Mom’s Money

Gas Price Honeymoon Is About To End

Have you been watching gasoline prices steadily climbing up, up, and up?  We knew it was coming, and with vacation season approaching, we can expect the prices to escalate even more this spring.  We need to revisit some of the gas-saving measures we were practicing when we all were paying $4 a gallon.  Just in case we got a little lax in our vigilance, let’s see if we can run down some of the best ways we can save a few dollars on gasoline.

1)  Have your car tuned up.  A healthy car runs better and is more efficient.  Include changing the oil and checking the coolant and antifreeze levels for good measure.

2)  Inflate your tires to the proper level.  Your tires should have a psi rating clearly marked.  You may also check your owner’s manual for the recommended tire pressure.  If you have to guess, 32 psi is pretty average.

3)  Go online to find the best gas prices in your area.  There are many reliable websites to try.  Plan your errands around these gas stations that offer lower prices; do not drive out of your way to fill up.

4)  Plan your errands to drive less.  If you are in a habit of going a particular route, make sure that is the shortest and fastest route before you embark on your trip. In other words, Map It!

5)  Remember car pools?  Time to rethink them.  Network with the parents at your child’s school and see what you can come up with.

6)  Bike, walk, and skip if you have to!  If you’re driving a mile or two down the road to pick up some milk at the convenience store, rethink that drive.  It takes a lot more gas to start up your cold car each time you make a short trip. 

7)  Unload your car.  If you are driving around with the trunk or back of your car loaded with junk, it just adds weight, therefore drag, to your vehicle. 

8)  Change the way you drive.  Do you really want to burn up gas with those “jack rabbit” starts?  Wasteful and dangerous.  Improve those driving habits.

These are just a few common sense ways to keep your gasoline usage under control in an effort to save you a few dollars.  If your bottom line is looking grim these days, it’s not going to hurt to give your budget a boost by implementing a few changes in your normal driving routines.