Let’s do a little quick math… If you commute an average 16 miles each way to work, that’s 32 miles a day. Since your car’s mileage hasn’t been so great lately, you likely only got 14 miles to the gallon. If you managed to hit the cheapest gas in Tempe, you probably paid $2.43 a gallon. That means your job will cost you at least $5.55 today in gas – or $1,338 this year! Since it’s unlikely your employer will give you a cost-of-fuel adjustment, maybe you should consider ways to make your car more economical?

First, don’t waste fuel warming up your car or idling for long periods of time. While your car is idling, it is getting zero miles per gallon – this drags your mileage down really quick! Warming up a car for one or two minutes is generally sufficient.

Second, check your gas cap. One source says that about 17 percent of the cars on the road today have loose, broken, or missing gas caps. This results in the evaporation of 147 million gallons of gasoline each year. How many of those gallons were yours?

Third, ensure that your tires are inflated to the factory recommended pressure. Under-inflated tires can cost you a mile or two per gallon.

Fourth, change your spark plugs at factory recommended intervals. Spark plugs get worn and dirty, causing misfirings which wastes your fuel.

Finally, replace your air filter. This inexpensive part can save you as much as 20 cents per gallon and a considerable amount of power!

These minor inexpensive changes can turn your gas guzzler into an economical ride, without costing you a fortune in repairs or conversions.