Let’s face it…EVERYONE loves a good drive. Especially long, carefree, wind at your back drives. The sense of freedom it brings in an increasingly crazy and stressful world just can’t be ignored. I remember when I got behind the wheel for the first time…fabulous feeling…even in my 1985 Mitsubishi Mirage!!!
Though we have seen gas prices take a serious nose-dive the past 6 months (thank god!), they now seem to be slowly crawling back up again. I ,for one, think if there are ways to keep that gas in my tank a little longer… I’m all for it! I mean who wouldn’t want to save even a little on fuel costs? Especially in the middle of this crazy economy…saving a little here and a little there will definitely add up over time!
So when I came across an article from The Daily Green about saving 20% on fuel costs I thought…why not…let’s give it a try. I figured it might be a good one to share with all of you as well. Let me know how it goes!!
Following these simple tips from the Consumer Federation of America could save you 20% or more on fuel costs -
A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%, and nearly one in four cars needs an air filter replacement – Cost Savings: 28 cents a gallon
Poor alignment not only causes tires to wear out more quickly, but also forces your engine to work harder, which can reduce fuel economy by as much as 10% – Cost Savings: 28 cents per gallon
More than one-quarter of vehicles have improperly inflated tires. The average under-inflation of 7.5 pounds causes a loss of 2.8% in fuel efficiency – Cost Savings: 8 cents per gallon
It is estimated that nearly 17% of cars on the road have broken or missing gas caps, which not only reduces gas mileage but may harm the environment – Cost Savings: 2 cents per gallon
Slow down – For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you can reduce fuel consumption by 7% – Cost Savings: 19 cents, by reducing speed from 70 mph to 65 mph
For every 100 extra pounds carried around, your vehicle loses 1 to 2% in fuel efficiency – Cost Savings: 4 cents per gallon, per 100 pounds of weight removed
Besides causing pollution, idling wastes gas. If stopped for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine, and don’t bother to ‘warm up’ your car before driving — it is not necessary – Cost Savings: 1 cent per gallon, for every two minutes you avoid idling
So good luck to everyone! Here’s hoping it works for you! At least it will help some of us slow down a little…which is always a good thing on our highways…and now maybe for our pockets as well!!
Happy Greening!
