Brake Less + 17 Other Tips to Cut Gas Costs

Roadtrip! You and your best friends are rushing down the highway. Suddenly, one turns off the AC and puts the windows down. Nooooo! They wanted to help you cut some gas costs and just made one of the classic mistakes. Turning off the AC and opting for a natural breeze helps while you’re stuck in traffic. When you’re driving with your windows down on a highway, you’re creating unnecessary wind resistance. Your car now needs more energy to move forward, and you end up burning more fuel per ride. While you’re struggling through traffic inside the city limits, though, turning off the AC isn’t a bad idea. It might not be the most comfortable ride on a hot day, but you’re here to save some money, right?

Now, a quick common sense test. You have two routes to choose from: one is shorter, and another looks longer on the map. What is it gonna be? Common sense is screaming: the first one, duh. But in fact, the shortest route isn’t always the best choice in terms of gas usage. You gotta pick the one with the least stop signs, traffic lights, and traffic jams. This route will require less speeding up and slowing down, both major gas eaters. So plan your route wisely. You can consult apps that show real-time traffic data or interactive maps with stoplights. Do you also have a bag of sand, your old inflatable bed, a pair of shoes, and 5 water canisters in your trunk, or is it just me? Well, you gotta declutter if you wanna some cash. Losing 100 pounds that you carry around in your vehicle will decrease your gas usage by 1% per gallon relative to your vehicle’s weight. More weight means more fuel used. That’s some simple traffic math.

Brake and accelerate less! Driving at a steady speed above 50 miles per hour helps you save some gas costs. Every time you hit the brakes or take off at rocket speed at the stoplights, you’re making your engine work hard, and it feeds on fuel, you know. Plus, aggressive driving is bad traffic etiquette. So speed up slowly and coast to a braking stop smoothly. Don’t go zero-to-60 or floor the car until you have to brake abruptly. Cruise control can help you with that “drive calmly and steadily” when you’re on flat terrain like the highway. Once you approach some hills or mountains, cruise control will make your car eat too much gas for no good reason. So turn it off and let the speed go down a bit as you ascend, and then slowly speed up as you go down. This will take some workload off your engine.

Park your vehicle a couple of blocks away from your destination. The next time you make the 7th leap, driving around the block searching for a parking spot, it will make all the perfect sense. When you sum up the frustration, your time spent on those searches, and, of course, extra gas costs, you’ll be okay settling somewhat farther from a busy shopping area, business center, or your favorite popular restaurant. Don’t wait until the last minute to refill your tank. Make it a habit to do it once it’s three-quarters empty or whenever is more comfortable for you. This way, you won’t have to frantically stop at the gas station nearest to you when it’s time for a refill. Instead, you’ll have your time for some research. There are special gas-finding apps to help you find the best deal in your area. Sometimes it can be across the state or region border. And, it’s never ever by the highway.

Once you’re ready to settle down with one gas brand, don’t hesitate to ask for something in return. Sign up for their loyalty program, save an app, get a card — whatever it takes to get a discount, cashback, extra points, and other perks from them. Some grocery stores partner up with gas chains letting you use the points you earn at the store to get a discount on gas. Even 5 cents per gallon can make a difference, so inquire about those. Hybrid vehicle owners, this one is for you.

Try turning on the AC while your car is still plugged into the charger. It will help extend the vehicle’s range when you get on the road, which means less money spent on gas. If you’re driving one of the newer car models, your engine must automatically stop when you idle your car. If that’s not your case, avoid idling to save fuel. Waiting for the traffic lights to turn green takes 45 to 120 seconds, and starting your car requires only 10 seconds of gas. So if you have to stop for more than 10 seconds, turn your vehicle off. If you let it run, it can eat up to an extra half a gallon of fuel per hour.

Now, in case of safety isn’t one of your primary concerns, at least take good care of your car for reasons of economy. Check if your tires are well-inflated at least once a month. When under-inflated, they wear out quicker, drag, and waste gas. Check your car’s manual to see how often you should tune up your engine. It depends on the age and model. Clean the filters to keep the car going while eating less gas. Use the right motor oil — otherwise, your engine will have to work harder than it should and waste gas. There’s no need to play it cool and fill up with premium fuel unless you have a high-performance engine that really can’t run on anything else. That will cost you much less in the long run and won’t make your vehicle go faster, cleaner, or get better mileage. If your car’s manual recommends but does not require “premium,” at least go with lower grades for extra savings. Gas chemistry has advanced over the past decades, so don’t worry about the quality of regular gas — it’s all good.

If you have an older car, check out your gas cap seal. Once it weakens, it lets oxygen leak into the gas trunk. When that happens, gas burns way faster. You can replace the gas cap but be prepared that the sensors might not recognize the new one unless it comes from the manufacturer or authorized supplier. If you have a manual transmission, you’re in luck. You have complete control over your rpm — that’s revolutions per minute. Lower gear means higher rpm. The higher the rpm, the more torque the engine produces and the more fuel it’s using. So, shift into the upper gears quickly. It differs from car to car, but an optimal solution would be to change to second by about 15 mph and move to top gear by the time you’re going at 30 to 35 mph.

That cargo container and the bike track you have on the roof of your vehicle will have to go. They increase your car’s wind resistance, so the engine must do more work to maintain the speed. It could mean up to 20% extra fuel consumption on the highway and up to 8% in the city. If you do need that extra storage, opt for rear-mounted cargo boxes. For those in car buying mode right now, look into a hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid-electric, or all-electric one. I mean, you’ll definitely cut gas costs with an electric car.

Suppose you aren’t ready for that much of a change. In that case, many popular models actually come in hybrid form: Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Sonata, and Volvo XC90 are all yours to go. And here comes the bonus tip that will help you cut driving costs by 100%. Are you ready for it? Don’t drive! Okay, okay, let me explain. Don’t drive whenever it’s possible. Walk or bike to work or use public transport. If that’s too much for you, at least swap driving responsibilities and gas costs with colleagues living in your area. Do you know any other tips to save gas? Maybe you have any personal favorites? Do let me know in the comments below!