[jason]

Saving money at the gas pump is on everyone’s mind these days. While it may seem that filling the gas tank will require a second mortgage on the house, there are ways you can save money and increase efficiency. One thing you should keep in mind is never overlook the obvious solutions. They may not be exactly what you think they are!

Drive your car less: You may initially think this is impossible, but think again. There are car pools and simple basic planning. Everyone has heard of car pools, and they do save money. Planning your routes is another way to save big. We are accustomed to getting in our cars and just going. We run to the store, then hurry home before it’s time to pick up Susie from soccer practice. We run out to get Susie, and take her home before going to get fuel in the car. That’s a lot of mileage, and gas, which could have been avoided. Try to plan out the errands you have to make so that they are more stream-lined. A more economical way to have handled the above scenario would be: Stop and get fuel on your way to pick up Susie. Take Susie with you to grocery shop, then head home. Simple, isn’t it?

Stop speeding: No, we don’t work for the highway patrol, but we do realize that your car reaches optimum fuel performance at 35-60 miles per hour. If you are speeding, you are wasting fuel. On the interstate, driving the speed limit will save you money. It is normally the stop and start inter-city driving that costs the most. When driving in the city, don’t punch it to make that light that is turning red. Most city traffic signals are timed. You can either wait during this red light, or the next one, but you cannot completely avoid the red lights.

Avoid driving in rush hour: Rush hour has probably the most instances of having to apply the brakes while driving on the interstate. You are actually better off taking the long way than driving at the peak of rush hour.

Travel lightly: Avoid constantly carrying too much extra weight in your car or van. The amount of weight in your car directly effects gas mileage. Taking those boxes out of the garage may have made more room up there, but carrying the boxes around in your car will cost you money!

Keep your car well maintained: It cannot be stressed enough that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It is better to get into a maintenance schedule than to be taxed with the heavy cost of repairs on your car. Cars are cheaper to maintain than they are to fix!

Saving money is priority for everyone. Don’t make your car and upkeep cost more than it needs to. By taking a few extra precautions you can save a lot of money and worry. Start saving today!