Stumble it!

It seems like gas and money go hand in hand in today’s world, much like Brittany Spears and drug rehab. We all want to save both money and gas, but are simply too car illiterate to understand how. So here are 10 simple tips on how to save gas. None of these tips are earth shattering, but many employ common sense that is mostly forgotten or ignored in our oil guzzling society.

1) Use Cruise Control: Using cruise control helps maintain the same speed. This in turn, usually lowers a car’s fuel consumption.

2) Keep Your Car Healthy: A car in poor condition will often require more gas than one that undergoes periodical maintenance. So the next time you’re thinking of saving money on break pads or oil change, you may actually end up spending more in the long run.

3) Buy The Right Kind of Gas: Always, always buy the type of gasoline the manufacturer recommends. Even if you would rather shell out big bucks for a more expensive gas, you usually can’t go wrong with what the doctor ordered.

4) Remove Excess Weight: Most drivers haven’t the faintest notion of how much more gas they use due to the excess garbage they have in their cars. Dump what you don’t need and watch your savings grow.

5) Mornings and Evenings: Here is a little bit of chemistry for you. Buy gas when it’s cold. A lower temperature means dense gasoline, which equals savings. Now that’s my kind of chemistry. Plus, who wants to wait in those long lines anyways?

6) Avoid Weekends: A traffic jam is perhaps the worst gas saving situation. All that starting and stopping will make you dryer than last season’s World Series. Traffic jams are inevitable, but avoid them as much as you can.

7) Turn off the Car: Just because you aren’t moving, doesn’t mean your car isn’t drinking your expensive gas. Do yourself a favor the next time you’re waiting in your car. Turn it off!

Air Pressure: Believe or not, topping up the air in you tires will help you save. Which would you rather buy, air or gas?

9) Stand the Heat: Possible the biggest gas guzzler is your air conditioning. Use it only when you really have to. That means when you’re in Texas for the summer, not when you’re in Wisconsin for the winter.