7 Ways To Save Money On Fuel In The Winter Season

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The holiday season is around the corner and this can only mean one thing, WINTER IS HERE (unless you live in Australia or New Zealand 😊)!

Not only does winter bring along a mayhem of cold, snow and ice, but also a number of challenges for people who drive. If you have ever driven in a snowstorm or on snow-covered roads, you know what I am talking about.

There are several things you need to take care of while driving in the winter season, like use winter tires, leave enough distance, etc. In addition to all of that, you need the heat. But heating up your car eats up crazy amounts of your car’s fuel.

You have most likely seen a drop in your car’s mileage in the winter and wondered what’s going on. You are not alone. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a drop in temperature from 24°C to 7°C (or from 75°F to 45°F) can increase fuel consumption by 12% to 28%.

In addition, snow and ice can result in poor driving conditions. Roads become slippery and this also increases the fuel consumption. According to the U.S. EPA, fuel consumption can increase by 7% to 35% only due to the poor road conditions.

Don’t let these data and facts deter you from saving on gas this winter. There are a number of ways you can save money on fuel in the winter season.

1. Stop Idling And Warming Up Yourself

Doesn’t it feel so good when there’s a freeze warning outside and you are in your car enjoying the warmth of the heat? This is known as idling and this is exactly what you should stop doing!

Idling in the car basically means that you are sitting in your car and burning fuel for nothing. You are moving zero miles from Point A to Point B, which kind of defeats the purpose of owning a car, right? It even expedites your next trip to the gas station.

There is a misconception that you should let your car warm up for several minutes. This becomes an excuse for people to warm up themselves too.

In reality, you can start driving after 30 seconds. Modern cars don’t need more than 30 seconds to warm up the engine.

The most fuel efficient way to warm up your car is to get moving after 30 seconds. This way you can get the most out of your fuel.

So instead of idling in your car, bundle up with layers of clothes, jackets, gloves and boots, and drive away.

2. Use A Block Heater

Starting your car when its really cold outside (less than -15°C or 5°F) can put pressure on your engine. All of a sudden your engine has to heat up so that you can get moving. This is not fuel-efficient.

You can reduce your fuel consumption by using a block heater.

A block heater is a device that warms up your engine hours before you start your car. This drastically reduces fuel consumption and thus saves you money on gas. Every car has a cord in the engine compartment that you can use to connect with a block heater.

Here is a portable block heater that you can buy on Amazon.

Here is the same block heater that you can buy on Amazon Canada.

3. Maintain Tire Pressure

When it gets cold out, your car’s tire pressure decreases. Low tire pressure means low fuel economy. Poor fuel economy means more frequent trips to the gas station. To save money on fuel in the winter, it is essential that you maintain tire pressure.

Low tire pressure is also dangerous as it results in increased stopping time. When tires lose pressure in the cold, it gets harder to stop the car. This increases chances of your car to skid or roll in poor weather conditions.

It is essential for you to maintain your car’s tire pressure according to specifications provided to you by the car manufacturer. You can find specification labels when you open the driver side’s door or in the vehicle instruction booklet.

Even after inflate your car’s tires, you should keep checking your tire pressure every month during the winter season to ensure they are properly inflated.

Here is a top-rated digital tire pressure gauge that you can buy on Amazon and use to check your tire pressure.

You can also buy this digital tire pressure gauge from Amazon Canada.

4. Turn Off Special Heating Options

Your car’s engine powers its electrical system. The electrical system then powers your car’s features such as heating, head lights, interior lights, defrosting, etc.

If you avoid using some of the heating options available in your car such as the heated steering wheel, heated mirrors, heated seats, etc., you would see an improvement in your fuel economy.

Using all of the features that your vehicle has to offer can put a toll on your car’s electrical system. This is not an issue in the summer season because you most likely only use air conditioning in the summer.

Instead of using features such as heated seats and heated steering wheel, you can bundle up and get yourselves a nice pair winter driving gloves.

Here is a top-rated pair of unisex winter driving gloves that you can buy on Amazon.

If you live in Canada, here’s one that you can buy on Amazon Canada.

5. Remove Heavy Items From Your Trunk

One of the easiest ways to save money on fuel is to empty your car’s trunk. You might have stuff lying around in the trunk of your car since forever.

The heavier the car is, the more fuel it uses.

According to Natural Resources Canada, fuel consumption increases by 1% for every 55 lb (25 kg) a car carries.

So if you are absolutely sure that the weight that you are carrying around in your car serves no purpose, then its better to get rid of that excess weight and save some fuel.

6. Combine Your Trips

You can actually notice the money that you can save on fuel in the winter season by combining your trips.

If you plan to go out to get groceries in the morning, then plan go to the gym in the evening, and you know that the grocery store is close to your gym than to your home, then its smart and best to combine both of these trips.

It may seem obvious that ultimately you would be driving less by combining your trips, but there is another reason why you are better off combining your trips.

If you plan to run errands twice or thrice a day and have several hours of gap or if you have plans to take various short trips on different days, then you would have to start your car and warm up your car’s engine every single time.

Starting the car and warming up the engine again and again for short trips is not fuel efficient. So it’s best to combine all of your trips. Plan out your trips in advance to be more fuel efficient this winter.

7. Park Indoors

When you park a vehicle between closed walls, it stays warm no matter how cold it gets outside.

By parking indoors, not only would you avoid the hassle of scraping ice and removing snow from your car, but also make sure that the car’s engine stays at a normal temperature.

If your car’s engine is at a normal temperature, your car would start much more efficiently. There wouldn’t be pressure on the engine to start the car quickly to get you moving.

Less pressure on the engine would mean less work done by the engine. The would mean less fuel consumption.

So keep your car indoors at a normal temperature to save money on fuel in the winter.

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