Ways to Save Money on Gas – Without Buying a New Car

filling car with gas

Gas prices are a sore subject these days, and with good reason. Rising fuel prices seem to make everything more expensive – from the groceries in your cart to your daily commute. You can’t control fuel prices, but did you know that there are proven ways to save on fuel prices, without buying a new car? Here’s some tips to get you started saving today:

Fill ‘em Up
The tires, that is. Properly inflated tires will give you more miles per gallon. Invest a few dollars in a tire pressure gauge and learn how to use it. Find out the recommended air pressure for your tires, and make checking them part of your weekly routine so that you’re set to get the best mileage possible.

Lose the Lead Foot
Unless you need to merge into fast moving traffic, leave your lead foot at home. Speeding away from each intersection and stoplight is a guaranteed way to spend more on gasoline. Learn to anticipate stops and take your foot off the gas well before you step on the brake, and accelerate slowly when the situation allows. If you’re travelling long distances on flat terrain, make good use of cruise control. All of these will help you drive more efficiently and save money on fuel!

Join a Rewards Program
Did you know you could save as much as ten cents per gallon just for joining a customer reward program at your local gas station? You can! Programs and benefits vary, so it pays to check around. With some, you can even get free car washes, or coupons for other convenience items besides what you save at the pump.

Shell Fuel Rewards is a fantastic program – we save about $100 a year simply by using the Rewards card at checkout. It’s easy when you save $0.05 per gallon every time!

Save 5-15% on Prepaid Gas Cards
Keep an eye out for sales on prepaid gift cards at your grocery store and pharmacy. If you can find gas cards in the mix, stock up! It’s a fantastic way to save on fuel prices. Just be sure to check on restrictions before purchase, and make sure you use them up before the expiration date.

Pick a Shopping Day
Instead of running errands multiple times a week, pick one day and group all of your necessary trips together. Before you start, think through where you need to go and in what order (taking into account when stores open and close) and backtrack as little as possible. You’ll save on fuel and be more efficient with your time and money.

Use an App for That
Smartphone apps like GasBuddy and GasGuru can help you find the lowest price per gallon without having to drive to every gas station in town. Navigation apps like Google Maps (or even the GPS in your vehicle) can help you save fuel too! When you plan your trip look for routes with less stops, and you should get better mileage overall.

If you use just one or two of these tips you’ll end up keeping more of your hard earned cash in your pocket – something that is so valuable in these days of rising prices everywhere. But what if you use all of them? Can you imagine how much you would save?

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