10 Super Easy Ways To Save Money On Gas

We all remember the days of over $4.00 a gallon for gas back in 2008. Guess what? We are about to see those days all over again... except this time it might get even worse.

There really is nothing we can do as consumers to really change the price of oil. The only way to avoid the price of gas from burning through our pockets is to change our daily habits. Below I have compiled a list of 10 ways to save money at the pump.

1. Change the type of car you drive. This is an obvious answer, but if you are in the search for a different car, you may want to consider buying one that has better gas mileage. Buying a hybrid car can save you hundreds of dollars a month depending on how much you drive. The two most popular hybrids are the Toyota Prius and the Ford Fusion Hybrid. Both are great cars. If you have the money and don't want to buy a hybrid, be one of the first to buy an electric vehicle! As gas prices rise, electric vehicles may be the way to go. The only two out on the market right now is the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt. Later this year, Ford will release the electric Focus. In 2012, you will start to see the Tesla Model S. Hybrids and electric cars tend to cost more. A cheaper alternative would be a compact car like the Ford Fiesta or Chevy Cruze.

2. Drive slower. I am sure that many of us enjoy speeding on the highway to reach our destination faster. It is a proven fact that driving faster increases the drag of you car, and therefore giving you lower gas mileage.

3. Close your windows. With windows open (especially at high speeds) it will increase the turbulence and cost you more fuel. If it is a super hot day, and you absolutely need some sort of way of cooling down, it is best to leave your windows open on low speeds, and use the air conditioning on higher speeds.

4. Make your vehicle lighter. Remove any unnecessary things that you have in your car. If you have a bike rack on the top of your vehicle and you do not need it, now would be a good time to remove it.

5. Draft other cars on the highway. Drafting (I don't mean start tailing people) can increase your fuel economy. This is not exactly always recommended, but if you have enough skill, do it. Drafting is what race car drivers (like at NASCAR) do when racing. Drafting will reduce the drag on your car.

6. Plan your trips! If you or other people in your household need to go places, then try and combine your trips so that you don't need to drive from your house multiple times. If you are driving somewhere new, try and find the quickest and shortest route.

7. Keep your tires inflated! Fully inflated tires actually can save a lot of money. Under inflated tires will use up more fuel and at the same time they will wear out the tread on your tires faster.

8. Remove those snow tires! The United States and many other countries experienced heavy snow this year. If the weather is fine and there are no more forecast for snow, remove those tires. Snow tires (which have deeper treads and are bigger tires) use more fuel.

9. Turn off the lights. During the nighttime you should still be using your headlights of course, but during the day when they are not needed, turn them off!

10. Avoid long warm ups. Cars nowadays (especially the newer ones) do not need time to warm up before driving. If it is really cold outside, you will only need about a minute or so to warm up your car. You do not need a whole 10 minutes that many people do.

I hope that these 10 tips on saving money on gasoline will help you out. Remember that every little bit of gas saving tips will help you out in the long run. If you have any additional ways to save money on gas, lets hear them in the comments below!