Money Matters

10 Tips to Save Big at the Gas Pump

10 Tips to Save Big at the Gas Pump 10 Tips to Save Big at the Gas Pump

Here are some pointers for saving fuel and efficiently managing your motor vehicle.

  1. Check your tyre pressure. Under-inflated tyres reduce your mileage.
  2. Check your air filter. A dirty air filter restricts air flow into the engine and hurts your car’s performance. Clogged air filters also increase fuel consumption.
  3. Accelerate with care. Jack-rabbit starts waste fuel. Accelerate moderately so the transmission can shift up into the higher gears.
  4. Drive at a constant speed. This keeps gear shifting to a minimum and aids in fuel economy.
  5. Pace your driving. If you accelerate to high speeds and then have to brake right away, that’s wasting fuel.
  6. Keep your windows up. Having the windows down at high speeds creates an aerodynamic drag that causes an engine to work harder.
  7. Clean out your car. Remove excess items that you don’t need in the vehicle.
  8. Downsize, if possible. Cars with smaller engine capacity are inherently more fuel efficient.
  9. Whenever possible, avoid driving. Try public transportation or carpooling.
  10. Fill up your tank on cool mornings or in the evenings. Fuel is denser when cold. Fuel pumps measure by volume, so if you fill up when it’s cold, you end up getting more fuel.