Fuel cost can be really high and it is important for us to know how to manage this situation. Although the new boom of shale oil production in the United States have pushed the oil price down, fuel costs can still represent major expenses in our daily lives. There are basic concepts on how to reduce fuel costs, such as limiting the driving duration, finding the most affordable gas and improving the fuel efficiency of our car. By combining these factors, we should be able to significantly reduce the amount of gas that we use. As long as we are able to improve those three factors, our car engine doesn’t car about the type of fuel we use.
We should be aware that higher octane rating doesn’t provide us with higher fuel efficiency. If our car needs to use higher octane rating, the engine will simply run smoothly without knocking or premature detonation inside the cylinders. There are smartphone apps that can help us to find the lowest possible gas price in the area. Using the GPS technology, we should be able to find the location of the gas station. In this case, we should plan ahead about when we should purchase the gas. As an example, when the gas tank is nearly empty, we may not be near the most recommended station.
Another thing that we should do is to drive less than usual. It is an obvious thing to do, but many people may overlook that. It’s clear that we won’t be able to cut out the driving completely, but we should be aware that in some cases we don’t really need to drive. If we plan to do something, it’s a good idea to combine multiple errands into a single trip. For shorter trips, we may use bicycle, public transportation or just walk. It is also a good idea to carpool with neighbours and friends, especially if they go to the same direction with us. It is possible to cut the whole costs of the monthly car trips in half using carpooling.
The next thing to do is to make our cars much more efficient. In some cases, it is quite easy to do. Just check the trunk and find any excess load that can be removed. It is estimated that the efficiency of our car can be reduced by 2 percent if there’s an extra 100 pounds of load inside the car. We should avoid speeding up on the freeway and there’s a sweet spot that provides a good balance between speed and fuel efficiency. In general, fuel efficiency can be reduced if we drive faster than 60 MPH. We should avoid accelerating and stopping the car too fast. Coasting the car is a good way to save fuel, try to let the car to slow down by itself without stepping on the brake too soon. Filter should be replaced regularly, because any blockage in the fuel and air filters will reduce the overall fuel efficiency.
