8 Travel Tips to Save Big on your Labor Day Road Trip | Transportation

Cut 15% off Your Gas Bill With Tips From Yahoo!’s Personal Finance Expert Farnoosh Torabi

Between airfare, meals and lodging, the average American spends about $1600 on a summer vacation.  But, by taking a road trip instead, you can capitalize on falling gas prices and dramatically reduce your overall travel budget. To help travelers lower costs ahead of the holiday weekend, Farnoosh Torabi host of Financially Fit on Yahoo! shares savings tips that travelers can utilize to manage costs and save more than 15% on gas alone. 

• Prep Your Car Before Taking Off: Ask your mechanic about “eco-tuning,” a service that maximizes fuel efficiency.

• Map It:  Avoid long detours and getting lost by using a free online Road-trip Planner at sites such as travel.Yahoo.com/trip. You should also research the best gas prices ahead of time, and…

• Know Where to Buy Gas:  Gas Buddy is a free site and mobile app that shows you where to find the cheapest gas for both short and longer trips.  Tools like this can help you decide where to buy your gas, one of the biggest cost factors on your road trip.  The first gas station you encounter after a long stretch of highway will be pricier than others.

• Know When to Buy Gas: When you buy your gas also matters.  Fill up early in the week asprices typically rise between Wednesday and Saturday and remain lower Sunday through Tuesday.

• Get Smart – With Your Phone: Navigation Apps like those from Navigon and TomTom let your phone function like a stand-alone GPS, without any added rental or purchase costs.  You can find alternative gas stations with Fuelfinder, and both Gas Cubby and GreenMeter track your gas mileage for you.

• Turning Off the Air to Save as Much as 3 Miles Per Gallon:  Experts claim turning off your air conditioneris the real money-saver here. It’s way more efficient to roll your windows down and enjoy the breeze, than to use your AC.

• Be a Better Driver - Going the speed limit makes a 10-20 % difference in fuel economy:Driving fast will cost you, too. Hard acceleration and braking are habits that waste fuel so instead, drive smoothly and just below the speed limit. 

• Utilize for Fuel Rewards Programs: Look for Fuel Rewards programs from gas stations, banks and participating retailers. For example, Shell offers the new Fuel Rewards Network, giving you 5 cents/gallon for every $50 you spend on qualifying purchases.

SOURCE: Financially Fit onYahoo!