CAR Costs
SPEND LESS ON
Gas
Don’t be a hot rodder
Racing red lights, going from 0 mph
to 60 mph as fast as you can, and
stopping abruptly all waste gas by
making your car work harder (plus
it’s dangerous!). Instead, coast to
a stop, and accelerate gently when
the light turns green.
Use cruise control
Cars get better mileage at a steady
speed (say, 60 mph) rather than
fluctuating between 55 mph and 65
mph. What’s more, going too fast
increases wind resistance, which
adds to fuel costs (every 5 mph over
50 mph is like paying an additional
25¢ per gallon). Bottom line: Drive
the speed limit in cruise control.
Lighten up
An extra 100 pounds in or on your
vehicle could reduce your miles
per gallon by up to 2%. Drop some
cargo and save 4¢ to 8¢ per gallon.
If you need to travel with a lot
of stuff, pack the trunk instead
of using a roof rack, which can
decrease fuel economy by 5%.
Baby your ride
Follow your car’s maintenance
schedule, and use the correct and grade of motor oil, which improve gas mileage by 1% to according to the U.S. Department
of Energy. And check your air:
Properly inflated tires can improve
gas mileage by up to 3.3% (that’s
about $80 per year for a minivan
compared to driving with tires
that are very low on air). Find correct maximum load on a decal
on the driver’s-side doorjamb in the owner’s manual—don’t the number on the tire.
SPEND LESS ON
Parking
Stop driving in circles
A parking ticket or (worse) a towed
car can wipe out any savings you
were hoping for when you left your
car on the street. So try one of a
slew of apps, some of which tell
you where you can find legal street
parking, remind you when you need
to feed the meter, or point you to a
budget garage (see box below).
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