Ways to beat high gas prices.

[Gumbo4x4]

It is true that an engine's most "efficient" at wide open throttle. That however does not necessarily equate to best fuel consumption.

Best way to demonstrate is say with weight lifting. Now, if your maximum lifting capacity is 300lbs, you must exert ALL of your energy to lift that 300lbs. This is when you are at your most "efficient". OTOH, what if you're lifting less? Do you exert every ounce of strength to lift a carton of milk? Of course not. And doing so would in fact be wasted energy. So it is with cars. And the goal is not maximum utilization of your car's "work capacity", but rather to utilize only a small percentage of its potential in the least costly method. So, WOT rarely works here.

Actually thought of a better way to demonstrate this:

Let's say you were to move 1,000,000 pounds 1 mile and use 5 gallons of gasoline in the process at WOT. That's 200,000lbs moved a mile PER gallon of gas used.

Let's also say you were to move 5,000 pounds 1 mile and use 1/20th of a gallon of gasoline in the process at partial throttle. That equates to 100,000lbs moved a mile PER gallon of gas used.

Obviously, the first example is more "efficient" use of the gasoline. But, though our engine may be capable of moving 1,000,000lbs, our car only weighs 5,000. So, you have to adjust your driving to optimize fuel efficiency rather than engine efficiency.

Besides, at WOT, your engine would be running 6-7,000 RPM all the time. And even if you were operating efficiently, you would run into durability issues

 

[shortbun]

Two summers ago, we bought a Vespa. My DH runs most local errands with it and he has fun at the same time.

 

[charming23]

I have been planning out my errands so that I make one large trip once a week. If I need anything in between I try to squeeze out a few stops or walk up to the corner where we have a nice little grocery store.

 

[ssawka]

My tip is do more online shopping! Thank you Amazon Prime!

 

[pediatric-rnp]

For those of you who coupon, keep your coupon book in your trunk. You never know when you may unexpectedly be passing a store you need/have a coupon for an item in. For me, that is particuarly Bed, Bath & Beyond. I keep their coupons handy so when I pass by, I can run in and pick up our keurig coffee! I never make a special trip there, as it is approx 15 mi from us.

Also, I keep anything that may need to be returned or exchanged in my trunk, for the same reason as above. So m any times I have been out unexpectedly, and passed by a Kohls or Target, etc, and wished I had the item with me.

Like the PP, I also use points earned at our grocery store for discount on gas. We aren't limited to just their gas pump. They are alos accepted at Shell. Every little bit helps!

 

[ChiCat]

My husband and I own a car but we both are taking public transportation to and from work. I am, in general, trying not to use our car as much as possible which is really hard because I haven't had a car in almost 5 years and he hasn't ever had one (of his own) so it's a brand new toy for us!

 

[Plumeria9]

For those of you who coupon, keep your coupon book in your trunk. You never know when you may unexpectedly be passing a store you need/have a coupon for an item in. For me, that is particuarly Bed, Bath & Beyond. I keep their coupons handy so when I pass by, I can run in and pick up our keurig coffee! I never make a special trip there, as it is approx 15 mi from us.

Also, I keep anything that may need to be returned or exchanged in my trunk, for the same reason as above. So m any times I have been out unexpectedly, and passed by a Kohls or Target, etc, and wished I had the item with me.

Like the PP, I also use points earned at our grocery store for discount on gas. We aren't limited to just their gas pump. They are alos accepted at Shell. Every little bit helps!

I carry my coupon caddy and all of the ads, coupons and what not with me in a re-usable fabric bag I picked up at Trader Joe's once. It was something that just evolved into what it is, and it seems to work for me. I bring it in the house and put it it in the car when I go out because there is always something I want to put in it, or get out of it when I leave it in the car. It is also handy to carry my re-usable shopping bags. With this system I don't have to cram all of my ads into my purse and all that mess. Also I started doing even more link-able errands at a time, and reducing days of having to drive around.