Get some relief from the high gas prices

Gas prices are high and look set to remain that way for some time. This will have an effect on everyone who uses their car regularly, whether that is as a small business, or just as a family car. Buying gas at low-cost stations is only a temporary solution, and when it seems like all the latest taxes, interest rate rises and costs of transporting the gas are going to be passed straight to the consumer, the time has come to start making savings on gas.

Of course, the easiest way of making savings on gas is to take fewer trips; but if this is not practical for you, then there are other ways of reducing your fuel costs with a few simple tips. 

It is important to ensure that you maintain your momentum while travelling wherever you can. The less inertia your car has to struggle against, the better, both for keeping the car in top condition, and reducing the amount of fuel it uses. Every time you have to press the car onwards, the car has to use more fuel. Driving carefully so that you do not have to make 'jackrabbit' starts, or crank up the gears again and again, means that you get more miles to your gallon.

Emptying your car of everything unnecessary is also likely to help you in making savings on gas. Excess weight in the car, whether in the trunk or inside the car itself will mean that your car will be slowed down, and it will take more fuel (ie, more effort) in order to travel the same distance. Lightening the load means better fuel efficiency. 200 pounds of weight is equal to a reduction of one mile per gallon in mileage.

Almost half of all the energy needed to drive the car is used through acceleration. Some drivers develop a habit of shooting forward from a stop, and then slamming on the brakes at the next red light. Of course, all this stopping and starting uses up a lot of fuel; better driving habits can mean making savings on gas of between 5 and 10 percent.

Start a car pool with co-workers. Sharing the journey helps reduce the monotony of travel, and all passengers will contribute to the cost of your journey, making it more economical. Moreover, if you share the driving duties, some week days you won't have to drive to work at all.

Don't use the air-con unless you really need to; rolling down a window in summer is much more economical. Air-con is one of the most wasteful additions to a car; not only does it cause extra stress on the engine, but it also reduces fuel efficiency by 5-10 percent. When you want to be making savings on gas, air-con is decidedly expensive. It also makes more work for the engine, and means that it is less efficient in other ways, as well as decreasing the lifespan of some of the engine parts.