I’m sure I don’t need to mention to anyone how huge gas bills these days are. However, with a little bit of science and a little bit of ingenuity, you can reduce that bill significantly.

1. Reduce your braking. This is one of the most efficient ways to reduce gas usage, as braking is horribly inefficient. Keep a fair distance away from other cars to avoid sudden braking, and try to coast into red lights rather than braking sharply.
2. Turn off your engine when you’re going to be idle for more than a few seconds. Having the engine running when you’re not moving is like leaving your lights on when you’re not home, but exponentially more expensive.
3. Remove everything from the back of your car that’s not essential. If you have an emergency kit, spare tire, anything of the sort can and should obviously stay, but if you keep your hockey equipment in the back permanently, take it out. The heavier your car, the more gas has to be used to haul it around.
4. Check your tire pressure. If it’s too low, you’re not getting efficient mileage, and it’s likely costing you tons of money in extra gas. At least air is still free!
5. Always maintain your speed as much as possible. When you’re accelerating or slowing down, your engine has to work harder and use more gas. This (and number 1) are the two reasons why highway mileage is often so much better than city mileage. The science behind this one works like this: mass x acceleration = work. If you decrease acceleration, you decrease the work that has to be done.
6. If you’re looking to get a new car, buy a fuel-efficient one. You can get them for relatively cheap, and considering how much you’ll save in gas, it’ll make the car even cheaper. In Canada, you can also get government rebates for buying fuel efficient cars. Natural Resources Canada lists among their top cars in fuel efficiency for 2008 the Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, the Mazda 5 and the Toyota Yaris.
7. In the summer, walk. When the weather is nice outside you’ll feel better by walking to the corner store instead of driving. Of course given geography this isn’t an option for some people, but if you are able to, try to walk instead of using your car. That’s a saving of 100%.

Following these simple tips can help tremendously reduce your gas bill over time. You should be able to implement these tips with relative simplicity.

Popularity: 6% [?]