For almost two years now, the current price of gasoline is a daily conversation topic and constantly monitored as though the value of our total retirement savings is at risk over the 20 cent rise or fall of the price of a gallon of gas.  When we are driving out of our way to go to the gas station that offers a “cash transaction” discount on a debit card purchase of 5 cents per gallon, instead of treating it like a credit card purchase as does the station a mile up the road, things are getting ridiculous.

I am, of course, being facetious and a bit sarcastic, but I am annoyed that the price of a commodity that I have no real control over is seeming to control so much of my consciousness.  In an effort to reduce the amount of bite the price of gas is taking out of our family budget, there are several measures we can take as drivers to improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicles: 

Be sure the tires are properly inflated.  Under-inflated tires have more contact with the road, producing more friction and burning more fuel to accelerate.  Think about how much more difficult it was to ride your childhood bicycle when the tires were low.  Same effect here. 

Another method to lower fuel consumption is to accelerate gradually.  Your car’s engine requires more fuel when “punched” to desired speed level, much like it takes more effort to push a heavy object up a hill quickly than if it is done at a level pace.  Runners who pace themselves also finish a race more successfully than those who burn all of their energy sprinting at the beginning of a race and running out of steam later.

Similarly, avoid stop and go traffic.  Coinciding with the manufacturer’s information recording the city and highway mileage expected from a vehicle, and expanding on the “don’t punch it” recommendation above, your vehicle will perform with more fuel efficiency if riding at a consistent speed rather than coming to a stop and then accelerating back up to speed. 

While many municipalities and businesses are now offering four day workweeks to their employees to conserve fuel levels an expansion of this idea to make your gas dollar stretch further is to use “flex time” at work to arrive and leave at times which would avoid the stop-and-go traffic of morning and evening commuter rush hours.

Finally, make sure your vehicle is current in its maintenance.  Clean air and fuel filters will save gas by reducing the amount of interference against the engines moving components, and will also save a few extra dollars in costly repairs down the road.