YOUR ENERGY, YOUR FUTURE
Strategies to help you beat the “pinch at the pump” Whether you are embarking on a road trip or simply driving to the store, the high cost of gas these days means you have to be more resourceful than ever to save on fuel.
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orth Carolinians can find up-to-date information about the lowest gas prices in their cities and towns by visiting several price comparison websites. The site www.northcarolinagasprices.com is one of the most comprehensive and easy-to-use. There, you put in your zip code and it brings up prices near you, including names or brands of gas stations, addresses, map links and roughly how many hours ago a price was spotted. Another website that allows you to quickly enter your zip code for local prices is www.gaspricecomparison.net. The tips at the right will help you get the most you can from each gallon of gas you purchase. —Oil, shale and alternative energy expert Chris Faulkner
10 tips to make the gas last 1.1 Fill up your tank on Wednesday or Thursday before 10 a.m. Gas prices rise on Thursdays in anticipation of weekend travel, and 10 a.m. is when most station owners make their price change for the day. Unless it is an emergency, do not buy gas on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. 2. Don’t let your car idle, either when you warm it up or when you are at a 2 standstill. If you’re going to be standing for more than a minute, running your engine wastes more gas than restarting the engine. 3. Buy gas when it’s cooler during the day (like the early morning or at 3 night) to reduce gas evaporation. 4. Remove unnecessary items in your car. Every 250 extra pounds eats up 4 an extra mile per gallon of gas. 5. Drive less by plotting out the shortest route with a driving website beforehand, 5 such as www.randmcnally.com. It may sound obvious but it is often overlooked. 6. Keep your windows closed when driving on the highway. Open windows 6 can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. In stop-and-go traffic, open the windows and turn off the air conditioning to save more money. 7. Confirm with your mechanic what octane gasoline your car’s engine 7 really needs. Most car engines do not require high octane even though the manual will say it’s “recommended.” 8. Download a Gas App (“app” stands for application) for your cell phone, 8 to help you find the cheapest gas near your destination. GasBuddy makes it easy with its free app, and Mapquest has an online finder for gas prices. 9. Buy Discount Gas Gift Cards. And did you know you don’t have to 9 pay full price for a gift card? Websites like www.giftcardgranny.com offer a diverse selection of discount gas gift cards from various card vendors. 10. Be loyal to one gas company and get rewarded with its cash-back credit 10 card reward program.
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22 JULY 2011 Carolina Country