Conserve gas and save money

Article: Conserve gas and save money

Nowadays, we often hear about 'gas prices go up' from friends and relatives or in the news, and when gas prices surge up, we notice that they have ripple effects on many products and services causing their prices to rise up too. What we need is an alternative
to this fossil fuel, but it'll take time to research,
develop, and implement alternative fuel-efficient
systems such as solar energy or hydrogen fuel.
Meanwhile gas prices will continue to rise only
in one direction -- up; not much you can do about
it except reducing fuel consumption. Here are
some ways on how to conserve gas and save money:

Tune up your car. Your car will last longer and use fuel more
efficient after a tune-up. Regular maintenance such as
changing oil, oil filter, and gas filter helps to get the best
performance for the road. Changing oil keeps the auto internal
parts running smoothly and reduce wear and tear on mechanical
moving parts caused by friction.

Keep your tires inflated properly. Check the vehicle owner's manual
for recommendation on proper tire inflation. Low tire pressure
causes tires to drag and increases fuel consumption. Check your
wheels for proper alignment.

Don't speed. Drive slowly. The faster you drive, the more fuel
your car consumes. For example, according to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), "Driving at 65 miles per hour (mph),
rather than 55 mph, increases fuel consumption by 20 percent.
Driving at 75 mph, rather than 65 mph, increases fuel consumption
by another 25 percent." On multi-lane freeways, use the slow
traffic lane if you can. Obey the speed limit signs.

Avoid "jack-rabbit" rapid acceleration.

Drive your car during the off-hours. Avoid gridlock traffic
so you don't sit idle, start and stop frequently.

Avoid under-construction roads or man-at-work areas
if they slow you down.

Use carpool with your friends and relatives; share and save
gas money.

Look in your vehicle trunk and remove all extra things that
you don't need for a trip. Your car doesn't need more power to
drag all extra heavy weights.

In the sunny days, park your car in the shade to keep it cool
and to reduce the internal temperature. Your air conditioner
doesn't need to work extra hard and burn more gas to bring
temperature down. Use car shades if you have them.

Listen to your local radio stations or TVs for more tips on saving
gas money. During the period which gas prices are spiking up, some
local news networks may bring you gas saving news and tips or
announce gasoline stations near you offering good deals on
gas prices.

Save gas money with Preferred Customer membership. Some
superstores in your local area may own gas stations, and if you
are their Preferred Customer member, you may get discounts on gas;
so, check with them.

Check weather condition. Drive ahead of a rain or snow.

Use public transportation such as a bus or a train.

If you plan to buy a house or move to a new place, choose
an area that's close to your company or shopping centers;
consider walking or biking to those places.

In some jobs, if it's possible to work at home, you can convince
your boss to let you stay home and work. It's one of the best
ways to save gas and money.

Record how many gallons you put in a gas tank at each fill-up
and how far you can go with that tank. A drop in gasoline mileage
indicates a mechanical problem that needs repairing.

Article: Converve gas and save money
By John Nguyen and Associates
Developers of Savingsforyou.net and Orange County Business Directory, CA