Thrifty Tip : 15 Ways to Save Money on Fuel

Depending on your vehicle, in order to save a gallon of gas (3.785 litres) you need to reduce your driving by about 22-25 miles (35-42 km).  Based on current gas prices, every time you do that you're keeping $5-7 in your pocket!

Here are some tips to help you achieve that:

1. Let the kids take the car to work or school.  This is my current accidental strategy, originally borne of not wanting to leave the house early to drop them off, and which has actually cut down a lot on both driving and extra spending.  Rather than dropping them off then going to do my own thing, I have one of them drop off the other, and occasionally I'll text them with an errand to do on the way home. 
2. Take it easy. The faster and more aggressively you drive, the more gas you use.  Look for tips from "hypermiling" pros to shave off a few miles here and there.  Use cruise control where appropriate and safe.
   
3. Minimize idling.  If you are parked, waiting for someone, or in a long traffic jam, shut your vehicle off.  (Many newer cars now do this automatically.)
4. Practice "trip-chaining", aka planning your errands and doing them all in one trip, in a logical order.  Make a list, group similar stops, plan your route, and where possible park centrally so you can walk to more than one stop.  
5. "Drive a sipper, not a guzzler," says Mary Hunt of Debt-Proof Living.  "If you own vehicles of differing size, take the smaller, more fuel-efficient one on any long trips that you can."
6. Explore public transit options.  Apps like Transit can help you plan ahead and find alternate routes if there are detours or delays - we have this one for our college kids and it is one app I do consider worth paying for!  During the academic year, some students are eligible for discounted bus passes, making this an economical choice.  
7. Consider ridesharing or carpooling one or more days per week. Check out RideSharing.com, Carpool.ca, ShareYourRide, RideShark, or CarpoolWorld.
8. Shop online.  Consider using more online shops and services to reduce the number of errands you need to do, especially if the cost for the convenience is less than the cost of your gas and time to go there in person.
9. Take a hike (or ride a bike) if the distance is reasonable.  This was something we learned last summer while on a trip to the UK.  If you don't have the option of driving, suddenly you realize you really can walk to a lot of places.  Since then, I have done many more short errands on foot.  (Yes it takes longer than driving, but it checks off the box of getting exercise at the same time!)
10. Work from home. If you have a job where it would be possible, inquire about working remotely for one day per week.
11. Build community. So often we are driving our kids to the same schools, events, and extracurriculars as our friends and neighbors are.  Find like-minded parents who are interested in carpooling or taking turns doing drop-off and pick-up.  If you live in a neighborhood where it would work, explore starting a "walking school bus" or a "bike train" during warmer months!
12. Lighten the load. The heavier the load your car has to carry, the more gas it uses. Keep your car cleaned out and don't use your trunk for long-term storage.  Avoid leaving a rooftop carrier on your vehicle full-time to reduce extra drag.
13. Maintain your vehicle.  Good maintenance helps optimize your vehicle's gas mileage. Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned, keep up with oil and filter changes, and make sure your brakes work and aren't sticking. 
14. Stay on top of gas prices.  Use the GasBuddy app to find the best-priced stations near you or along your route.  I rarely buy gas near home anymore as the stations here are often 20 cents more per litre.  Instead, I stop at the small, slightly out-of-the-way stations in the city which use more aggressive pricing to attract people.  They are usually not far from where we are already going for classes or events.
15. Look for apps, cards, and memberships that give rewards, points, or discounts, especially the ones that stack!  Don't get a credit card just for the points if you can't manage to keep it paid off, though - the points are not worth it if you're paying interest every month!  Here are a few - check out what your stations have available:

Esso/Mobil - earn PC Optimum points which you can redeem for car washes or $4.00 off a gas purchase, or collect to redeem at Loblaws grocery stores or Shoppers Drug Mart.  Get more points if you pay with a PC Mastercard. Install the Esso/Mobil app for promotional offers. 

Shell - Get a 3-cents-per-litre discount if you have a CAA/AMA card, plus get Scene+ points.  Install the Shell app for promotional offers. 

Petro-Canada - Earn points on your Triangle Rewards card, and get extra savings if you use an RBC card to pay.  You can also convert your Triangle Rewards points into Canadian Tire money.