9 Tips to Reduce Your Fuel Costs while Staying Safe
Gas in the DFW area is heading toward $5/gallon. And it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down soon.
If you’re budget minded, then it’s time to take some action to reduce your fuel costs. Fortunately, these aren’t drastic changes (we’re not going to suggest you ride a bike for your 20+ mile commute… unless you really want to, in which case you’re awesome!). Instead, these are practical methods anyone can quickly and easily employ.
Change the Way you Drive
We all have some bad driving habits. Sometimes they’re just annoying (like constantly tapping fingers on the steering wheel), others are dangerous (like changing lanes suddenly without signaling causing a car wreck), others cost you money (like revving the engine). Here are three ways changing the way you drive can reduce your costs.
Carpool – There’s a good chance someone nearby is going the same direction as you are; probably more than one person. Finding a carpool buddy reduces your gas usage by half; finding 3 reduces it to a quarter.
Take Public Transit – The DFW area has an incredibly robust bus system. You can hop on a bus (or two) from just about anywhere in the Metroplex, and get to where you need to go.
Optimize your Route – Planning out your trip can mean saving dozens of miles every day. Does it take a little extra work? Sometimes, but saving a hundred gallons of gas each year is probably worth it.
Change the Way you Maintain
Vehicle maintenance not only extends the life of your car, but it can also ensure that you’re not burning through more fuel than necessary. Check out the three ways that you can ensure your engine is running optimally.
Tire Pressure – Underinflated tires pose a risk. Not only do you get worse gas mileage, but you risk blowing one out and causing a wreck.
Oil Changes – When was the last time you had your oil changed? As your oil breaks down, your engine has to work harder. A harder working engine consumes more gas.
Windows – No, it’s not about keeping them clean (although that’s important for safe driving). It’s about keeping them up; especially on the highway. The added drag can drastically cut down on your fuel economy.
Change the Way you Spend
Even if you’re spending less, it still hurts to see those dollars tick up and up at the pump when you do get gas. Changing up how you spend (and where you spend) can help lessen the sting.
Use an App – There are great apps out there to help you find the cheapest gas around, and there are some that pay you cash back for using them. Find one that’s convenient, so you can fill up at a lower cost.
Get Store Perks – Many gas stations reward their loyal customers. Usually it’s as easy as plugging in your phone number to get a little discount per gallon.
Get Credit Card Perks – If you have a rewards based credit card, and the discipline to pay off the balance each month, you can rack up points quickly if you have to fill up often.
Herbert Law Group Helps Car Wreck Victims
Want to know what’s going to cost you far more than spending five bucks a gallon at the pump?
It’s taking a settlement from an insurance company that is looking out for their profits, and not your well-being. A low-ball settlement might look good at first, but it likely won’t meet all of your needs.
Instead, you focus on healing from your injuries, and don’t worry about the stress of the settlement. That’s why Herbert Law Group is here. We’ll take on that stress, so you receive compensation after a car wreck that adequately covers your needs.
To get started, we just need to have a conversation to determine if we’re a good fit. Give us a call at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll be in touch. No obligation to become a client; let’s get to know each other first.