SparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more

Health & Wellness Articles  ›  Saving

Members Share How They Save at the Pump

Save Money on Gas and Improve Fuel Efficiency

-- By SparkPeople
SparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
Remember the days when gas cost less than a dollar a gallon? We do, too. While there's nothing we can do to lower the prices at the pump, we can each take steps to use less fuel and make our vehicles more efficient. Here, SparkPeople members share how they save money on gas—and sometimes get a workout in the process!
  • "I take the bus to work when I can."
    --OBLAIDON

  • "My hubby drives during work so he runs errands if he can. From picking up prescriptions to dropping something off to a family member, it saves big time on gas."
    --BLUE968

  • "I have cut down on gas by taking my bills when we go walking and dropping them in night slots or in the mailbox."
    --VHASKEW36

  • " I try to commute by bike twice per week. Because it's 17 miles one way, I drive in with my bike and then bike home. The next morning, I ride my bike in, and that way I always have my car with me if I need it."
    --TRAVELYNN93

  • "I try to group my kids' activities close enough together that it take fewer trips with the car."
    --PARTTIMER

  • "Call ahead to make sure a prescription is ready before you make a trip to pick it."
    -- TRAVIS07

  • "We put every purchase on a credit card that gives us 5% cash back on groceries and gas purchases. We pay the entire balance off every month so we never pay a finance charge. Once a year we get a credit towards our bill. In February, we got over $600 back for free!"
    --CMBX2MOM

  • "I try to do all errands on my way home from work so I can leave my truck parked over the weekend."
    -- EBOBBITT

  • "We have two cars, but one gets better gas mileage. My husband and I make sure whoever will be driving more during the day gets the more efficient car."
    --DEMIKIT

  • "I stop off at the store on the way home instead of making special trips back out to the stores."
    --OBLAIDON

    "The biggest savings I've achieved was slowing down. I have to take the highway to work, and most cars travel 65 mph despite the limit of 55 mph. This week alone, by making a point of staying under the speed limit, I used 1/2 tank of gas versus the normal 3/4 tank. Tests have shown dropping from 65 mph to 55 mph can save up to 20% of your gas use."
    --CSTEVENSON
How do you save money on gas? Are you driving less or changing your habits on the road? Share your tip in the comments section!
Click here to to redeem your SparkPoints
  You will earn 3 SparkPoints
Page 1 of 1   Return to main wellness page »

Related Content


Member Comments

  • LADYPHOENIX61
    Instead of running all over town to pay bills in person, I pay by phone or online. It saves me time. Also, there's a supermarket less than 5 miles from my house so when I need to pick up less than 10 things, I put on the sneakers and pedometer, grab the green bags and off to the store I go! My gas fill ups are down to twice a month from 3! - 8/23/2009 11:58:16 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • SHERRIE59
    I shop at various supermarkets depending on what is on my list so I try to make it a one-stop shopping. I also do my errands in the morning hours as traffic builds up from lunch time to evenings. Besides that, I fill up each time my tank reaches half...because sometimes you get up and hear that either tanker drivers or gas station attendants are on strike. Also I use a gas station which accepts credit cards so I can monitor my spending on gas. - 5/6/2009 8:12:34 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • PHEBESS
    In hot weather, get your gas when the day and car are both cool - early morning or late evening. Heat makes the gas expand (and move from liquid to gaseous), so you actually get less gas per gallon. Gas stations in Hawaii are calibrated to account for this change, but most other places do not. - 5/2/2009 1:26:09 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • NCBLONDIE
    I try to run all my errands in one outting and plan my trip so I don't spend time backtracking. We buy in bulk whenever possible to cut down on shopping trips. If I find I need something and it's not my usual shopping/errand day, I'll have my husband pick it up on his way home from work if possible. We have the Citi Driver's Edge credit card which pays rebates on gas and automobile-relate
    d purchases (6% for the first year), as well as a rebate for miles driven (a penny a mile, but it adds up). We pay the credit card off monthly.
    - 12/11/2008 10:22:15 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • SARAHTAIT
    On errand day I gather all my errands together and then determine the route that will save me the most gas. This eliminates unnecessary trips at other times during the week as I do all my errands at one time plus gives me the most economical route!!! - 7/28/2008 8:58:40 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • JIBBIE49
    I have always HATED driving and the time it wastes, so 26 years ago I bought a house near the Navy Base where we do most of our activities, rather than 20 miles "out" where others went to "get away." Now that area of town is all built-up. - 7/18/2008 1:22:01 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment