Every little bit helps when it comes to saving money on fuel. Not only does it help your pocketbook but it also helps the Planet.

Doing things like checking tire pressure, keeping your car tuned up and traveling light can all help make your car more eco-friendly and lower your carbon footprint on this Earth.

I realize this may not be an option for many of you, but if it is you might want to seriously consider moving closer to your workplace or changing jobs to work closer to home. If you can work from home, even for only several days a week, the savings could be worth any potential pay cuts. Many employers now offer the option of telecommuting your work projects via the Internet.

When you also consider the time savings of a shorter commute this option may be your biggest savings of all.

Proper Tire Inflation

One thing that people often forget is that the tires on their car are vital to the safety of the driver and their passengers.

In fact, most people only consider their tires when they have to get through an MOT – and all that matters then is being road legal.

But there’s a lot more to tires than keeping the occupants of the car safe.  Having properly inflated tires will decrease your car’s rolling resistance and make the fuel efficiency of the car far better than if your tires don’t have enough pressure in them.

This rule applies to the hybrid car as much as the conventional car. The only difference with a hybrid is that you’ll be increasing your fuel efficiency on two fronts as the mere fact of driving a hybrid is that as it’s got a dual electric-petrol power source, you use less fuel in the first place.

Some people find the prospect of checking their tires such a chore that they just push it to the back of their mind and don’t do it; but once you have done it a few times and established a routine, it should only take a few minutes.

Plan to do the tire check once a month, and combine it with a trip to fill up with fuel as pretty much every fuel station has an air pump available for public use. Consult your owner’s manual to check what PSI you should have, and then just top up each tire to the requisite amount. Whatever brand car you have, whether it’s a Honda, Ford or VW, they all include this information in the driver’s manual. However, if you’ve had the car a while and already changed the tires, or bought it second hand, your car may have different tires than the manufacturer equipped it with. Double check this. Don’t rely on the PSI stamp on the sidewall of the tire itself, as this indicates the maximum pressure the tire will stand – which is higher than the PSI recommended for safe driving.

Remember, when you take the tire pressures, the tires should be cold as warm tires will register with a higher PSI. This figure will be inaccurate when the tires cool down. So do the check before, rather than after, a long journey.

As well as checking the tire pressure, you should also check that the tire tread is greater than the legal minimum. In the UK this is 3mm, but in the US, this varies from state to state, so check with your local garage.

Checking your tires needn’t be a chore, and doing it regularly will offer you a double reward of protection and better fuel economy.

Related articles

• Ways to Make the Car you Drive more Green (gogogreencars.com)
• Best Sites for Buying Tires (verybestsites.com)
• Choosing the right tire type
• Touring Tires
• Proper Tire Inflation

A lot of people were flabbergasted over the past year when gasoline spiked to over $4 a gallon. Even though prices have since declined, experts claim that the good times are short-lived; the price you’ll pay at the pump is going to climb again in the near future. In the spirit of keeping as many dollars in your wallet as possible, we’re going to talk about how maintaining your vehicle can boost its fuel efficiency. In this article, you’ll discover 3 easy things you can do to squeeze as many miles as possible from each gallon of gas.

Get A Tune-Up

Tune-ups involve more than tweaking a few screws and tightening a few hoses. Your mechanic will run a diagnostic test and calibrate your engine and important systems back to factory specifications (or, as close to them as possible). That’s valuable. A lot of drivers don’t realize that there’s an oxygen sensor in their vehicles’ emissions system. If it’s not set right, there will either be too much or too little oxygen present while the engine burns gas. That can slash the fuel efficiency of your engine by over 30%! Get a tune-up and have a technician calibrate it correctly.

Tire Maintenance

Your vehicle’s tires lose air over time. The problem is that if they’re sufficiently inflated, they’ll create too much resistance on the road. That means the engine will have to work a lot harder while you’re driving. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: buy a digital air pressure gauge and use it. Each time you visit the gas station, check the pressure in your tires (your owner’s manual will describe how much pressure your tires need). The digital gauge will cost less than $20 and checking your tires only takes a couple of minutes. That’s a small investment of time and money to enjoy perpetual savings at the pump.

Change The Air Filter

Most people underestimate the importance of the air filter. They know it gets dirty. And they know it only costs a few bucks to buy a new one. But, like most car parts, they rarely think about the filter unless it causes a major problem (for example, they can’t start their car). In truth, you can increase your vehicle’s fuel efficiency by regularly replacing the air filter.

Here’s why: gas isn’t the only substance needed in your car’s engine. It needs air. If the filter is jammed with dirt and debris, air can’t get through it effectively. You’ll still be able to drive your car, but it will be burning gas much less efficiently. Keep the air flow clear by changing your filter every 10,000 miles.

The Little Things Add Up

Proper vehicle maintenance – getting regular tune-ups, keeping your tires inflated, and changing the air filter – can have a substantial impact on your car’s fuel efficiency. It adds up. Over time, you’ll find that you’re paying less money at the pump because your car can use gas more effectively. As the price per gallon of fuel rises, that extra money stays in your pocket.

One of the blights of owning a flashy sports car is the large amount of gasoline they consume. Unlike the larger, bulky vehicles that consume a lot of gas due to their size, sports cars usually burn a lot of gas due to fast accelerations and all around fast driving. With the price of gas going up all over the country, the fun of owning a sports car is quickly diminished when it comes time to visit the pump. In order to reduce a bit of the hurt that these sports cars and do to your wallet, keep these fuel tips in mind.

The first thing that you can do in order to save money at the pump is to simply cut down on your driving. You can try car pooling or taking public transportation when available. This way you can save driving your sports car to when you really enjoy it, not for boring commutes. For when you are driving the car, remember to keep it as light as possible. The fewer heavy objects and people that are in your car when you are driving, the less expensive your fuel bills will be.

One of the more prominent reasons why sports cars guzzle so much fuel is due to their fast acceleration. It is a lot of fun to be able to go from 0 to 60 in just a few seconds, but think about what it is doing to your car’s gas mileage. Keep your foot lightly on the gas pedal while accelerating; there is no need to get off to a lighting fast start all of the time. Another thing that guzzles gas is driving too fast. Driving fast is what makes sports cars fun, but the gas bills that result from it are anything but. In order to get the best fuel efficiency, drive in fifth gear at 40 to 55 miles per hour when possible.

The next thing that you can do in order to increase your sports car’s fuel efficiency is to keep your tires inflated. If you are unsure as to how much air pressure you should have in your tires, consult your vehicles doorjamb, or owner’s manual. The number on the tires themselves may be inaccurate for your particular vehicle.

During the summertime, a debate that often occurs concerns the best way to save on gas, to either open the windows or use the air conditioning. While there is no simple answer, it all depends on a few factors. When driving at faster speeds, it is usually better to have the windows closed in order to prevent drag. When you first enter your vehicle, if it is very hot, it is better to drive around at relatively slow speeds with the windows down. This way you can get rid of the hot air quickly without overworking your air conditioning. If you own a convertible sports car, you will burn less fuel if you keep your top up.

That seems to be the question of the hour.  I’ve some swear they get up to 5% better fuel efficiency by adding acetone in the tank, others have said it doesn’t work.  So what is the real story?

I don’t have a clue… Personally, I haven’t seen much of an increase at all but I’m wondering if that has more to do with my lead foot.

Here with a not so scientific experiment on the issue is the always fun Landon Gendur.

I’m all for eco-friendly fuel additives that help with fuel efficiency so I suffered through this video, even though this guy sounds like my old High School Science teacher…   snooze….

But listen up kids you can learn all about higher combustion temperatures and lubricating layer.

I guess you can tell by the theme of this months post, I’m on a search to save at the gas pump.

These monthly gas bills are killing me and I work from home…

I can’t imagine what is happening to the poor souls who must commute to work.

Plus as you know.. this blog is about being energy efficient and environmentally friendly so every tiny little thing we can so to reduce our carbon footprint is a major bonus to me.

The Car Owner’s Guide To Fuel Efficiency

We can decide whether or not to visit the mall. We can even put off going to the grocery store (for awhile, anyway). The one venue that is inescapable for most of us is the gas station. Without weekly trips, our cars – and our daily lives – would come to a grinding halt.

Despite their familiarity with the gas pump, most drivers have no idea how stations set their prices. With millions of motorists filling up the tanks in their SUVs or driving long commutes, the price per gallon is more important than ever. Below, I’ll expose a common myth that many people have about gas prices at the pump. I’ll also provide a short list of three fuel-efficient vehicles that are popular among drivers and auto critics.

Exposing A Common Myth

A lot of people believe that higher prices at the pump translate into higher profits for the station owner. In truth, that’s not the case. Profits tend to stay at the same level no matter how high or low the price per gallon. The thing that hurts owners the most is investing in long-term contracts at higher prices. When those prices drop, profits evaporate.

3 Fuel-Efficient Cars Worth Considering

The SUV trend that gripped the nation for years seems to be dissipating. More drivers are not only open to buying a fuel-efficient vehicle, they’re actively shopping for them. Here are 3 makes and models that are both reliable and easy on your pocketbook at the gas station:

#1 – Toyota Prius

Topping nearly every fuel-efficiency list is Toyota’s fast-selling Prius. This is the car that arguably started the hybrid craze. It gets approximately 45 mpg and at today’s gasoline prices, will sip just under $700 in gas per year (assuming you’re driving a standard 15,000 miles each year).

#2 – Honda Civic

This model comes in two forms: as a hybrid or equipped with a conventional gas-powered engine. The hybrid can deliver 42 mpg (an average between city streets and the highway) which means it will cost about $700 per year in fuel.

#3 – MINI Cooper

The MINI Cooper has its share of fans and critics. But, it’s hard to ignore how many miles per gallon it gets (37 on the highway). While not as efficient as the Prius or Civic, the MINI Cooper isn’t a hybrid. That makes its performance even more impressive. At current gasoline prices, it will cost approximately $1,100 to drive each year.

Most automotive experts agree that gas prices will only go up in the future. And because our daily commutes are not shrinking, it may be time to consider buying a more fuel-efficient vehicle. The 3 makes and models above are consistent performers that will help you keep a few dollars in your wallet each week.