Ask the Money Coach: 10 Easy Ways to Save Money on Gas for Your Car

6: Lose weight, save gas.

What are you towing around in the trunk of your car? Are you willing not to carry a spare? Or can you avoid lugging around so much stuff to minimize gas consumption? Doing so could decrease your gas consumption, thereby lowering the amount of money you have to lay out for fuel.

7: Keep those tires inflated.

Studies show that properly inflated tires on your car lead to better fuel efficiency. So don’t roll around with a set of deflated wheels that make you look like you’re in a low-rider (chances are, you’re not).

8: Slow down speedy.

Like to gun your car engine? Why not just toss a few dollars out the window, same thing. Driving at slower speeds conserves gas.

9: Find the owner’s manual.

Your owner’s manual can tip you off to several ways to operate your vehicle at maximum efficiency, including making the most of your gas use. For instance, circle the octane, memorize the octane, and buy the recommended octane – today and forever.

10: Gimme something.

Check your credit card rewards programs for incentives to buy a particular brand of gasoline over another. Your credit card may offer frequent flier miles or cash back for your gas purchases. Don’t forget to pay off the balance in full each month. Also, beware of gasoline cards. They may offer you a deal (like 5 cents off per gallon) for filling up with their brand of gas. But they usually make up for that by charging you higher than average interest rates on the card.

If you take a few minutes to think about, and plan for your gas consumption, you’ll find plenty of crafty ways to save money at the pump.

“Ask The Money Coach” is a syndicated column written by personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, co-founder of the free financial advice blog, AskTheMoneyCoach.com. Follow Lynnette on Twitter at @themoneycoach.