gas yourself?

Do You Drive Fast With Your Windows Down?

Many people believe the old myth that driving with your windows down is better on your gas mileage than driving with the air conditioner on.  While this is true in town when the speed is much slower, on highways and freeways the drag caused by the open windows usually lowers the gas mileage more than the running of the air conditioner does.

Do You Search For The Cheapest Gas?

While it can make sense to purchase fuel at the lowest price gas station, often if you drive around looking for the cheapest fuel, the fuel you are using is costing you more than you are saving by spending a few pennies less per gallon at the cheaper station.  Finding the cheapest gas station that is near your home, your work, or your normal driving route however is a smart way to save money on gas. You can use a gas price map to do this.

Do You Leave Your Vehicle Idling?

Sometimes people think it is convenient to keep their car running while they drive around and stop at various locations to run errands.  While it is more convenient, it can also waste a lot of fuel.  Turning off your vehicle when you stop to run errands, especially for longer stops, will save you gas in the long run.

Do You Drive Too Fast When The Light Is Red?

There are a number of people who drive down the road, see that the light is red, but continue to drive at a high rate of speed only to have to slow down drastically at the last minute.  If you are doing this, then you are wasting fuel.  A better way to react to a red light up ahead is to lay off the gas pedal and gradually start to slow down.

Do You Plan Out Your Route Before You Leave?

Many people waste gas by not consolidating their errands and instead making multiple trips to the store or into town.  By consolidating your trips and planning your route so as you don’t double-back or subject yourself to unnecessary driving, you can in fact save gas instead of wasting it.

There are a number of ways that many people waste gas every single day.  While sometimes wasting gas seems unavoidable, there are many times that a little common sense and pre-planning can make it so that very little gas is wasted.  By wasting less gas you are keeping more money in your pocket.

The term “hypermiling” refers to driving techniques drivers can use to increase fuel efficiency. If done right, hypermiling can essentially improve your gas mileage drastically! Without any extra cost, drastic modifications, or anything else, you can hypermile just by honing your driving skills for maximum fuel efficiency. Here are some easy ways to start hypermiling!

1) Keep the windows up on freeways, and only use AC when you need it. When driving around at freeway speeds, your open windows act as a parachute, slowing down the car. It would save more gas to use the air conditioning than opening up windows on the freeway. However when you’re only doing 25-35mph, turn off the AC and roll down the windows. The wind resistance of the open windows will not affect your car’s gas consumption as much as the air conditioning.

2) Don’t floor the gas going uphill. Going up hills makes your car’s engine work harder. Gas engines are least efficient when working hard, so it would make more sense to be light on the gas while going uphill. If you can coast up a hill with momentum alone or with only a small amount of gas, do it.

3) Use cruise control on freeways and highways. Changing speeds wastes gas - slowing down and re-accelerating creates periods of no load and extra load on the engine. Thus, if you are on a freeway or a highway, it makes more sense to use cruise control - which keeps your speed constant.

4) Listen to relaxing music. This calms you down and can help smooth out your driving. Blaring fast-tempo music can increase your heart rate and make you more susceptible to hard acceleration, speeding and other fuel-wasting habits.

5) Use two-wheel drive. If your car has a 2WD/4WD option, keep it in 2-wheel drive by default. Two-wheel drive is inherently more efficient than four-wheel drive, because powering four wheels creates more friction.

7) Drive Without Brakes. Don’t actually drive without brakes - just pretend you don’t have brakes on your car until you really need to use them. Whenever you use your brakes, you are wasting energy - you are basically turning the momentum of your car into waste heat. It takes gas to make your car go, so whenever you use your brakes, you are essentially wasting gas. Instead, plan ahead and use just enough gas to get you to the next stop light, so you don’t have to use your brakes too much.

8 ) Avoid Excessive Idling. Whenever you idle your engine, you are burning gas. Whenever you are sitting still, you are going 0 miles per hour. That means no matter how efficient your car’s engine is, as long as it’s on, you are getting 0 miles per gallon. If you can see yourself idling for around a minute or more, shut off your engine.

9) Log your gas mileage. Logging your gas mileage is very useful - you will be able to see what techniques work for you, and how much you are improving. When your fuel economy suddenly drops, you will be able to correct gas-wasting problems (like perhaps a broken part on your car), and save money. Logging your gas mileage isn’t hard - just set your trip meter each time you fill up, and divide the number of miles traveled by how many gallons of gas you used.

10) Get a Scan Gauge. The Scan Gauge, while $150, allows you to track many things in your car. The main thing is that it will give you an instantaneous gas mileage indicator. This allows you to figure out how to drive the most fuel efficiently - is your car more fuel efficient at 65 or 55 mph? Also, the Scan Gague can scan and reset most error codes when you get the “Check Engine” light - saving you a trip to the dealer, and the money associated with resetting the code.

Hopefully, by following some of these tips, you can be on your first few steps to becoming an expert hypermiler!

David Rizzo, fuel economy expert, explains when or when not to idle. The secret? If it’s longer than 60 seconds, turn off your car - turning your car off and on more frequently will not save any gas.

If all you have is a car to fill up, consider yourself lucky. Airlines, truckers and boat owners are feeling the gas price pinch even harder than the vast majority of Americans. That isn’t to say $4 a gallon isn’t hard on the wallet, however. Below are some tips you can use to increase fuel efficiency. Every car or truck is different, and some of these tips may not apply to all.  Remember, applying as many tips as possible will give you greater fuel economy, as they have an accumulative effect.

1) Keep your vehicle properly maintained. Taking your vehicle in for regular maintenance as described in it’s manual will ensure that you keep your driving machine in fine working order. Dirty oil, old air filters, etc. make vehicles work harder to go the same distance, thus reducing efficiency.  Also, learn to do basic maintenance yourself. Doing your own basic maintenance will save precious money you would otherwise pay for a mechanic. It is simple to do and learn, and if you aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves and get a bit dirty, you’ll find that extra cash can be spent in better ways. Here’s an excellent guide to changing your vehicle’s oil.

2) Keep your tires inflated to their recommended air pressure. This increases your vehicle’s efficiency by reducing the friction between your vehicle’s tires and the road. Pressure gauges are cheap and can be found in practically any gas station store, and it usually takes less than 5-10 minutes to check all the tires.

3) Reduce the wind resistance your vehicle has. Here’s some common tricks:

• If your vehicle has a roof rack you don’t use, take it off. It will help your wallet.
• Keep your windows rolled up whenever possible.
• For truck owners, keeping the tailgate UP will reduce resistance. Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters proved this sometime ago.
• Do the speed limit. Seriously, wind resistance grow exponentially the faster you go and higher speeds reduce fuel efficiency. You’ll also save lots of $$$ by not getting a ticket.

4) Use regular gas unless your vehicle’s engine requires premium gas. This kind of information can usually be found in the vehicle manual. If you only need regular, spending that extra 5 bucks for premium could be better spent on your morning latte. Or better yet, saved in your wallet. Over the course of a year you’ll probably save over $100.

5) Got junk in your trunk?  The heavier your vehicle is, the more fuel it uses. If you’ve sports bags, lumber or whatever else laying around in the back, consider taking them out when you’re not using them. By lightening the load of unnecessary stuff, you can help increase your fuel economy a few percent.

6) Accelerate slowly rather than slamming the pedal. Sure revving the engine is fun, but it also burns through gas faster than gradually getting up to speed.

7)  Check to see how your vehicle fares in fuel efficiency charts. If it is lower on the list and you don’t need the extra horsepower or weight of your current vehicle, consider trading it in for a more efficient one. If you use your vehicle to simply commute to work, consider buying a smaller, more efficient car.

Or if your in the position, buy a cheap used commuter car and save your current one for fun drives or excursions. Using a more efficient commuter car for going to and from work, errands,etc. is one of the more effective ways to increase fuel economy. Just park the commuter car in the garage when you’re wanting a fun ride and take out your prized vehicle.