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If you had told me a couple years ago that gas prices would be $4.00 a gallon, I would never have believed you. When I was a little girl, my mother told me that gas would be $2.00 a gallon and that people would not be able to afford to drive. Well here we are at double that. What is going on in this country? Is the government to scared to step in and do something. How about regulating the rate that gas prices are rising. The government says we are headed for a recession. So they sent out a stimulus package to try to help the economy. OK, so that is a very temporary fix. I don't know about you but, my check was spent within week of it being cashed. I really feel that the biggest problem in America right now is the price of gas. It affects everything in our lives. If gas is high, then everything we purchase will be higher also. All of our food and supplies for daily life come off of a truck that got here by gasoline. After paying higher prices when buying food, clothes, and gas, there just isn't much left for the fun things in life. I am a mother of 5. I can't just abandon my car all together. If you are in the same boat, then here are some tips to help in the mean time.
Don't top off your gas when filling up. Do you realize that the pumps are set up to suck back up the extra gas that you pump after your tank is full. It does this so your tank will not overfill and spill over. Basically you are paying for gas that you are not getting.
Use the lower-octane gasoline. Unless your car is made to utilize the higher octane, you are waisting the extra money you spend on it. Check your owners manual.
Tighten your gas cap. Gasoline will evaporate very quickly.
Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Under inflated tires will cause resistance and will lower your gas mileage as much as 15%. Inside the drivers side door will tell you how much air your tires should have.
Air conditioning is a huge gas guzzler. When in town driving, it is best to roll down the windows if you can stand it. The air conditioner lowers your gas mileage as much as 10% to 20%. However if you are on the free way, it is better to use the air conditioner than to roll the windows down, because of the drag it causes.
Keep your engine tuned up. Spark plugs are a big must. Bad spark plugs can be responsible for lowering your gas mileage 30%. Air filters should be changed every time you change your oil. Air filters are a forgotten thing. It is not something that is commonly changed with your oil. You have to ask for this specifically. An old air filter can lower your gas mileage up to 10%.
Take it easy. Accelerating quickly on the freeway can hurt your gas mileage by 33%. Use your cruise control. This will help you to maintain an even speed. Driving at 65 miles per hour compared to 75 will increase your gas mileage by 10%. 55 miles per hour will increase it by 17%. It will take a little longer to get there, but will save you gas.
Don't idle your car. It is not necessary to warm up newer cars. They are made to just start up and go.
Plan ahead. Think about what you need to accomplish in the next week and combine trips. You could literally spend half as much as you do right now.
Avoid rush hour traffic if at all possible.
Pick the things you can live with and good luck!
By Angela Martinez
About The Author: She is the mother of 5 children, ranging from 14 mo. up to 18 yrs. old. She is the author of a variety of articles about familt life and all it's craziness. She enjoys sharing ideas on saving time and money.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
