Given my official status as an injured runner, I’ve had to make some significant changes to my daily commute. Gone are the blissful bike commutes I’ve enjoyed for nearly the past year; replaced with hair-rasing jaunts on the highway with thousands of disgruntled New Englanders. I’m sure you can sense how much I’m loving this temporary change!

In addition to the joyful experience of gridlock traffic has come an increase in my gas bill. Yesterday, I nearly had a heart attack when I pulled into the station and saw the price for regular unleaded is now $4.10 (but I do realize it’s even higher in other areas). In an effort to still keep my spending under control while my knee fully heals, I’ve taken to researching some of the best ways to cut down on your gas bill. Here’s the best of what I’ve been able to find:

Save Gas Before You Leave Home

• Size isn’t everything. Fuel efficiency is not a time to compare who’s SUV is bigger–bigger car often means bigger gas bill. Consider a smaller, compact car when renting vehicles or consider purchasing a hybrid for your next car. 
  
• Properly inflate your tires. Want an increase of 3.3% or more for fuel efficiency? Make sure to keep your tires inflated to the manufacturer’s specifications as much as possible. Many gas stations now offer automatic air pumps that will inflate your tires to a pre-determined amount typed in before operation. One final note on this topic is to try to inflate your tires first thing (when they are cold) instead of driving for miles and miles.
• Clean out your car. If you don’t need it for an emergency, you shouldn’t be carrying it around with you. Clean out the trunk, the backseat, etc. Doing so will lessen the load for your car and can have dramatic effects on your gas mileage!
• Don’t be a drag. Unless you’re going to be biking, skiing, or kayaking that day, you shouldn’t drive around with a rack on your car for everyday commuting. The drag created by your roof rack can cut your gas mileage upwards of 15%! Additionally, you should keep your sun roof and windows closed as much as possible while on the highway to avoid excess drag.
• Have a checklist. Going away for the day or weekend? Make sure to have a checklist before packing up to avoid forgetting vital items (such as a camera, etc.). Ensuring you have everything you need prior to pulling out of the driveway will avoid extra, unnecessary trips that will cost you extra gas.
• Clear the air. Don’t forget to maintain the quality of your air filter. A good time to check this is when you’re having an oil change. I personally check mine once a quarter, and I’ve used a stiff-bristled brush to clean it between actual replacements. Either way, you’re sure to increase gas mileage by properly taking care of this easily-overlooked item.
• Replace the spark plugs. As with the air filter, make sure to replace your spark plugs as necessary.
• Check the oil. It’s crucial to use the proper type of oil for your car. Using the wrong type can increase the viscosity in your engine, which leads to higher temps and more gas used.
• Enjoy the shade. Utilize a windshield shade to decrease the temperature in your car on hot days so you’re not cranking the A/C the moment you get in. Also, make sure to park in the shade whenever possible. Did you know that small amounts of gas evaporate from your tank on hot, sunny days? Minimize this by cozying up to your favorite tree or parking in the garage.
• Plan your route. Double-up on errands, know where construction is that may slow you down, find the easiest route from point A to point B. Planning your route helps to cut down on driving time and vehicle wear & tear and doing both saves gas.
• Timing is everything. Download a traffic app, pay attention to traffic websites, and/or get to know the heavy-traveled times in your area. Avoiding rush hour means you’re not stopping & going constantly, nor are you burning unnecessary gas while sitting on a gridlocked highway.
• Use the buddy system. If you haven’t done so already, download the GasBuddy app. Doing so will save you hundreds of dollars on gas by showing you the cheapest stations in your area, on your route, etc. It will also give you historical data of your trips so you can plan more efficiently.
• Walk, bike, take public transportation, and/or carpool more. Not driving means not using gas which means putting more money back in your pocket. Minimize your drive time whenever possible!

 Save Gas While at the Station

• Fill’er up. Make sure to fill up your tank each time you have to visit the station. Save time and money by filling up once instead of making multiple trips for each $10 or $20 you put in the tank.
• Don’t top it off. When you hear that first “click” and the pump stops, that means it’s time to hang it up. There’s no need to top off your tank–especially when you consider that doing so is bad for the environment, your gas tank, and your wallet (most of that extra fuel just sloshes out as you drive away anyway).
• A quarter is the limit. Reduce wear & tear of your car’s fuel pump by not traveling too far when the tank reach 1/4 full. This is especially important in cold weather as the temperature changes can cause condensation in your fuel system, which can lead to very costly repairs. This is one instance where it certainly pays to play it safe.
• Tighten up. Minimize evaporation and fuel loss by ensuring your gas cap is always nice & tight.
• Become a member. Seek out gas stations or grocery stores in your area that offer rewards programs. My local grocery store gives me gas points each time I shop, and I’ve often accumulated enough to save 20-40 cents/gallon.
• Lower octane = higher savings. Unless you’re driving a luxury car, there’s really no need to pay for premium gas. The lower the octane, the higher your savings–without engine damage!

Save Gas While Driving

• Slow & steady wins the race. If you routinely speed along, prepare to pay for more gas more often. You can improve your gas mileage by over 20% just by slowing down a mere 10mph.
• Lay off the brakes. This is one of my favorites because I can’t for the life of me understand why people will hit the brakes instead of taking their foot off the accelerator in order to slow down. Stop & go traffic is one thing, but hitting your brakes randomly while on the highway when there’s nobody in front of you? It will kill your gas mileage, cause damage to your vehicle, and cost you more money.
• Cruise along. Utilize cruise control as much as possible but remember to turn it off when traveling on hilly roads because the system will still try to maintain the set speed and will suck gas–and money out of your wallet–an exponential speeds.
• Have a permanent no idle zone. Idling is bad, no matter how you look at it. Whenever possible, shift into neutral or turn off your car. That includes when you’re cruising through the drive-thru. Yes, you may spend a minute or two longer to park your car and walk inside, but you’ll be getting to stretch your legs and make your gas money last longer.
• Skip the A/C. Unless you’re on the highway, you should try very hard not to use your A/C. Obviously this is tough for those who live in the South, but it’s suggested that when you’re traveling 40mph or less, you should open your windows instead because the drag created uses far less fuel than the A/C would.
• Shift it right. One rule of thumb for the manual transmission folks out there is to shift up early and shift down late.
• Don’t tailgate. There’s no reason to exercise your inner Masshole–please back off of that car’s bumper, at least in an effort to avoid hard braking which will eat up more gas than gradual stops and controlled driving habits!
• Avoid the jack-rabbit start. Your daily commute isn’t the time to pretend you’re in a NASCAR race. Clamping down on the gas pedal when the light turns green floods your engine with excess gas, which can’t be used properly, which in turn means additional fill-ups. Save the drag racing for the go-kart racing; it’s much more economically suited in that arena!