DRIVING TIPS TO SAVE GAS II

DRIVING TIPS TO SAVE GAS II

Last May I submitted a post on “Driving Tips to Save Gas”

http://joeh-crankyoldman.blogspot.com/2011/05/driving-tips-to-save-gas.html

It was a facetious piece making fun of all the tips to save gas that I read on-line.  The final tally demonstrated that if you follow all these tips you can actually use negative MPG and fill up your tank by driving.

It is that time of year again and here is an article which does exactly what my satirical piece did.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/how-to-get--2-per-gallon-gas.html  

 Efficient driving and shopping tactics can translate to big savings at the pump – An article from Smart Money

Here is a summary of the article:

De-clutter
Savings: Up to 7 cents per gallon.

Every 100 pounds of added weight in a car reduces its fuel economy by up to 2%. That works out to paying an extra four to seven cents per gallon. Hauling a cargo carrier, bikes, kayaks or other gear atop the car for a road trip is worse, decreasing fuel economy by 5%.

Weigh payment methods
Savings: Up to 19 cents per gallon

As gas prices rise, many credit cards' reward caps on gas purchases kick in…Stations may offer discounts of up to 10 cents per gallon for drivers who eschew plastic.

Drive responsibly
Savings: Up to $1.27 per gallon.

By the U.S. Department of Energy's estimates, each 5 mph one drives over 60 mph adds $0.30 per gallon to the gas bill. Aggressive stops and starts waste another 33% at highway speeds and about 5% at slower, local speed limits.

Use grocery discounts
Savings: Up to $2.20 per gallon.

Create a fuel-efficient route
Savings: Up to 30 cents per gallon.

It's possible to cut down on mileage just by running a few errands on the same trip, and choosing more efficient routes

Using all these saving tips adds up to $3.96 savings per gallon.  The recent gas price in my area of New Jersey was about $3.60 per gallon.

If I can gain $0.36 per gallon, I am going to use these tips and go for a long drive.  I can use the money!