By Katrina Robinson
There’s no denying it: gasoline prices are outrageous. They’ve been going up and down for years now (mostly up), and everyone is trying to find ways to save on the pricey fuel. However, a lot of the methods can be irritating, unrealistic, or downright ridiculous. So we’ve gathered together three totally painless ways that you can help to save on gas costs.
1. Clean out your trunk
It may sound odd, but one way that you can reduce the amount of gas your car uses is by emptying out your trunk. Chances are that you don’t even know half of the things that are stuffed back there, so why not take an afternoon to clean out all those unused items? While you’re at it, go ahead and take out the bowling bag and gulf clubs that are lounging in your back seat. According to Edmunds, “An extra 100 pounds in the trunk will reduce your fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent in the typical vehicle.”
2. Turn off your A/C
Sure, you won’t want to go without air conditioning in the deep south during the summer, but by turning off your air conditioning, you can save up to 10% of the fuel you would otherwise consume. So do yourself (and your wallet) a favor and turn off the A/C when it’s bearable to do so. If you can’t force yourself to hit the “off” switch, follow these tips to keep your car as cool as possible so that your A/C doesn’t have to do so much work:
- Park in the shade whenever you can
- Roll down your windows slightly to allow air to circulate through your car while parked
- Turn off your air conditioning five minutes prior to reaching your destination
3. Lose the thick-soled shoes
It might seem like an odd way to save money, but by driving in thin-soled shoes, you’ll do just that. It’s recommended that you wear driving footwear that has a thin sole so that you can accurately feel how much pressure is needed to properly brake and accelerate. That pair of platform shoes can actually cause you to accelerate more than necessary, which leads to wasted gas.
Those are just three ways that you can help to save money on gas—and they’re all completely painless! Are there any other easy ways you can think of to reduce the amount of money you spend on fuel?
Katrina Robinson is a freelance writer who covers a wide variety of subjects, from personal finance to obtaining a private student loan to student loan consolidation.
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