by Maggie Mae

Created on: November 03, 2008   Last Updated: November 12, 2008

Being the owner of a large-sized SUV, I have felt the pinch of the price of gasoline on my budget. I have found different ways to save my money by changing a few things.

The first thing I changed was my driving. I no longer floored it at the moment I saw the light turn green. I gradually add gasoline to pull out after being stopped. I also drive the speed limit on high-ways. I coast down all hills, and when I notice the light is yellow, I coast to the light even though I am not near it. I am not driving like I am in a hurry to get everywhere. I leave extra time to get places so that I do not tend to rush and then have to slam on the brakes to stop.

The next thing that I did was change tires on my vehicle. The old tires were worn and were not staying properly inflated. I purchased new tires and noticed that I got a half of a gallon better gasoline mileage. I am not saying that buying new tires will help your usage, but tires that are properly inflated will save you gasoline. It is important to check the tire pressure often.

Also, make sure that routine maintenance is performed on your vehicle. This means an oil change and new air filter. Do not be fooled by purchasing an air filter that promises to get you better gas mileage. I recently purchased an air filter for $60 and my gas mileage actually decreased. There is a warranty on the filter. This leads me to another tip: keep all receipts for filters and other components that you use in your vehicle until you no longer have that component in your car. If for any reason something is not right, then you have the proof of what you paid and when. Keep a good log of you gas mileage before and during the time you put a new component on your vehicle. This will help you prove whether or not a product does what it states it will do.

Keep visiting the same gasoline station for about a month to fill up. Let me explain why. If I use station A, I get 14.1 mpg. If I use station B, I get 15.4 mpg. That is a big difference. I don't know why, buy others have reported similar findings. Some stations just have better gas. Go with the station that has better gas.

Add fuel injector cleaners, dry gas in the winter, and other additives to help your engine function better. It depends on your vehicle and its age as to what will help. I added octane boost to my vehicle, but I did not see a dramatic difference.

Search your vehicle on-line. Look for tips from various websites. Car pool if you can. Don't let it run on cold days to get warm. Bundle up. Take a bus.

For my final and favorite tip on saving gas, if your grocery stores offer "fuel perks", take advantage of them. Buy gift cards and your food there to earn money off per gallon. Then take extra fuel storage containers with you to get the maximum amount of gasoline that the store allows. For example, I get 20 cents off for every $50 I spend at my market. I am allowed to use that discount on up to 30 gallons. My vehicle will hold 22 at the most. I put the extra 8 gallons into the red containers for gasoline. Then, I put them in to my vehicle at a lated time. Another tip: charge the groceries on a credit card that earns money or other rewards, but make a payment right away so that you don't lose money on interest. So far this year I have saved over $500 on gasoline. The savings have paid for my new tires. A penny saved is a penny earned.

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