In recent months, gas prices have gone higher. This has led to people becoming more strict with their ongoing budgets. I asked the BuzzFeed Community to share some tips on how we can improve gas mileage. Here are some helpful tips I received.
1. "If you have direct fuel injection (lots of cars do) getting a cleaning service of the carbon build-up can help. Recommend every 30K or so."
2. "I plan my errands more, like tying trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, etc around trips to the gym. I found it greatly reduced the number of short trips I make in a day."
3. "Not a huge help, but having tires inflated to correct pressure."
4. "I don't use my AC, in the middle of summer in the south US. Some sad shit, but it isn't an absolute necessity."
5. "Go to Costco when it first opens early in the morning to get the cheapest gas and avoid huge lineups. In my area, they are usually at least five cents cheaper than other gas stations per liter."
6. "I stopped using my car as much as I could. I live in a country where the gas prices are capped, but because so many people from neighbouring countries were coming to this side of the border to fill up, only cars with this country's licence plates get the cheap gas, the rest pay full price (around two euros/liter). I live in the capital and pay taxes here, but my car has a foreign license plate so I can only get the expensive gas. So, using the car as little as possible — grateful to have a great public transport system!"
7. "Costco, BJ's, Stop and Shop and sometimes even my local market have loyalty programs that reward you with cheaper gas."
8. "T-Mobile Tuesdays 20 cents off a gallon (also pairs with Shells fuel rewards so you can get 25–30 cents a gallon)."
9. "I’m driving to the gas stations with 100% gasoline right now. My car is getting way better gas mileage with that than the gas with ethanol. 21 miles per gallon v. 30 miles per gallon makes it worth it."
10. "Take advantage of rewards offers. You can get some amount of money off by using rewards points and some points are really easy to get. I got a reward discount by buying a small bottle of lotion. The same amount of points equates to about $200 in gas."
11. "Drive slower, eco mode, walk when I can places."
12. "If possible, fill before it’s at a half of a tank."
13. "My city subsidizes “vanpools.” Essentially, they have a contract with a car rental company for people who want to lease a car and use it to carpool with people who work and live near you. Less driving (we alternate weeks), save on gas, save on maintenance, and our employer offers free parking for carpools. All for $100/month. There are additional subsidies if you work for a government agency that makes it practically free. I live in San Diego."
14. "I shop at Ralphs and accumulate points on my rewards card. 100 points = 10 cents off a gallon at Shell stations. If you wait for the right deals, you can get 50 to 60 off!"
15. "Not a mechanic, but getting gas in the morning will save you more money because the gas is denser when it’s cooler out. Also, not setting the gas pump at the highest speed will save you money. The lower the speed, the less air going into your tank."
16. "Get an electric car, lmao."
17. "Not a mechanic, however, there are things I have learned that have shown a difference in how often I fuel up. Pay attention to how you're driving. Don't slam on the gas to get up to speed quickly — even if you have a fast sports car. I know it's hard to resist, but it just burns fuel. Let go of the gas pedal if you know/see that you'll be stopping soon (eg: you see a stop sign coming up or if a light is already red). Let it ride and then gradually brake."
Do you have any tips for saving money at the pump? Let me know in the comments section below.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.