Make the Most Out of Your Gasoline

We all must feel pain when looking at the gas bill lately with the increasingly price hike of the crude oil barrel. Read all the tips to help you getting most of bang for your bucks at the gas station.

Read them after the jump!

1. Find the cheapest gas stations in your area Here are some general rules of thumb:  The richest areas of town often charge more for gas. Gas stations near major highways often charge more for gas because land is generally more valuable in these locations, increasing overhead. Those higher costs are passed onto consumers. So before a road trip, fill up at your local station. (Check out these useful widgets!) or plug in your Zip code HERE to find the cheapest gas in your area.
2. The type of gas station makes a difference: Service stations with auto repair shops or car washes often have more expensive gas. They don’t need to be as competitive since they profit more from the other services and rely on them to bring in gas business as well. You may also find good deals at gas stations affiliated with wholesale clubs (e.g.Costco). These retailers often sell cheaper gas as a way to get people in the door to buy their other products.
3. What time you get to the pump (My favorite): Wednesday morning is the best time to buy gasoline according to GasPriceWatch.com. That’s because prices usually move up for the weekend, after which they settle, hitting the low point by Wednesday. And it makes sense to buy your gas in the morning when it’s the coolest time of day. This is when gasoline is most dense. Gas pumps charge by the volume of gasoline, not the density, so in colder temperatures you’ll get more for your dollar.
4. Driving style: Changing from an aggressive hard accelerating, hard braking, driving style to a more relaxed style incorporating gentle acceleration and cruise control on the highway, can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 35 percent, according to an Edmunds.com study.
5. Air cents: Think about your own car’s aerodynamics. Even an empty roof rack creates drag. Loaded with luggage, skis or a cooler, a roof rack can reduce fuel economy by 21 percent. There’s been a lot of debate about whether keeping the windows open or turning on the air conditioning saves more fuel. Air conditioning is more efficient at highway speeds, while windows are generally better around town at local speeds.
6. Use the right gas: Regular octane works just fine for most cars. However, when your car’s manufacturer indicates premium gas is required, using a lower grade could damage your car, adversely affecting fuel efficiency. But when premium gas is only recommended, not required, go for the cheaper, lower octane gas. Higher octane gas has only a marginal effect on performance, usually in the area of acceleration [Source CNN]
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