With the price of gas continually rising and global demand increasing, I thought I would post some information that could help us save some real money and reduce our carbon footprints.

Tips for everyday life:

1. Unless your owner’s manual specifically calls for higher octane gas, do not buy premium unleaded. Many people have piddled thousands of dollars over the years in their gas tanks in the belief that buying Premium grade gas will make their cars and trucks run more smoothly, deliver more power and get higher fuel economy. This has proven to be patently false for about 90 percent of the autos on the road. Only 10 percent of cars (high end luxury cars and SUVs, high performance sports cars, classic cars and very old high mileage cars with severe knock) derive any actual benefit from its use. If your car is in mechanically good shape and does not specify premium grade, skip it, and save hundreds of dollars every year.

2. Keep your car running properly. Take time to make sure your points and plugs are in proper shape, as well as vacuum lines, a/c and fuel delivery systems. Proper maintenance costs money up front but can save you big bucks at the pump over time.

3. Keep the tires properly inflated. Under inflated tires can costs hundreds of dollars a year in wasted fuel. Invest in a decent and easy to read tire gage. The recommended pressure can be found in the owner’s manual and also on the inside of the door opening. It is estimated that the American public loses millions of gallons of gas everyday from driving around on under inflated tires.

4. Slow Down. Going from 55mph to 75mph can cost as much as four to five miles to the gallon, depending on what you drive, you have to weigh whether the five or ten minutes in saved time is worth the hundreds in accumulated costs. Avoid rapid launches at the stop light, smoother, slower take-offs can save a lot of gas.

5. Be very wary of ads for “pills” or “devices” that supposedly increase your gas mileage, NONE of them work. Save your money.

Vehicle Purchases:

1. Examine your needs versus your wants. If you are childless couple and have nothing to tow or no need for off road ability, does a guzzling, V8, eight passenger truck-framed SUV make any sense? If 90 percent of your driving involves an in-town commute does a 270 plus horsepower V6 sports sedan make sense? Stop and just think about fuel costs when buy a car.

2. Hybrids are a good purchase for the long term. Over time their fuel savings can be significant if compared to similar vehicles. Not all hybrids get super-high mileage but the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic hybrid are outstanding for fuel economy and both have top of the class reliability records.

Anyone wishing to add to this are welcome do so, we all could stand to save some $$$ in this economy.