Save Money This Memorial Day Weekend: Slow Down

Online, May 24, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Times are tough and most of us are still trying hard to save every penny we can, even when we go on vacation. With the Memorial Day long weekend ahead many Americans, more than 30 million of them in fact, are planning on taking road trips of 50 miles or more.

They might be heading to the beach, a state or national park for a barbecue, or maybe a big family picnic. But wherever they are going they know in advance that they will be paying almost $4 a gallon for gas, or more. This is reason enough for them to wonder, "how can i save money on fuel?"

The answer is easy and it's something defensive drivers have been doing for years: slow down.

Aggressive driving, especially speeding, is the biggest consumer of fuel. When you mash the pedal at a traffic light to be the first one off the line you are actually decreasing your fuel efficiency sometimes by as much as 75 percent. On the highway, reducing your speed from 80mph to 60mph will increase your fuel efficiency by as much as 20 percent! (Plus, you'll be much less likely to get a ticket for speeding.)

Many drivers just don't realize that they are the biggest reason why their vehicle doesn't get good gas mileage. It's not the fault of the vehicle. It's your fault. It's the way you drive.

There is no need to employ hypermileage tactics to get decent fuel efficiency. You don't have to coast downhill, or draft behind a tractor trailer to save money on gas. Just drive safely and don't exceed the posted speed limit. That's it. That's the secret to saving a few bucks this Memorial Day weekend.

Simple, isn't it?