Americans love to waste money!
You're probably wondering, why I would start my article saying Americans love to waste money? Well I'll tell you why, because it's true! We don't take the time to understand that the everyday basic necessities in life cost us a lot in the long run. And since most Americans don't have much time to do the research on their own, I won't make this a drawn out article with $25 dollar words! Let's face it folks, we are living in challenging times, and everything costs too much! So, I intend to show you some ways to save, save and save.
Here's a little exercise; next time you are at a stop light, stop at least 2 cars length behind the car in front of you and take a look at their tires, most likely you will see them bulging at the sides on the side that touches the ground. Why? Because most people don't take the time to inflate their tires to the appropriate tire pressure. And considering that on average you lose 1 pound of pressure every month, it eventually adds up to big numbers.
Maybe those people don't want to spend the 75 cents to 1 dollar that it costs at most gas stations, or maybe they don't have the time, but little do they realize that they are losing way more dollars in the long run. For every 10 psi of lost tire pressure you are losing about 3.3% of fuel, multiply that by 4 and you're over 12%. If you are spending $300 a month in gas that's a loss of $36 a month, or $432 a year. So tell me, what would you do with an extra $400 to $500 next year? When you compare that to the $12 it will cost you to check and inflate your tires to an appropriate pressure every month, there's no contest. In addition to that you will wear out your tires a lot faster, about 6-9 months faster. Furthermore, an under-inflated tire runs about a 90% risk of having a blowout. In my opinion, 3 very good reasons to keep those tires inflated properly.
And if you are concerned about being 'green', think on this: The government estimates that Americans lose more than 2 million gallons of gas every day due to under-inflated tires. Considering that between 20-50% of drivers are riding on tires that are 20% under-inflated, that's a lot of extra oil barrels we could be shaving off of our daily consumption!
So To Inflate or To Over Inflate? That seems to be a topic that many people have touched on in recent days. We can only offer the suggestion to use your manufacturers recommended tire pressure, as any other recommendation would be reckless on our part. Over-inflating your tire can wear your tires unevenly as well as pose other dangers. But we can make the following recommendations that will also serve to increase your fuel economy significantly.
Maintenance Tips
1. Maintain your tire pressure regularly and rotate them at least every 10,000 miles - invest in a good tire gauge as well as a portable air pump, and keep them in your car (PS. the manual air pump is good exercise too!!).
2. Change your air filter - this can add up to 10% fuel savings and it's recommended to do so every 6 months.
3. Lose the excess baggage - while "living out" of your car is convenient; all that excess weight creates more drag, thus more gas consumption. Remove any racks while you're at it, and you'll also reduce wind resistance, another drag! :-) Pun intended.
4. Change your oil - While this may not offer significant fuel savings, around 1%, it helps keep your car in tip-top shape and in the end will add to your bottom line fuel savings.
5. Tighten that gas cap - this will prevent losses from evaporation.
6. Finally, maintain your vehicle in good working condition, always! - nuff said.
Driving Tips
1. Follow the speed limit - this one requires a lot of restraint, as most of us have a lead foot, but for every 5 MPH over 60 MPH we lose about 7% in fuel savings.
2. Use cruise control - hey, you paid extra for this handy-dandy feature why not make it work, and save, for you?
3. STOP with the abrupt starts - taking your time to accelerate slowly wastes less gas.
4. Coast to your stops - whenever possible let off of the gas way before you hit an intersection, you'll have to try this numerous times before you get the hang of it but eventually you will see that you can time it just right to make it to the intersection at a decent speed. And don't stress the speed demon behind you, if they can safely pass they will, and you'll find the you reach the stop-light at about the same time but with way more gas in your tank than they will!
If you follow these tips you should realize at least a 20-30% savings in gas or sometimes more. Try it for one week and I'm sure you'll be convinced. If you follow all these recommendations, you will see that you have a lot more miles left to go before you have to make your bee-line to the local gas station!
