Gas prices always fluctuate, but when the price at the pump approaches an all-time high, we all feel it. The road trip this summer feels like a budget buster, and even a quick drive to the grocery store requires a second thought. Using less gas is smart both environmentally and economically, no matter what gas prices are doing. But when gas prices are ridiculous and every dollar counts, it becomes a necessity. “Drive less” is obviously the best approach, but that’s not always an option. Here are 11 lesser-known ways to maximize your gas dollars: @a_times3 Damn near $5 a gallon for premium in #houston #gasprices #crazy ♬ original sound – Torrell Tafa 1. Drive the highway ‘sweet spot’ speed as much as possible Bad news for leadfoots: Speeding on the highway is bad for fuel efficiency. And it’s not a tiny difference. According to the Department of Energy website, “It can be assumed that each 5 mph driven over 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.27 per gallon for gas.” But that’s assuming gas costs $3.83 a gallon. When gas prices are closer to $5.00 a gallon, or in some places over $6.00 a gallon, slowing down on the freeway becomes an even bigger savings. 2. Stop ‘topping off’ the tank For many people, topping off the tank by giving the gas pump a few extra squeezes after it stops is habitual. Stop it. First of all, you may actually be doing damage to your car by topping off the gas, according to Consumer Reports. Secondly, you’re wasting gas. When the pump automatically stops, it means the tank is full, so anything you pump doesn’t actually go into the fuel tank. It spills over into your vapor canister and ends up releasing toxic gas vapor unnecessarily. At least one state, Oregon, has made it illegal to top off your gas. 3. Don’t idle more than 10 seconds There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about how long you should let the car idle before it becomes a waste of gas. Obviously, leaving the car running for long periods of time wastes gas, but since it takes an initial injection of gas to start up an engine, how long makes sense to wait before turning the engine off instead of idling? It might be less time than you think. According to a report shared by the Deaprtment of Energy, the threshold is only 10 seconds. “Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel andemits more CO2 than engine restarting,” the report reads. So if you’re waiting in a drive-thru, picking up a kid, or otherwise waiting in your car, if it’s going to be longer than 10 seconds, turn off the engine. 4. Ditch the junk in your trunk The weight of your car affects its gas mileage, and unnecessary weight just makes you waste fuel for no reason. If you have something heavy in your trunk, take it out. If you store stuff to take to Goodwill in your car for months, maybe prioritize that drop-off. ‘Whatcha gonna do with all that junk? All that junk inside your trunk?’-a song about the goodwill donations that have been in my trunk since 2019— Emily (@emily_tweets) March 18, 2021 5. Only use Premium gas if your car requires it Consumer Reports says that if your car manufacturer only recommends Premium gas, it can run just fine on Regular. They tested whether Premium made fuel efficiency difference and found that there was no performance or fuel-economy benefits for many cars. And the price difference can definitely add up. So basically, check your manual and don’t feel pressured to use Premium gas unless the manufacturer requires it. 6. Check your tire pressure An often overlooked source of fuel inefficiency is underinflated tires. “When your tires aren’t at the proper pressure, your engine is working harder to move the same speed and distance. This means more fuel consumption and, ultimately, lower MPG,” Firestone shares on its auto care website. Many tire companies will let you check your tire pressure and use their air pumps for free. Some will even do it for you, so make it a monthly habit for the best gas mileage. @dadadvicefrombo Life skill in 50 seconds. Learn to check your tire pressure and know it for life. It’s SO easy. How to check and fill your tire pressure or put air in your tires. Love, Dad ♬ original sound – DadAdviceFromBo 7. Buy gas on Sunday or Monday The gas price comparison app GasBuddy analyzed the data to see which day of the week gas tends to be cheapest. Here’s what they found: Sunday = cheapest Monday = also cheap Tuesday and Saturday = fluctuates, so compare prices Wednesday, Thursday, Friday = most expensive (Of course, these are based on averages, so good to do your own comparison in your local area.) 8. Open windows instead of using A/C Obviously, on very hot days, windows simply aren’t going to cut it. But the more you can roll down windows instead of using your car’s air conditioning, the better when it comes to gas usage. Your car’s A/C doesn’t use gas directly, but the power it requires means the car uses more gas when it’s running. People might ask if having the windows open creates drag that would affect fuel economy. According to Consumer Reports testing, the effect of opening windows didn’t affect fuel economy, even at 65 mph. (However, your hair probably won’t love that speed.) @pbandjammyy I think sometimes he forgets I’m here #fypシ #thevalley #956 ♬ original sound – Jammy 9. Coast more. Hard braking wastes the gas you used to get to the speed you’re driving. In other words, you held the gas pedal longer than you needed to. Adjusting your driving habits to take your foot off the gas earlier and coast more before braking means using a bit less gas overall. Note: Coast in gear, not in neutral. Old advice would tell you to put the car in neutral to coast, but in newer cars, that actualy is less fuel-efficient than keeping the car in gear. 10. Accelerate slowly. Some of us fancy ourselves efficient drivers by doing everything quickly. But accelarating quickly is actually less efficient when it comes to gas. According to the Department of Energy, aggressive driving (which includes rapid acceleration, hard braking, and speeding) can lower gas mileage by roughly 15% to 30% at highway speeds and 10% to 40% in stop-and-go traffic. Go easy on the accelerating. (Photo credit: Canva) 11. Don’t sleep on loyalty programs and warehouse discounts While loyalty programs at gas stations and grocery stores that sell gas might seem like a gimmick, there is genuine savings to be had through them. And memberships at warehouses like Costco and Sam’s Club can also save you money at the tank. Some people like to stack those savings with credit card rewards as well, with some rewards cards offering extra points or cash back for gas purchases. While we wait (or at least hope) for gas prices to drop, these tips can hopefully help ease the pressure on the pocketbook a little bit. The post 11 sneaky ways to save money on gas when ‘drive less’ just isn’t an option appeared first on Upworthy.