Gas Prices Rising as Summer Approaches

Gas prices are on the rise, so it is time again to review our driving habits.

SLOW DOWN! Fuel Economy.gov shows that gas mileage decreases at speeds above 60 mph. “You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas” also “Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town” as discussed on their site.

In New Jersey when on the roads it seems like the speed limit is 75 m.p.h. when it is actually 65 m.p.h. Slowing down at least to the speed limit will save you money as you use about 5% more gas for every 10 m.p.h. above 55.  Of course for some people time is money too so they may choose to drive fast.  Speeding has also has a social cost by accounting for many more accidents that end up happening.

Other ways to save at the pump:

1) Keep tires inflated properly to at least the tire manufacturers specification for the amount of weight being carried.

2) Use gas that has a cleaning additive to it or at least add your own every other tank.

3) Smoothly accelerate and learn to take your foot off the gas well in advance of the red light ahead of you to coast to it.

4) Instead of using your trunk as a storage place remove the weight of unnecessary items.

5) Lose some of your weight… if everyone lost 10lbs. of weight imagine how much gas would be saved along with better health!

6) Bike or walk instead for short trips around the corner or to the local market… not only do you save gas but you get added health benefits as well.

7) Only fill the tank to halfway as each gallon of gas weighs 7.5lbs. If you multiply that by 10 gallons it is like carrying an extra person around with you.

Fill up your tank when it is cooler out in the early AM or in the PM hours as in hot weather the gas you pump vaporizes meaning you get less in your tank.

Change the Settings to Save Money!

Just by changing the picture settings of your TV you can reduce your energy bill and save money.  Most LCD TVs shipped are factory set with same high brightness and contrast levels to make them jump out at you when viewing them at the electronics store. However, you can still set your LCD TV to optimal image settings while saving money in the process.

Set your TV’s mode to one called Standard, Cinema, or Movie. Avoid modes named Dynamic orVivid. Turn the brightness and contrast down to an acceptable level for the room it is in. For example Sony brand LCD TVs have a Power Saving setting you can set to OFF, Low, High, and Picture OFF.  So set it to High. It also has a Power Management setting to have the LCD TV save energy when there is no signal is detected saving substantial energy lost to vampire power.

When buying a new HDTV, be sure to look for a green energy LCD TV. The new Energy Star 3.0 ratings standard requires less than 1 watt of power usage when the TV is off and has a algorithm for maximum energy use based on screen size. Look for this mark on any TV or for that matter most electronic devices when you make a purchase.