How To Make Your Full Tank Of Gas Last Longer
Find out how you can make your gas last longer and save money with these clever tips!
This article is more than 2 years old
Finding ways to make your gas last longer is at the forefront of the minds of many as of late, and for good reason. The prices individuals are paying at the pump have been soaring in recent months. More aptly, they are not just soaring but skyrocketing out of the stratosphere to almost unfathomable heights. Data from AAA puts the current national average at a cringeworthy $4.318 per gallon.
A big culprit behind the staggering gas price hikes is inflation. It has caused prices to jump in almost every consumer market imaginable. Case and point – the price of gas. The Consumer Price Index’s newest figure has pegged it at a rate of 7.9%, which officially surpasses a record set four decades earlier. It’s not going to get better for a while, either. Especially in terms of the price one has to pay for gas. And the gas price situation is only being further complicated by Russia’s exploits against Ukraine. Sanctions imposed on Russian oil combined with unceasing inflation serve up a recipe that will keep prices bloated for the foreseeable future. Paying higher prices for gas right now is inevitable, which brings us back to the question of just how can you make your gas last longer? Luckily, we have some strategies for you, because, in a market as volatile as this, every penny saved counts!
PLAN YOUR ERRANDS AHEAD OF TIME
Planning your errands in advance can go a long way to save you money on gas. Take the time to sit down and write out everything you need to get done. If you can get it all done in one day, even better! Then strategize a route to tackle each errand one by one. You get bonus points if you can kill two birds with one stone by satisfying more than one errand at one stop!
By thoughtfully working out ahead of time what you need to get done you’ll avoid having to make extra trips which will, in turn, use up gas that you could have otherwise saved. Also, by drawing up a route by which you intend to fulfill your errands you could very well cut down on a few miles driven. All in all, making a plan and sticking to it will make your gas last longer.
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE
What’s the hurry? No need to be a roadrunner! A study done by State Farm shows that driving at a constant rate near the posted speed limit will deplete the amount of gas you’re using at a slower rate than if you were cruising at faster speeds. Also, it’s important to be cognizant of how much and how consistently you are braking.
Every time you brake and then accelerate it uses more gas than if you were just coasting along. Using cruise control can help with this on highways. Or if you are driving around town, try to ease into stops versus braking hard at the last minute. The big takeaways here are: don’t put your pedal to the metal and practice braking with finesse. Follow those two points and you will assuredly make your gas last longer.
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
Taking your car for regular oil changes, staying abreast of any mechanical issues that may arise, and keeping on top of tune-ups are all important in maintaining a properly working vehicle. However, AAA detailed that what you may not know is that they are also essential in helping to make your gas last longer. If your car isn’t in tip-top shape it puts more strain on the vehicle when you’re operating it which in turn causes the car’s systems to work harder which then directly translates into using gas up at a quicker rate. Avoid that by staying diligent with maintaining your vehicle.
THE CONCLUSION
These are just a few tips regarding the ways you can make your gas last longer in this inflated economy. Simply implementing these changes can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. As an added note, when you do go to fill your tank, try to go to a station in town rather than out on a major thoroughfare as gas prices on highways tend to be more expensive than what you would pay at a local station. Also, if possible, try to fill up at a “Top Tier” station like Exxon or Shell. Those companies stock gas with higher octane levels that allow it to last for longer. Ultimately, you can’t control the price you pay at the pump, but what you do have some control over is how quickly you use up your gas.
