It's time to start saving money so to help you do it I will post a new way each and every Monday from now on, well until I run out of ideas then I will be forced to push the same idea and pass it off as new. So let's kickoff Money Saving Monday with something that costs us all way more than it should gasoline.
I Want 91 Octane
Many people believe by putting in 91 instead of 87 octane that they are doing themselves and the car a favor. When in reality they are wasting money. Normally I talk dollars and cents but I will stray from that and get a bit technical and explain octane. Basically octane is the resistance to combustion. I know you want your gas to combust but at the proper time. Remember an engine relies on proper timing to deliver power. So you only use higher octane in vehicles that need it typical vehicles that have higher compression ratios. Right off the bat this will save you 10 - 20 cents per gallon. On a 13 gallon tank that's a $1.30 - $2.60 savings per tank . Read more about octane here.
Hey Why Is You Gas Cheaper
You should shop around for the most affordable gasoline around you can do this by driving around or you can go to gasbuddy.com. You can enter your zip code and get gas prices in your area. The prices are maintained by the user base however they are accurate. Now aside from finding the best price you should consider paying cash or debit in some cases as many gas stations offer a 5 - 10 cent per gallon reduction in price. Ya many people don't know that they can save just by using a debit instead of credit. On a 13 gallon tank that's a $0.65 - $1.30 savings per tank.
Other Factors
There are several other factors that affect your gas mileage. The tips above are 2 simple things you can do to save money right away however the tips below help get the best mileage possible.
Roll your windows up: When your windows are down, it creates drag that your car overcomes by using more gas.
Fill up your tires: Make sure that your tires are filled the recommended PSI rating for the tire. You will see the pressure rating on the side wall of the tire.
You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.- FuelEconomy.gov (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.shtml)
Use the recommended grade of motor oil: You should use the manufacturer’s recommended grade. Using a higher viscosity of motor oil will drop your MPG’s.
You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent.- FuelEconomy.gov (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.shtml)
Do regular tune ups: When your owner manual states your vehicle should get a tune up such as changing the spark plugs, do it. It will be worth your while because you’ll see an improvement in both performance and fuel economy.
Make sure the gas cap is on tight: If you have a loose or damaged gas cap, you are sacrificing gas every day. Gas will vaporize/evaporate which is why you should keep it capped.
Cut down on unleaded weight: Don’t drive around with something heavy in your car just because you are too lazy to take it out. Your car is working harder for it and you are paying for it.
Turn off your AC: If you can survive by using the vent, try it. The AC in your car is on a clutch system. When the clutch engages it’s using energy that would otherwise be used to make your car go.
Keep it aerodynamic: Try not to strap anything to the top of your car for a trip when you have room inside. This will cause drag, just like the windows being rolled down.
Keep Me Informed
If you do any of these thing and see a bit more cash in your pocket please shoot me an email and tell me what you did. If you have a tip I didn't mention also let me know. Most of us can do at least one or two of these and save a bit of cash.
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