(WXYZ) — Sky high gas prices have people looking for ways to save.
A lot of people use gas tracking apps like GasBuddy to find the lowest price, but sometimes the lowest price around is still high, which means you've got to look for ways to maximize your mileage.
"I don't go places as much... I try to stay at home," said Juliana Aldridge.
That's one way to save on gas, but realistically we can only do that for so long. But there are plenty of ways to save on gas. The first tip involves planning ahead so you're not in a hurry, rushing from one red light to another.
"It does not make any sense to continue accelerating towards the light that's red, just go coast," said Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy.
Coast when you can and know where you're going, figure out the shortest routes to your destinations ahead of time.
Aldridge says she also tries to slow down when she can.
De Haan noted that's a good strategy.
"You'll save 10 or 20 cents a gallon here or there shopping around for lower prices. You can get a few cents back by depending on how you pay for that gasoline, whether it's rebates or rewards. But I think the biggest thing you can do is simply slowing down, because that can boost your fuel efficiency 10 to 25%. That's the equivalent in some stations in some states saving 50 cents to as much as $1 a gallon," he said.
According to fueleconomy.gov, drivers can implement the following strategies to save money and maximize fuel economy.
Drive sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by up to 30% at highway speeds and up to 40% on city streets.
Observe the speed limit
Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph.
Avoid hauling cargo on your roof
Aerodynamic drag (wind resistance) is increased when hauling cargo on your vehicles roof, lowering fuel economy by 2% to 8% in the city, 6% to 17% on the highway, and 10% to 25% at interstate speeds of 65 mph to 75 mph.
Remove excess weight
Remove unnecessary items in your vehicle. An item weighing 100 pounds can reduce your fuel economy by 1%.
Avoid excessive idling
Depending on engine size and air conditioner use, idling can use a quarter to a half of a gallon of fuel per hour. It is recommended that you turn your vehicles engine off while it is parked. Restarting your vehicle only takes about 10 seconds worth of fuel.
Use cruise control
Maintaining a constant speed by using cruise control on the highway requires less gas than driving at varying speeds.
