Every Tuesday we provide you with a helpful tip to help you save money, pay debt, get organized, or otherwise try to improve your day. Today’s tip is to use hypermiling techniques to increase your car’s gas mileage.
ACCC hopes that these tips help your gas mileage.
In recent years, with rising gas prices, consumers are focusing more on one particular aspect of their automobiles – Fuel Economy (aka: Gas Mileage). You can’t really deviate from your car’s required maintenance. It needs oil changes, tires, rotations, tune-ups, new belts, and on and on. Gas mileage is one auto expense that you can actually control (to some extent). Use the following hypermiling techniques to increase your car’s fuel efficiency, lower your fuel costs, and to stick to your budget as best as possible.
- Don’t speed. Most cars reach optimum efficiency from 50-55 mph (but this varies by car model). Efficiency decreases drastically the faster you go over that speed.
- Coast. Take your foot off the gas pedal as often as possible. Coast to red lights and stop signs. Don’t accelerate down hills. Let your momentum carry you until you need to hit the gas again. If your foot is off the pedal, you’re using less fuel.
- Less accelerating/braking. When you hit the brakes, you’ll inevitably have to hit the gas. This is when you use the most fuel. Avoid this problem by leaving plenty of room between yourself and the car in front of you.
- Aerodynamics. Keep your windows rolled up at high speeds to increase your car’s wind resistance.
- Route selection. Choose roads with less stop signs and traffic lights so that you won’t need to brake and accelerate as much.
If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Schedule a free credit counseling session with us today.
