No one ever said owning and driving a car is without cost, but if your daily commute is taking a significant bite out of your monthly budget it might be time to take a closer look at your habits. The type of car you drive, your financing plan, and your insurance premiums are all pieces of the puzzle, but so is your fuel consumption. As you shop around for a car, you probably compare efficiency figures carefully to save money, but have you thought about how your own driving style contributes to these numbers? No matter what type of car you drive, there are a few things you can do to save money and cut your energy use.
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Getting Ready to Hit the Road
Before you start your engine, take a look at your car and the load you’re carrying. Do you really need those extra boxes of clothes you keep meaning to take to the donation box, or your roof-rack that you never use? Streamline your car as much as possible, because extra weight will only burn extra fuel. Empty your backseat and remove extra objects from the roof to reduce wind resistance and drag.
Another factor to consider is the amount of time you’re going to be on the road. If you’re unfamiliar with the route, plan it out in advance and try to combine short trips to use less fuel. If you can combine errands all in one go, you’ll spend less time stopping and starting your car. Technology can help with planning; just as you would use an app like Carsales to buy a car, you can use apps from sources like Michelin or AAA to plan your route. Waze is another app which can help you save time and fuel en-route, because it tells you where there are traffic jams and helps you plan your journey around them.
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Driving Techniques to Burn Less Fuel
Once you’re behind the wheel and ready to drive, try to take it easy. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination so that you can avoid gunning the accelerator. Driving smoothly, accelerating as gently as possible, and keeping your eyes on the road ahead will reduce wear and tear on your car. Speeding down the highway is fun, but remember that the faster you go, the more fuel you’re burning. If you can keep the car rolling at a fairly gentle, steady pace you will burn far less fuel than if you have to make sudden starts and stops. Another factor to consider is climate control. Air conditioning can burn through a lot of fuel, so if you can get by with an open window at low speeds it will save you some cash.
In addition to adjusting your driving style, you can also save money on fuel by taking your car in for regular servicing to keep it running as efficiently as possible. Use the right type of engine oil, and make sure your tires are fully inflated to reduce resistance.
By following these basic tips and taking it easy behind the wheel, you can become a super-efficient driver and maximise your fuel use no matter what type of car you’re driving!
It always amazes me to see how many people gun it every time they start off from scratch, no matter if they’re leaving their driveway or driving in traffic. More fuel is spent getting going than at any other point in driving, so if you could reduce this, people could save a lot of gas.
The sad part is that when gas prices go up, people change for a few days to start combating the gas prices, but as soon as prices go back down, people forget all about it and return to their bad habits.
Back when we owned two cars, my wife assiduously kept records of her odometer reading and gas consumption every time she filled up for the car she drove. Once when she was out of town for a week I drove the car she normally drives and calculated my mileage. Then I computed the mileage she’d been getting from the records she kept. I got 22% better mileage! That driving style could make that much difference stunned me. And I’ve never let her forget it. 🙂
I didn’t know that an extra weight could make the car consume more fuel. Well maybe because I don’t own a car and I don’t even drive. Still, I will keep these tips in mind in case I get to learn to drive and eventually own a car.
Here in my places, the major way of transportation is via motorcycle. It costs less fuel too rather than cars.
My driving style is definitely costing me extra money – I tend to ignore speed limits so I end up with speeding tickets. I’m trying to be extra careful at the moment with that because it’s started to impact my budget.