How to Find the Cheapest Gas
As you gear up for any family road trips, you’re probably thinking about how much it is going to cost to fill up your tank with gas.
There are many sites out there to check out to help you make the best decisions about your travel plans.
This site offers almost 250 sites to choose from based on your location. The site also offers a trip cost calculator, a gas heat map (the price differences across the country, ranging from a few places below $3.02 to above $4.14) and fuel saving tips.
Some of their tips:
Check your speed – going 62 versus 75 saves over 15% in fuel costs.
Slow and steady breaking and accelerating – anticipating traffic patterns for smoother driving can save 20% in fuel costs.
Try to limit your air conditioning use – it can use up to 20% more fuel because it puts an extra load on the engine. This also includes the defrost setting.
Drive with the windows closed – open windows cause drag on the car and can use up to 10% more fuel.
Use your cruise control – the steady speed is easier on the engine.
Don’t idle long – if you anticipate idling for longer than 1 minute, turn off the car. It uses less gas to turn it back on than to sit with it running that long.
This site, run by the government, also maps out the gas prices around the country by suggesting links for your respective states.
They also offer an MPG (Miles per gallon) tracker that helps you watch your spending and fuel efficiency over time.
http://gasprices.mapquest.com/
This site allows you to look up the gas prices in a specific place and if you have cookies enabled on your machine, it will show you the lowest prices for gas in your area. One of mine is in Elizabeth, Colorado, which will cost as much to get there as it will in what I would save in the per gallon price!
So, good luck with finding cheap gas and travel safe with your family!
Marijo Tinlin is the Editor in Chief of Family First, one of the oldest family-oriented websites on the internet. She is also the author of a book about patriotism and teaching our children to love this country called “How to Raise an American Patriot, Making it Okay for Our Kids to Be Proud to Be American.” It features 13 interviews with patriotic Americans including Ed Meese, Erick Erickson and Jackie Gingrich Cushman. It’s available at www.raisinganamericanpatriot.com.