1. Buy cheap gas.
2. Use less gas.

Here's how.

Plan Ahead
Lots of people wait until their tank is almost empty and then, for fear of running out of gas, fill up at the nearest (expensive) station. Instead, plan ahead to buy gas at your favorite cheap station before you're low on gas.

Buy the Cheap Stuff
Most cars run happily on 87 octane gas. Check your car owner's manual to see what the manufacturer recommends. If it says to use 87 octane, don't throw your money away on higher octane gas.

Combine Trips
We all make weekly trips to places like the grocery store, video-rental store, library, post office, drug store, mall, etc... Instead of making individual trips for each of these errands, combine as many as possible into one trip. If you commute during the week, try to run errands on the way to or from work.

Commute When Traffic is Light
By leaving home or work a little bit earlier or later, you can shorten the duration of your commute by avoiding peak traffic congestion. Most metropolitan areas have a weekly "traffic rhythm" that you can learn by observation. Once you know the beat, you can plan your commute when there's less traffic on the road.

Check Your Tires Regularly
Keeping your tires properly inflated has three benefits:
1. You get better gas mileage.
2. Your (expensive) tires last longer.
3. Your car handles better and is safer to drive.
You'll need a tire gauge (about $5.00) and an air pump (available at many gas stations and some car washes). The proper air pressure is printed on the side of each tire. Do not over inflate or under inflate your tires.
 

Travel Light
How much junk do you have in your trunk? Clean it out! The less stuff you haul around, the less gas it takes to move your car from point A to point B.

Drive Smoothly
Lead-footed jack-rabbit acceleration has three obvious drawbacks.
1. It dumps gas through your engine faster than it can burn it.
2. It's hard on your car.
3. It endangers you and the people around you.
So accelerate slowly and smoothly.

Once you get going, look ahead and anticipate the need to slow down or stop. Slowing down early has two advantages.
1. It increases your chances of not needing to stop at all.
2. It decreases the chances of bumping into the car in front of you.

Don't Speed
Most cars get their best gas mileage when driven around 45 miles per hour. However, safety and law dictate that we follow posted speed limits. Whenever you're in a zone where the speed limit is higher than 45 miles per hour, you reduce your gas mileage (and break the law) by driving faster than the posted speed limit. Warning: Do not drive slower than the posted speed limit unless traffic conditions warrant it. On the highway, slow drivers cause just as many dangerous situations as fast drivers.

Change Your Oil Regularly
Oil keeps the moving parts in your engine whizzing around smoothly. But oil wears out and needs to be replaced periodically. Your car owner's manual will tell you how often to change your oil. A rule of thumb is to change it every 3000 miles, however, many reputable sources say you can safely extend that to 5000 miles. Also remember to replace your oil filter with every oil change. I recommend having your oil changed at a place like Jiffy Lube instead of doing it yourself. It costs about $12 more but saves you a lot of time, mess, and hassle.

Change Your Air Filter
A clean air filter helps your car run smoothly and efficiently. You can buy an air filter at any automotive store.  They normally have a booklet near the filters telling you which one to buy based on the make, model, and year of your car. A new air filter costs about $10 and you can install it yourself in about 2 minutes. See your car owner's manual.

Get a Tune-Up
To efficiently burn gas, the mixture of gas and air and the timing of the spark inside your engine must be just right. Older cars have manual, fixed adjustments for these settings. Modern cars have computers under the hood continuously tweaking these settings. Either way, if you want to make sure your car is running as efficiently as possible, bring it to a certified auto repair shop experienced with your make and model. Tell them you want your car tuned for maximum gas mileage.

Don't Idle
Idling is a waste of gas. If you know you won't be moving for over a minute (train crossing, raised bridge, car wash line, etc...) then turn off your engine. A common misconception is that restarting your engine requires more gas than idling. This is not true.


The previous suggestions can be implemented by all of us. The next tips require more of a shift in your lifestyle but can have the biggest impact on your gas consumption, transportation costs, and quality of life


Join (or Start) a Car Pool
Find out where your coworkers live. There's a good chance at least one other person lives in the same area as you. Along with reducing wear-and-tear on your car, carpooling can reduce the monotony of your daily commute.

Use Public Transportation
If you have a public transportation system that can take you where you need to go, use it! In west San Diego County we have a modern, air-conditioned train named "The Coaster".  It makes stops in several coastal towns in the 45 mile stretch between Oceanside and the city of San Diego. My two favorite things about public transit are:
1. It eliminates the stress of driving.
2. I can read while getting where I need to go.

Drive a Fuel Efficient Car
Americans are buying huge automobiles again. This is the decade of the minivan and the sport/utility vehicle (SUV). Few people require the size and power of these gas guzzlers. Most owners of these vehicles use them like typical passenger cars for suburban mall hopping. If you don't need it, don't buy it. Stop the madness.

Live Near Work (or Work Near Home)
In many metropolitan areas, good jobs are not located near good (or affordable) housing. This causes the gridlock so many of us endure every day. It's not uncommon for people to spend 2 hours each day just driving to and from work. What a waste of life. The next time you look for a new job, make sure it's close to your home. Or, conversely, the next time you look for a home, make sure it's close to your job. I live 8 miles from my job. This allows me to ride my bike to work. Exercise is built into my "commute".

Telecommute (Work at Home)
If your job involves creating and/or manipulating information that can be transmitted electronically, then you can telecommute. Although some employers are skeptical about the efficiency of employees working at home, many know that a flexible telecommuting work force will give them a competitive advantage. Ask your employer about telecommuting. Chances are they'll permit it one or two days each week.