20 Tips to Save Money on Your Car & Gasoline 

Owning a car is expensive. You must pay for insurance, gas, maintenance and then unexpected expenses like repairs or accidents. So, I’m always looking for ways to save money. The good news is you can save thousands of dollars a year just by following some of these cost-cutting tips.

1. DIY Car Repairs

These days you can find YouTube videos for almost any type of car repair or maintenance, and some are easy enough for anyone to do-it-yourself. Recently I changed an air filter and used a generic one instead of the factory one and saved almost $100 for less than five minutes of my time.

2. Close Windows

When you are driving on the highway open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10 percent.

3. Oil Change by Car Manual

When you get an oil change most places place a sticker on your car stating you need to change your oil every 3,000 miles; however if you check your car manual you will find most recommend every 6,000 miles, which would save you at least two oil changes a year or more — a savings of $40-$60 for each oil change. Make sure to check your manual for the suggested miles for changing the oil.

4. Drive the Speed Limit

Getting a speeding ticket or in a car accident will cost a lot of money and increase your car insurance for several years. Speeding also uses more gas.

5. Get Adequate Insurance

Insurance is expensive but cutting corners can cost you in the long run. Make sure you have enough coverage for your car, home, medical, life, etc.

6. Use Electronic Toll Transponder

If you plan to drive in areas with toll roads, use a transponder like E-ZPass, you will save money, time and gas. Some tolls offer discounts for using the pass, and you will not have to worry about finding the right amount of money. Even if you don’t travel much, you can keep the transponder in your car for those times when you need it. Most programs are free. And now some roads that got rid of tolls charge a fee if you don’t have a transponder.

7. Buy Home & Auto Insurance Together

If you purchase your home and auto insurance from the same company, you often will receive a 10-15 percent discount.

8. Increase Insurance Deductible

By increasing your insurance deductibles, you can save as much as 15 percent per year on your insurance costs.

9. Ask Insurance Company for Loyalty Discounts

If you have been with the same insurance company for your home and car for more than six years, ask for a loyalty discount of 10 percent.

10. Never Let Gas Tank Go Below One-Quarter Full

When your gas tank is full, your fuel pump will work efficiently, and you can avoid a potential, and costly, break-down and replacement. Also, you will be less likely to run out of gas if you make a habit of filling your tank when it hits one-quarter full.

11. Use Cruise Control

Use cruise control on long highway drives and set it to no more than the speed limit. Maintaining a steady speed uses less gas and helps prevent expensive speeding tickets.

12. Car Part Store May Diagnose Problems for Free

If your car is experiencing problems you may try asking a car parts store such as AutoZone to diagnose the problem for free. Even if you need to take the car to get it repaired if you know what the issue is you can look up the cost before going to a mechanic and make sure they are charging an appropriate fee.

13. Negotiate Car Repairs

If your car needs to be fixed by a mechanic, find out the prices for the parts that will be needed.  Call at least three different reputable repair shops and ask for a quote over the phone. If a quote is high, you’ll be armed with information on the parts cost and may be able to negotiate a better repair price.

14. Negotiate When Purchasing a Car

You can save thousands of dollars by negotiating to purchase a car. Most people hate negotiating but when you consider the savings it is worth it.

15. Don’t Idle When Waiting

When you leave your car running, you are using the gas and adding fumes to the air.

16. Shop Around for The Best Gas Price

Gas prices can vary as much as 10-20 cents per gallon from one gas station to the next. If you don’t want to waste your gas searching for the best price you can use an app called Gas Buddy to find the lowest gas price in your area. By saving 10-20 cents a gallon over a year, you will save $100-$200 if you have a 20-gallon tank and fill up once a week.

17. Check Your Tire Pressure

Make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure for your car which can be found in the manual. By doing so, you will save over $100 per year on gas mileage.

18. Use The A/C Sparingly

When you use the air conditioner in your car, it uses

up a lot of gas. Try to drive with the windows open (non-highway) and park in shaded areas when possible.

19. Use Credit Cards to Earn Bonus

Some credit cards offer bonus points when purchasing gas. By using these types of credit cards to purchase gas, you could earn extra money or rewards.

20. Use Rewards to Get Discounted Gas

Some grocery stores offer rewards programs that enable you to receive discounted gas when you purchase items in the store. You can also earn bonus points for purchasing select items. Sometimes I’m able to save $1.50 per gallon which is a $30 savings on a 20-gallon tank for purchasing items I planned to buy anyway.