Nowadays, it seems like oil the company executives are out to empty our wallets and fill theirs. Gas prices have gone out of site, along with food, clothing and necessities, while our economy is seemingly crumbling. Many folks are trying to keep their heads above water, and need to learn some simple ways to improve gas mileage.

There are several methods that help to improve gas mileage, some of them that are very effective, and others that really don’t make too much of a difference. It can be a bit of a pain trying to sift through them all, so I have gone to the trouble of finding the most common methods people are using right now to improve gas mileage, so I could pass them on to you.

First of all, changing your oil, and getting regular tuneups. Everyone knows that if your car is tuned up properly and running at it’s optimal level, then the energy expended will be less than if your car was bogged down with mechanical problems. Simple things like changing the air filter, bad hoses, and regular oil changes using the properly weight oil with friction reducers can all make a difference and improve gas mileage.

Another method that works very well, is getting rid of any unnecessary weight your car may be carrying, and getting rid of extras like luggage racks that can create resistance, and decrease your MPG. Keeping your tires at maximum inflation can also help to decrease resistance, although it is said that the MPG gain is fairly small. Still, every little bit can help!

You’ll also improve gas mileage by slowing down. Try driving at more reasonable speeds. Keeping your speed at 55 mph on the highway will increase your gas mileage by as much as 25%. That means no speeding when the “man” isn’t around! You can also pick up a 14% in gas mileage just by turning on your cruise control.

Don’t drive like erratically. Sudden braking or unnecessarily fast acceleration do more harm than good. Those are habits that waste fuel, wear out brakes and empty your wallet. Another gas wasting culprit is unnecessary idling. If find yourself sitting at a fast food drive through, or a bank for any length of time, turn your car off while you are waiting. Reducing unnecessary idling can increase your gas mileage by as much as 19%. That is a nice savings for just doing something like turning your car off for a few minutes instead of letting it run.

There are many simple ways to improve gas mileage, and not enough time to cover them all at once! But remember, if you implement even one of these methods you will save money.