Unless you are an influential member of an energy cartel, you are not going to change gas prices in your favour. What you can control is your gas mileage (how many miles you drive per gallon [MPG] of fuel). You can still wish and hope for reduced gas prices, but your best bet is to use fuel more efficiently. After all, you will save money and contribute to a greener environment.

There are myriad ways of increasing your gas mileage and reducing your fuel costs. One can amalgamate these distinct gas-mileage-increasing methods into four broad categories:

a) Fuel-efficient driving
b) Proper vehicle maintenance
c) Trip planning/ Car use

Fuel-efficient driving

Observe speed limits- Speed limits can keep you on the right side of the law and save you money. Cars generally operate more efficiently at a higher speed, but only up to a certain point (60mph/ 100kph). Beyond this speed, diminishing fuel output may become negative fuel output. Moderate speeds are more fuel-efficient (and safer) than the two extremes.

Avoid bad driving habits- Rapid acceleration should be reserved for drag racing and emergency situations, especially as it decreases your MPG (Miles Per Gallon). Instant braking is another bad habit that increases fuel consumption- apart from putting a strain on your vehicle. Maintaining a moderate, consistent speed and applying gradual acceleration/ deceleration are critical to saving gas money.

Use overdrive- Overdrive gears reduce your engine speed (check the indicator for the number of revolutions per minute). This allows your engine to operate more efficiently- thus saving gas. Using the neutral gear while idling (especially at traffic lights or in heavy traffic) can also increase your gas mileage.

Proper vehicle maintenance

Keep your tyres inflated- If you ever tried to run with shoes that are too big, you will know what it is like when a car runs on under-inflated tyres. Anything that affects the smooth movement of your vehicle will increase resistance and reduce gas mileage for that matter.

Use recommended oil and change oil when required- You may think it is all about gas, but proper oil management can increase gas mileage. Generally, anything that improves engine-functioning is likely to increase your gas mileage.

Service your vehicle: Get a tune-up to ensure that your vehicle (particularly the engine) is in optimum working condition. This can boost your vehicle performance by over 30%, leading to better fuel consumption.

Trip planning

Going green with vehicle use is a sure way to increase your gas mileage. Carpooling and pooling short trips into a longer one (for e.g. going to the grocery store and the mall on the same trip) can save you money.

Weight is also a significant factor where gas mileage is concerned. Excess weight in your car simply increases the drag for your vehicle. Basic physics dictates that your car requires more energy to transport a heavier weight. This also applies when you are going on trips and have belongings piled onto the roof rack. Decreasing weight and drag can increase your gas mileage ultimately.

Fuel-efficient driving, good vehicle maintenance and earth-friendly vehicle use can save you money. However, some cars are designed to be more fuel-efficient than others are. Therefore, it is important to select a fuel-efficient vehicle if you are in purchasing mode. Even if your current vehicle is not fuel-efficient, you do not need to compound the problem by failing to implement the aforementioned fuel-saving strategies. Should increasing your gas mileage or saving a few dimes per gallon not be important to you- do it for the environment!

Learn more about this author, Darrell Victor.
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