Gas prices went up forty cents in my area last month and I started watching my fuel gauge like a hawk. I tried driving less but that was not realistic — my commute is what it is. So I looked into whether driving differently could actually save measurable amounts of gas.

It can. I changed a few driving habits and my weekly gas spending dropped about twelve dollars. Multiply that by fifty-two weeks and it is meaningful money.

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Easy on the Pedals

Aggressive acceleration burns gas fast. According to the Department of Energy, aggressive driving — rapid acceleration and hard braking — lowers gas mileage by fifteen to thirty percent on highways and ten to forty percent in stop-and-go traffic. Smooth, gradual acceleration and gentle braking stretch every tank.

I started pretending there was an egg under my gas pedal for the first few seconds after a stoplight. It sounds silly. It works. My average MPG went up by about three miles per gallon just from smoother starts.

Speed Matters More Than You Think

Every five miles per hour above fifty is like paying an extra twenty to thirty cents per gallon. Gas mileage drops fast above sixty miles per hour. On the highway, I dropped from seventy-five to sixty-eight miles per hour. That seven mile per hour difference cut my highway fuel consumption by about ten percent. Cruise control helps — it keeps speed steady and prevents the subtle acceleration and deceleration that wastes fuel.

Tire Pressure and Junk in the Trunk

Underinflated tires increase rolling resistance and drop gas mileage by about 0.2 percent for every PSI below the recommended pressure. Check tire pressure once a month — it takes ninety seconds at a gas station air pump and most pumps are free.

Extra weight in the car burns extra gas. Remove roof racks and cargo boxes when not in use — they create aerodynamic drag. Empty the trunk of heavy items you do not need. I had been driving around with a forty-pound bag of potting soil for two weeks. Free savings, found and removed.