8 easy tips to get pumped. If you're like the average Canadian, you spend $217 a month on gasoline alone. That's more than two thousand dollars per year just getting around-and that's not including the cost of the vehicle itself, maintenance, or car insurance. It's time to start making your petrol work for you and it's easier than you'd think. We've rounded up 8 easy ways to save gas.

Fuel Efficiency

An easy way to save is to simply be more efficient with your fuel. According to an article that ran on eartheasy.com, a blog for sustainable living, there are a number of quick ways to save on gas by simply avoiding common everyday mistakes.

  1. Avoid Driving Aggressively
    Rapid starts and finishes have been shown to increase fuel consumption by as much as 40 per cent, Eartheasy reports. This is especially important for urban drivers. Almost half of your car's city driving energy goes to acceleration.
  2. Don't Speed
    Sticking to posted speed limits could improve your gas mileage by as much as 20 per cent when driving on highways. For example, if you're on a highway where the limit is 80 km/h, you can improve your mileage by up to 10-15 per cent simply by driving at 80 km versus speeding at 100 km.
  3. Don't Idle
    Idling not only wastes unnecessary energy, it's also bad for the environment and could potentially be illegal. Cities such as Toronto have created by-laws forbidding drivers from idling for more than one minute. People found guilty of prolonged idling are subject to fines. By avoiding idling, you could save $0.01-$0.04 per minute.
  4. Keep Your Car In Good Shape
    Ensure your engine is properly tuned, your tires are properly inflated, use the right motor oil and replace clogged air filters. Maintaining your car can save you up to 4 per cent of operational costs, according to fueleconomy.gov.
  5. Unplus That iPhone
    Power accessories may make the ride more enjoyable, but they do affect your mileage. Make sure you turn your devices off before shutting off your ignition. This will save money on gasoline and help your engine the next time you start up.

    6. Get A Cash Back Credit Card

  6. Get A Credit Card That Rewards Drivers With A Sign Up Bonus
    For example, if you sign up for the no-annual fee Shell CashBack World MasterCard® from BMO® and spend $200 before January 31 2014, you'll receive a $25 Shell gift card. An easy free top-up of gasoline just for spending money you'd spend anyway. For details on this particular offer, compare cash back rewards credit cards. The offer is subject to change, but chances are you'll be able to find other great offers at any time.
  7. Look For Cards That Reward While At The Pump
    The MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard® currently offers up to 5 per cent cash back on all gas and grocery purchases within the first six months and up to 2 per cent thereafter. If you put the average Canadian annual petrol spending on this card, you'd receive $91.14 at the end of the year. Vroom-vroom! For details, compare gas rewards credit cards. (Offer is subject to change.)
  8. Shop Around.
    Use the KANETIX credit card comparison tool to find the rewards credit card that's best for you and gives you more at the pump. There are more gas-saving credit card options than the two mentioned, and new promotions and deals are always being introduced that could help you save even more.

More ways to save

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