5 Ways to Reduce Your Car Fuel Costs
Fuel can be expensive – there is no doubt about that. Even though prices are dropping dramatically, you still have to visit the gas station every week to fill up. This is especially the case if you take your car to work every day, or if you have a large vehicle with poor fuel economy. Indeed, it seems like there is no creative solution to saving money on gas. However, if you do get creative and resourceful, there are actually many ways to reduce your fuel costs. It is all about lowering your mileage, your stall times, and you must take care of your car. Here are five ways to reduce your car fuel costs.
- Avoid traffic as much as possible. One of the best ways to save money on fuel expenses is to avoid traffic. This may seem difficult if you live in a congested city, but there are always ways to get around traffic. You can wait until it dies down, you could take alternate routes, or you could take side streets during the busiest hours. When you wait in traffic, you are only burning through fuel and money.
- Find the gas stations with the lowest rates. On top of staying out of traffic, you also want to find gas stations that have discounted prices. These stations usually sell fuel for ten to twenty cents per gallon less than the name-brand stations. It may not be the very best quality gas, but if you are burning it anyways, it won’t really matter. If you map out and plan your fill-ups accordingly, you can save a lot of money each month.
- Purchase an electric vehicle. Another option – albeit a more drastic option – is to purchase an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles require no fuel – they run on a moderately self-generating battery cell. Electric vehicles also have other benefits too. According to statistics, people with electric vehicles pay less for auto insurance. Before you purchase an electric vehicle, you may want to speak with an insurance brokerage firm, like the Charles Goodman Group, to find out how much you can save on your insurance rates.
- Get an oil change every few thousand miles. If you don’t get an oil change every few thousand miles, your vehicle won’t operate as efficiently. Plus, the engine’s seats will start to grind and it could affect the lifespan of your vehicle. Moreover, not getting an oil change can make your car less fuel-efficient. Ideally, you want to change your oil every 3000 miles – you may want to leave a reminder on your windshield so that you don’t forget.
- Use the right type of gasoline. On top of everything, you also want to use the right type of gasoline. If you don’t use the gasoline that is intended for your vehicle, you could be paying more for fuel. For instance, if you have a high performance vehicle, you don’t want to use low-grade gasoline. In the end, you’ll be paying more at the pump – but saving more on the road.
With a rental vehicle, worries about the car breaking down do not arise as the rental company would provide you with another car without any additional charge. And you also get to choose the type of car you want. If you are travelling in rough terrain, a rental SUV would help a great deal than your regular city drive, which can get damaged in the rough roads. In case of leisure or business trips, when you travel by air and take a rental to your destination, you save time and effort taken to drive the full distance.
Category: Family Finances
