6 Gas-Saving Tips You May Not Have Heard Yet

With gas prices up 28 cents in 10 days, using less gas has never been more important. You’ve heard the typical tips before, i.e. avoiding the “lead foot” and keeping your car properly maintained, but the Frugal Living blog has come up with some creative tips for saving gas that you may not have thought of. Take a look:

  1. Skip the Drive-Thru: sitting in a drive-thru line for food, an ATM or whatever is a good way to burn gas. Just park and walk in. Not only will you save gas – you’ll also burn a few calories!
  2. Park Further Away: circling and maneuvering parking lots while trying to find the closest spot to the store is also a good way to waste gas. Just park further away and walk and you’ll avoid the unnecessary circling.
  3. Hang Up and Drive: talking on the cell can actually make you less aware of how you’re driving. Try to focus on not breaking those gas-saving rules instead of jabbering away on the phone.
  4. Check the Traffic Reports: taking a minute to check these before you head out may save you from sitting in traffic and wasting gas on your way to your destination. (Editor’s update: Google Maps is great for this!)
  5. Streamline Your Vehicle: things like bike racks, car top carriers and flags take away from how aerodynamic your car is on its own. Keep the add-ons to a minimum and reduce wind resistance and gas consumption.
  6. Don’t Lane Hop: switching lanes often means that you’re accelerating and braking more often. Try keeping your lane hopping to a minimum.

Check out more creative and timely tips over at Frugal Living’s Ways to Use Less Gas (That Go Beyond the Obvious).