1. Make your vehicles lighter and with less drag. There are several ways to do this. Make sure your tires are filled up all the way. Also, take out any extra cargo that is unnecessary and adds to the weight of the vehicle. Some people tend to keep half of all their belongings in their trunks and backseats, but this is a no-no for the health of your car. And, of course, keep it tuned up with regular checkups.
2. Air Conditioning. Limit the use of it whenever possible. When stop-and-go driving, keep windows rolled down to keep cool. When driving on the interstate (or on continuous trips where you’re going 60mph or faster) it is better for your car to use air conditioning than having the windows rolled down. When going at these fast speeds there is too much drag and pull on your car, and this makes it less fuel efficient.
3. Drive Slower & No Idling. Driving slower saves gas. No matter what kind of vehicle you have, once you go 60mph or faster your fuel efficiency reduces dramatically. Also, if you have it, use cruise control if on the interstate. Cruise control allows the driver to maintain a steady speed without touching the brake or gas pedals. If you’re not on the interstate, then slow down, especially when you’re coming towards a light or stop sign. Slowing down sooner will help you avoid using the brake and help you save more gas this way.
4. Stockpile Inventory. This will reduce the number of trips you need to take. Making a list of what you need to do and where you need to go before you go out helps you stay focused when you go out to run errands. Getting everything done in one outing, instead of multiple ones, will cut down on your vehicle’s gas consumption.
5. Adjust your route. Make sure you run your route efficiently in order of each stop. You may need to even readjust how frequent you stop at some locations. Interstate driving is more fuel efficient, but that’s not always possible, so just do the best you can.
6. Find gas stations with the cheapest gas. As you drive, look for stations, remember what prices you see and who has the lowest. As you go into each new town, remember which station had the cheapest and go for that one. But always keep an open eye at the others because prices fluctuate all the time.
