7 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY DRIVING THE CAR YOU HAVE NOW

2009-11-09T20:19:53-05:00

The price of gasoline at the pump where I live has been going up the last few weeks. I need to remind myself that there are ways to save fuel while driving the Buick that I already own.

1. Avoid Idling.

Running the engine, while the car is standing still gets you zero miles per gallon. That is as low as it can go.

Big engines waste fuel fester while idling than small engines. Idling at traffic lights and waiting at drive in windows waste your money.

Starting your car and waiting until it warms up to clear the windows on winter mornings, wastes gasoline. It is less expensive to use a portable electric space heater, inside your car, to melt the ice on the windshield. Don’t forget to unplug the extension cord before driving away.

2. Tune-ups and clean fuel systems save you money.

You can save about 4 cents on every dollars worth of fuel just by keeping your engine tuned and clean. Fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent. Clean fuel injectors are important.

Myth buster: Dirty air filters on cars that have modern computer controlled fuel injection do not reduce your miles per gallon. The computer corrects the air fuel ratio based on the reduced airflow through the dirty filter. For more information see

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/Air_Filter_Effects_02_26_2009.pdf

You do loose power because a dirty air filter reduces the maximum amount of fuel air mixture that can get into the engine. A dirty air filter might actually save gas because when you floor the accelerator pedal, the car won’t use as much gas as a clean air filter would let you.

Keeping a dirty air filter on your car is like having a governor that limits your engine’s power. I do not recommend it.

3. Keep your tires up to pressure.

You can save about 3 cents on every dollars worth of fuel by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1-psi drop.

Properly inflated tires are safer because you give the best steering control and good traction. Tires with the wrong pressure can blow out. You also save money because tires with the right pressure last longer before needing replacement.
The right tire pressure for your vehicle can be found on a sticker on the edge of driver's side door where the door latch is.

Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire's sidewall. The pressure on the tire is a maximum pressure safety rating, not the right operating pressure for your vehicle.

4. Use the right oil

You can improve your gas mileage by about 2 cents per dollars worth of fuel by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1 or 2 percent.

Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by one percent, or so. Look for motor oil that has an American Petroleum Institute (API) label that says, "Energy Conserving."

5. Lose 100 Pounds

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle. Get the junk out of your trunk. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your miles per gallon by up to 2 percent.

6. Don’t Drive 5 Over

In some States, there is an unwritten rule that it is OK to drive five miles an hour faster than the speed limit. If you drive over 60 mph, understand that you are throwing money away. Most vehicles reach peak fuel economy at speeds below 60.

Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas.

The science is not that simple, but it is true that the aerodynamic drag increases rapidly above 60 mph.

Observing the speed limit is also safer. Avoiding an accident saves your money big time.

7. Smooth Driving Saves You Money

Jerky stops and starts waste money on fuel. The less you use the gas pedal the less fuel you use. The same is true with the brake pedal.

The difference can be as much as 30 to 40%. The way you drive is the biggest factor when comes to saving money on your fuel bill.

Accelerating slowly and stopping gradually save fuel and wear and tear on your car. It is good to have power available, when you need it to get out of the path of danger, but flooring the gas pedal costs you money.

You can reduce the amount of braking you do by leaving plenty of room between you and the vehicle ahead. Plan ahead by looking as far up the road as you can.

Don’t rush up to a red light. Coasting toward a red light may give it time to turn green so you don’t need to brake.

Drive like you don’t have any brakes and you will save on fuel.

Click here for a free money saving report written by the Energy Boomer titled HOW SAVE MONEY ON YOUR NEXT HEATING BILL

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Save by Warming Yourself Before You Warm the Whole House

2009-11-02T19:11:23-05:00

You can save your money if you put on a sweater or sweatshirt before you turn up the thermostat. Each degree lower than 72 you can keep the thermostat decreases your fuel bill by about 3 percent.

If you can keep your thermostat no higher than 68 you save, about 12% compared to keeping your house a toasty 72 degrees. So, if your heating bill is about $150 a month you can save about $18. That will add up over the course of a winter.

I have an ugly red plaid wool blend jacket with big pockets that I wear inside the house during cold weather.

My slim wife often wears a blouse under a sweatshirt with her green fleece jacket layered over top along with corduroy pants. The top layer comes off when she is busy with housework. When she takes a break, she puts the green jacket back on.

I don’t know where the idea came from that all you need is a tee shirt and jeans when you are at home. Maybe it is OK for summertime but not in cold weather.

Flannel shirts, wool socks, slipper sox, red flannel long johns, corduroy trousers, long wool skirts, smoking jackets, vests, housecoats, cardigan sweaters, wool trousers and many other old fashion warm clothes should be making a comeback.

Fleece is a great modern substitute for wool for many warm garments. Fleece is easy to care for and less expensive than wool or flannel. My wife makes fleece pullover tops with a hood to keep the grandkids warm.

Warm yourself and the bed to save heating the house at night

Warm flannel or fleece PJ’s and nightgowns will help keep you warm as you sleep. Layer on the blankets and top it with a quilt to stay cozy warm while the furnace sleeps too.

It will cost you less to use an electric blanket while keeping the thermostat low. Keep the bed warm but let the house cool down.

If you have wood floors, keep a throw rug and slippers by the bedside to avoid frozen toes when you sleep walk.

Having the digital thermostat automatically warm up the house a half hour or so before you get up in the morning is a money saving luxury that I like.

We really are comfortable with the thermostat set at 68 during the day and at 62 at night all winter long.

Green folks like reducing the amount of fuel burned to heat their homes. These days the rest of us are happy just to save some money.

Click here for a free money saving report written by the Energy Boomer titled HOW SAVE MONEY ON YOUR NEXT HEATING BILL

Click here to return to Energy Boomer home page

ENERGY BOOMER

7 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY DRIVING THE CAR YOU HAVE NOW

Save by Warming Yourself Before You Warm the Whole House