Nitrogen FYI

In our series on Gas $$ Savings Tips, I mentioned putting nitrogen in your tires.

To put my money where my mouth was, I decided to do this on one of our vehicles. It cost me $21, but it is going to be worth it. I put the nitrogen in a vehicle (a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica) that usually got about 18.5 - 19 miles per gallon (and we made sure the tires were inflated). On our first tank with nitrogen, I got right at 20 miles per gallon.

That may not be a huge difference, but, over the course of the next few months, we will easily see a difference in our mileage and gas cost.

Some with smaller vehicles are getting much better differences (percentage-wise) when they make the change. And, keep in mind, nitrogen keeps your tires inflated longer, which makes a big difference on a long trip.

Gas $$ Saving Tips: A Review

Today we posted our 21st and final gas saving tip. We hope you have found these helpful. Some may save a little, while others may save a lot, but add them all together, and you've got some good tips.

Below are links to all 21 tips.

Tip #1: Use GasBuddy.com

Tip #2: Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated/Use Nitrogen

Tip #3: Combine Trips

Tip #4: Buy Gas when the Temperature is Cooler

Tip #5: Walk or Ride a Bike

Tip #6: Don't "Top Off" the Tank Excessively

Tip #7: Buy Gas on Wednesday

Tip #8: Don't Jackrabbit

Tip #9: Use the A/C Sparingly

Tip #10: Use Cruise Control

Tip #11: Use the Lowest Octane Gasoline Your Vehicle Can Handle

Tip #12: Don't Stop if You Can Avoid It

Tip #13: If You are a Member, Buy Gas at a Discount Club

Tip #14: Avoid Excessive Warming Up of the Engine on Cold Days

Tip #15: Don't Pack Heavy Stuff

Tip #16: Don't Idle too Long, but also Don't Start and Stop the Engine Excessively

Tip #17: Remove Anything that Causes Drag

Tip #18: Anticipate Hills

Tip #19: Buy a Hybrid

Tip #20: Change the Oil (General Car Maintenance)

Tip #21: Use Overdrive Gears when Possible

Got other tips, or thoughts on any of these? Please feel free to leave a comment.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #21

I am nowhere near a "mechanical" guy. Dave Barry once said of himself what I often think about myself: "I'm the kind of guy who, if the 'check engine' light comes on will fix it by putting duct tape over it." That's very much like my level of mechanical know-how.

So, I do not understand how today's tip works, I just know it does. When Possible, Use Overdrive Gears. Obviously, this does not mean to use overdrive when you are traveling at 25 mph going to the grocery store. But, when you are going highway speed (especially on the interstate), this is a great way to gain a few mpg.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #20

My dad would be very proud of the tip for today. In fact, I think most dads would. This is one of those tips that your father always told you to do, but, to be honest, you never figured out the reason for until you were older.

Change the Oil. In fact, this tip really includes all general maintenance (air filters, tire rotations, etc.). Time and again it has been shown that, when a car is properly maintained in a general way, that car gets better gas mileage.

If someone changes your oil for you, it is worth the couple of extra dollars for a "full service" visit. They will check all the things that need checking to insure good mileage. If you change your own oil, don't forget to check the other things as well.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #19

The tip for today may not be feasible for everyone. It certainly is not for me at this time. However, if the cost is worth it, this may be the best tip of all:

Buy a Hybrid.

Many people, though, see "55 mpg," go out and get themselves into major car debt. Hybrids are not cheap. However, if you are going to use the car primarily for city driving (stop and go), and you can get a nice used hybrid at a decent price...and can pay cash for it...then this tip may save you a ton of money.

To help you do some research, here is a link to hybridcars.com. While, obviously, they are trying to get you to purchase a hybrid, the site is still good for a starting point in your research.

Also, it's not too far in the future that we will see cars that are all electric. In fact, Chevrolet is coming out with the Volt, possibly by the end of the year. Here is some information on that car.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #18

Monday afternoon, I broke this tip, oddly enough because I was thinking about this post!

Today's tip is Anticipate Hills.

You know how you are rolling along and then, all the sudden, out of nowhere, there is this hill?! Okay, you know it doesn't work that way. We usually know where hills, especially large hills, are. And, when we get half-way up and then press down on the accelerator, we kill our gas mileage!

The best way to handle hills it to give your car some extra "juice" for the last 100-250 feet before ascending. Do this, and you will save a lot of gas, especially if you are in extra hilly terrain.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #17

Our final week in this series begins with a tip that I see broken nearly every time I go on a longer trip--especially if I go on interstate highways.

Remove Anything that Causes Drag. While there are times that certain items have to be attached to a vehicle, some leave items on a car or van even when not in use, and they cause drag. The more drag, the less gas mileage.

Some of these items include ski holders, bike racks, luggage racks and canoe/kayak carriers. Another that is often not thought about is a vinyl top over the front of the vehicle. Vinyl "catches" air more easily than metal, thus producing drag.

If you don't need these items for a certain trip, remove them from your vehicle and you'll greatly increase your miles per gallon.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #16

This tip was one that always confused me, because I never knew which one to do. I still mess up and do the wrong one. I don't make the mistake intentionally, but I do mess up.

Today's tip is Don't Idle for Too Long, but also Don't Start and Stop the Engine Excessively. When we first start driving, our parents/guardians get on to us for this all the time. "Don't let the car just idle." Then, though, when you turn off the car: "Well, you're going to have to start it again in a minute. You might as well have left it running!"

I was always so confused.

A good rule of thumb is to set a time limit for idling. If you are going to be stopped for more than, say, 2 minutes, shut off the car. Any less than that, let the car run.

There are all kinds of mathematical formulas you can actually use to figure our what's best. You may not be able to tell it from this series of posts, but I'm not THAT worried about 1 ounce of gasoline! However, I don't want to let my car idle for 10 minutes; I also don't want to start and stop it in 15 seconds.

The main thing is to think ahead. How long will you be sitting still? If it's a very short time, let the car run. If you aren't sure (like taking a cake to an elderly person, for example), it's probably best to turn off the car.

Now, I know what you're saying. You're saying, "I sure wish I had the other tips for this week right here in one convenient link list." Well, you get what you ask for! Here are the other four tips for this week.

Monday: Tip #12

Tuesday: Tip #13

Wednesday: Tip #14

Thursday: Tip #15

Next week, Lord willing, we will finish this series with 5 more tips. Then, on Friday, we will have links to all 21 tips you can use to help save dollars at the gas tank.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #15

I was guilty of not following this tip for awhile, and, when I changed, I really did see a difference.

Today's tip is Don't Pack Heavy Stuff. Many times we load down the trunks of our cars or the beds of our trucks with stuff and drive around. The heavier the stuff, the less miles per gallon we get.

For several months, I had about 5 garbage bags full of old clothes in my trunk. We put them there so we could go through them piece by piece without having garbage bags in the house. When we finally did go through them and I got rid of the bags, my gas mileage improved noticeably.

The weight issue also comes in to play in the Winter. While they may remind you of cold weather, knock off those icicles. They will kill your gas mileage!

Gas $$ Savings Tip #14

As the temperature here in Alabama continues to plummet (all the way into the low 90s), I thought today's tip might be of some help. Okay, so the tip is actually for the Winter months, but it's one to file away, because a lot of people (me included many times) make this mistake and use up a lot of gas unnecessarily.

Today's tip is: Avoid Excessive Warming Up of the Engine on Cold Days.

You see those people every morning that the temperature is below 40, turning on their car for 10-15 minutes to "warm it up." Usually what they are doing is letting the defroster clear their windshield instead of doing so by hand.

Back to the engine, though. If you have a regular vehicle (car, truck, van, SUV), the engine only needs about 30 seconds to 1 minute to warm up, unless the temperature is insanely cold.

And, remember, when you are letting that car run for a long time, you are getting exactly 0 miles to the gallon!

Gas $$ Saving Tip #13

Today's tip is one that doesn't apply to me at this point, but I have read several articles around the 'net by those who say it really does add up.

If You are a Member, Buy Gas at a Discount Club, such as Sam's or Costco. Most of these clubs now have a gas station out front, and many offer pretty significant discounts on gasoline for their members.

I said that this does not apply to me, and that is for one simple reason: I am not a member of one of these clubs. The closest to me is a Sam's Club, and it is about an hour away. And, add to that, it does not yet have a gas station.

Now a word of caution. Some other stores offer a discount if you carry their credit card. As much as I like saving money, I don't do this. More articles are coming on this subject, but my family does not carry a single credit card. We used to, and we "only" used it for gas. Yeah, right! That's why we don't get a "gas card." We know that, if we had one, we'd use the savings to buy a candy bar and soda with every fill-up.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #12

Today's tip is one of my favorites, and it's one I can actually say I practice whenever possible (maybe that's why I like it so much).

Don't Stop If You Can Avoid It.

What does that mean?

You know how most people drive. We are rolling along on a highway at 65 miles per hour and then we see that sign: stoplight ahead. So what do we do? If we are like most people, we keep rolling along at 65 mph until the last moment and then we skid to a stop.

Why not touch the brakes, slow down a bit and keep rolling until the light turns green? Then, when it does, remember another tip: don't jackrabbit. Accelerate intelligently.

You see, when you stop, you are getting exactly 0 miles to the gallon! And, coming to a complete stop is harder on your mpg than slowing down reasonably.

So, while that guy in front of you screams right up to the light, you just take it easy...

...and, who knows, you may just pass him when he is stopped at the light and you are still rolling along. You may pass him at 25 miles per hour, but, hey, it's still a good feeling!

Gas $$ Saving Tip #11

Today's tip will require some "outside reading," so we saved it for a Friday. The tip for today is actually a two-for-one special.

The first tip is Use the Lowest Octane Gasoline Your Car Can Handle. Some, because they have more expensive vehicles, feel as if they have to use premium gasoline. While you should, of course, check your owner's manual or the manufacturer's website, most cars can take regular gasoline. At most stations, that means a savings of 15-20 cents per gallon.

Now, can you take this a step further? Our second tip is one you need to decide for yourself, because it will take some math. It is Decide if Ethanol Blends are Right for You. To give you some help in figuring out the math, read the following article. It is from The Simple Dollar, and is called, "Ethanol Blends: Are They Worth It In Your Tank?"

What, you say? You want all the other tips for this week again? Okay, here they are:

Monday: Tip #7

Tuesday: Tip #8

Wednesday: Tip #9

Thursday: Tip #10

Eleven down, 10 to go. We hope these tips are helping you feel less pain at the pump.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #10

Today's tip is one of my favorites. I think, like most Americans, I have a little lazy streak; so any tip that lets me be lazy and save money on gas--it's almost too good to be true.

Our tip for today: When travelling at highway speed, Use Cruise Control. It's not that using the cruise compared to not using it saves gas; it's that keeping a constant speed saves gasoline.

Cruise control helps keep you at a safe speed (if you set it at a safe speed!) and, if you are going a constant 55 or 65, you are being better on gas than if you are moving from 55 to 60 to 52 to...

And one more added bonus. If you set the cruise at a legal speed, you'll avoid spending money on tickets!

Gas $$ Saving Tip #9

Wow, it is ever hot! Here in Alabama, we are expected to be in the mid-90s every day this week and there is about a negative-10% chance of rain. (Okay, so it's a bit better than that, but not much.) So today's tip may seem like one that comes straight from the torture chamber, but it will help.

Use the A/C Sparingly.

We often run the air-conditioner at full blast nearly year-round, only turning it off when it is extremely cold. We need to learn to use the A/C only when it is absolutely necessary. Depending on who you read, the A/C can reduce your miles per gallon by 3-10%. Even if it is just 3% that can be a significant amount, especially on a long trip.

So, how can you avoid using the A/C all the time? Here are a couple of ways:

1. On short trips (to the store, to work, etc.) when you will be going more slowly (in-town driving), roll down the windows. If you are driving at highway speed, this also reduced your miles per gallon, but at speeds lower than 45 mph, it is better than running the A/C.

2. If you must have the A/C (like I do this week!), run it until the car is comfortable, then turn it off. Yes, the car will get hotter, but not in just a few seconds. You can usually stand it for a few minutes. If you must have it blowing, turn it on "vent."

This tip is easier to follow in the Spring and Fall, of course, but can be used year-round to save a few dollars on gas.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #7

Another week, five more tips for saving you $$ at the gas station. Hopefully, you are using these tips to save money you can give to the Lord and invest in your family.

Today's tip: Buy Gas on Wednesday.

Even when gas prices are "steady" (there's a phrase you haven't heard in a while!), prices are likely to begin rising on Thursday, anticipating the coming weekend travelers. If there is a time in the week when prices will be lower, it will usually be on Wednesday.

If you are planning a weekend outing, do a little planning, and buy your gasoline before Thursday. More often than not, you'll save a few cents.

Please note that this tip is following the law of averages. Will there be weeks when you buy on Wednesday and then the price dips down? Of course, but most likely, the opposite will happen. Following this tip, over time, will save you on gas.

If you have comments on this tip, please feel free to leave them.

Gas $$ Saving Tip #5

Here’s a way to save money by getting infinite gas mileage: walk or ride a bike.

How many times do we drive our car around the block to visit our neighbors? When my family moved to Paducah, Kentucky, we had a neighbor who would drive the garbage cans to the street, and the driveway was, at most, about 150 feet long!

There are going to be several articles in the coming months and weeks about cheap ways to entertain your family, but why not walk to some of those things? In some ways, that can be as much fun as the actual activity!

If you live less than a mile from work, you might want to consider a bicycle. It may not be great on 100-degree days, but in the Fall and Spring you could save a fortune on gasoline; not to mention the health benefits.

So, the next time your neighbors invite you over for a BBQ, walk over to their place. You’ll enjoy the fresh air, and you’ll save all your gas money.

--Adam

Gas $$ Saving Tip #4

Today’s tip is a simple matter of science and math. This one may sound very cheap, but, as with our other tips, it adds up over time.

Buy gas when the temperature is cooler, such as early in the morning. No, the price isn’t cheaper, but you get more of the product for your money.

How, you ask? Gasoline “contracts” (for lack of a better, more scientific, word) in cooler weather and expands in warmer weather. That’s why, if you leave a gas can out on a hot day and don’t vent it, it will expand and, eventually, explode! (Remember that part of the make-up of gasoline is gaseous.)

What does all this matter? Remember that a gallon is unit of volume, not weight. When you get more of the product (in this case, gasoline) in less space, you are getting more for your money.

This tip won’t save you much each time you fill-er-up, but, over time, it will save you a lot. If you are going on a long trip, this could save you several dollars off your budget (can you say, Olive Garden instead of Hardee’s?)!

--Adam

Gas $$ Saving Tip #3

I don’t know why this tip is so hard for me to follow, but it is! Today’s tip is combine trips. In other words, don’t:

• Go to work

• Go home

• Go to the bank

• Go home

• Go to your child’s ballgame

• Go home

• Go to Subway

• Go home

• Go get groceries

• Etc………

I live in a very small town, so those trips don’t add up a lot. But, if I do similar things two or three times each week, the extra driving (not to mention, starting and stopping the engine) will quickly add extra miles to my driving. And extra miles means extra gas! It’s better—and more timely—to take 10 or 15 minutes in the morning to plan out your day, making a list of all the places you need to be. It’s also worth an extra minute to plan the best route to those places, so you don’t backtrack. This is especially true if you live in a mid-sized to large city.

Just think, if you combined trips and it saved you an average of 3 miles per day, that’s over 1000 miles a year. If you get 20 miles per gallon, that’s 50 gallons of gas. If gas is $3 a gallon, you just saved yourself $150. Could you not retire a small personal loan or medical bill with that money?

--Adam

Gas $$ Savings Tip #2

As mentioned in last week’s introduction, very few of these tips will be new news. Also, each one will only save a few pennies or dollars. However, with gas prices continuing to rise, these will add up very quickly.

That is the case with today’s tip: Keep your tires inflated. On the tire, there is a recommended psi (pounds per square inch) for the tire. Checking your tires every few days will make a world of difference. Also, make sure you check all four tires. On one of my vehicles, I have one tire that seems to get low more quickly than the others. Keeping your tires at optimum levels can give you as much as 10% better gas mileage.

But, if you want to take this tip to the extreme, fill your tires with nitrogen. Visit getnitrogen.org for more information. (This is a great, well-done site.) Nitrogen keeps tires better inflated than regular air. On the homepage there is a calculator that will help you see how much money you could save by making this simple change. In fact, some mechanics are doing this as a general practice.

--Adam