How To Get Free Money By Paying Less For Your Gasoline

Article by TriCityLocal.com
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October 26, 2008 - Can you believe the price of gas these days? What will the price be if we have another hurricane in the Gulf? What about trouble in the oil rich Middle East? We should shudder to think about those possibilities.

Let's face it, the price of gas will not go down, it will only go up. Whether it goes up slowly or quickly is beyond our control. What is in our control is the price we pay for gasoline and how we act to save money at the pump. Here are nine tips to save cash at the pump. Several are common sense and several of them are little known tricks that help you save money.

Tip 1 Take some time to plan your travel. Whether it's going to work, shopping, vacation, or to run errands, think how you can save gas. Find a short cut to work (this may be a longer route but with less traffic). Combine your errand running with shopping. Choose a closer place to your home for your vacation.

Tip 2 Reduce the use of your air-conditioning. When the air-conditioning is used, gas mileage decreases. It’s obvious on very hot days you have no choice, but on warm days, go with the air ventilation system and open windows.

Tip 3 Do not use high-octane gas. Almost every car on the market does very well with normal octane gasoline. Unless the manufacturer specifically tells you to use high-octane gas, you are wasting your money. The octane rating of gas measures how difficult it is to ignite the gas and has nothing to do with fuel efficiency. If you hear your engine pinging or knocking, then change to a higher-octane gas.

Tip 4 Use a gasoline credit card. Many credit card companies are falling over themselves offering you great incentives to use their card. Some cards offer a 5% rebate every time you use it to buy gas. That’s almost $.15 savings per gallon at today’s prices. Some people have seen limited time 10% offers so shop around.

Tip 5 Don’t get your gas when the station has just refilled their tanks. Think about what happens when you pour more gasoline into a large container like a fuel tank. The “junk” from the bottom of the tank gets stirred up. These particles will enter your gas tank when you fill your car and decrease the efficiency. By the way, these particles don’t help the fuel line filter either. Wait several hours after the gas station has refilled their tanks to get your gas.

Tip 6 Pump your own gas. It’s not hard and can save you a lot of cash. In New Jersey it is illegal to pump your own gas. But, for instance, the price for full service gas in New Jersey is cheaper than in Pennsylvania.

Tip 7 Shop around for the cheapest station. Since gas is a commodity, it doesn’t matter which brand you buy. It is possible to find a station that is consistently $.10 to $.15 cheaper than stations closer to you. The cheap station is a mile farther than the more expensive stations but well worth the money saved.

Tip 8 Buy your gas when the temperature is cool like in the morning before going to work or early evening. The pumps at gas stations measure the volume of gas not the density. Since gas is denser when it is cooler, you will improve your overall gas mileage.

Tip 9 The greatest tip for saving money on gas is to purchase a vehicle with the greatest mileage rating. Whenever the time come for you to buy a new car or truck, do you homework and look for fuel efficient vehicles. Make sure it meets your needs. You don’t want a Mini Cooper when you need an SUV to haul 2 kids around. Take the time to research what vehicle meets your needs and buy the one with the greatest fuel economy.

These nine tips will save you money when you get gas. Treat yourself to a treat with your free money instead of giving it to the big oil companies.