Gas prices are always a hot topic these days, as they have continued to rise and rise, with no sign of stopping or even slowing down. Many drivers are understandably frustrated, as they are being squeezed hard by the high prices, and seem to have no way to make gas more affordable for themselves.

Since it may be foolish to expect a drop in gas prices anytime soon, one of the best ways to deal with the ridiculous price of gas is to look for whatever ways you can to reduce your gas usage.

Many of the best methods for reducing gas usage are also among the very easiest! This is very fortunate for those who do not have mechanical expertise or extra money to invest in products that make exaggerated claims of increased fuel efficiency. If you number yourself among the many that are growing tired of spreading themselves thin because of gas prices, take a look at some of these very simple and free ways to free yourself of some of the cost of gas.

Of course, it is obvious that when you do not drive your car, you use no fuel, which is easily the most affordable option of them all. However, if your car stays parked at home, so do you!

What are the alternatives when you have places to go and people to see? Well, a car pool is a great option, if you can make it work. Car pools have been around for years and are quite common. With a car pool system, you can reduce your impact on the environment while you also reduce the impact of gas prices on your wallet!

Most people think of car pools as a way to get to work, but if you know someone who lives near you that has other places to go, you can still car pool! If you have to go to the mall, for instance, check and see if one of your neighbors wants to go, as well. Maybe next time, they will return the favor.

Smart trip planning is another weapon that consumers have to fight the roaring albatross that is gas prices. To swing this deadly blade and slay the beast, simply plan ahead when you go out to make sure that you consolidate all of your shopping and errand-running needs into one trip. If you live in a small town and must take the highway to get shopping done, it is even more important to plan your trips well to avoid excess driving!

One big “no-no” that is easily avoided is leaving your car’s engine on when you are not going anywhere. This can include when you run in quickly to the store or gas station, or when you are waiting for a friend to come outside so you can go somewhere together. In most cases, it will make much more sense to simply turn your engine off. If you are not currently moving, there is no reason to have your engine on, anyway!

Finally, avoid having excess weight in your car when you are driving around. This means that you do not want to leave items that you do not need in your car for long periods of time, particularly if they are somewhat heavy. This also means that you probably want to make friends with very light people! Well, that may not be true, but it is important to reduce the weight in your car, since every 100 pounds can cause you a loss of 1 or 2 percent of your fuel economy.

It is plain to see that increasing your vehicle’s fuel efficiency does not have to be a complicated or expensive process. It is important to remember that there are alternatives to simply staying home and not driving if you want to save money on gas. The trick is simply to be a bit smarter about where, when and how you drive!

Save Gas By Performing Simple Maintenance

Vehicles can be very expensive, as any driver probably already knows. There is the cost of oil changes, repairs, car insurance, and let’s not forget, gas! The price of gas alone is enough to make many drivers want to go into hibernation and simply wait for them to come back down to earth. However, that is not a real option, as we all still have places we have to get to, and it simply costs money to get there.

Luckily, the regular maintenance that you have to perform on your vehicle anyway can actually help you to get more mileage out of the fuel you use! It is nice to know, especially these days, that the money you spend on this kind of maintenance can also help you save money at the gas pump! Conversely, if you do not have the regular maintenance done on your vehicle like you should, your gas mileage is sure to suffer.

One of the very rudimentary things that has to be done with your car every so often is getting an oil change. Oil changes can occur ever few months or even sooner, if you drive a lot, but you do not want to let them slide (no pun intended)! After all, oil changes keep your engine running smoothly, which in turn allows you to get more mileage out of the gas you put into your car. It is also important to use the correct grade of motor oil, as this can have a small effect on your gas mileage, as well.

Another type of regular maintenance that can help you to increase your gas mileage is getting your car tuned. Tune-ups are hard to measure in terms of increased fuel efficiency, but it has been speculated that a car that is properly tuned will use 4% less gas than a car that is not tuned and has not been in some time. While 4% may not seem like that much money, think of it as sixteen cents of savings for gas, if the price is $4 per gallon. As you can see, that can add up to a substantial amount!

It is also of the utmost importance to get your car checked regularly, especially your fuel intake, exhaust and other systems that can affect gas mileage. If there is a problem with an important part of these systems, you car will probably still run, but fuel efficiency can be very badly affected, causing you to lose almost half of your fuel efficiency in some cases! It definitely pays to get problems like those fixed!

One of the least expensive, but most effective, improvements you can make for gas mileage is to simply replace old, clogged air filters. Although it may not seem like a big deal to drive around with dirty air filters, filthy ones can rob you of 10% of your fuel economy! Again, for the price it costs to fix this simple problem, you really can’t beat the results you receive!

These are a few of the things that you should be already doing for your car that will provide you with benefits to your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. If you have been slacking on these areas of maintenance, make sure to get on the ball! It may cost you money to maintain your car at first, but it may very well save you money in the end!