If there's a single issue that has got people around the world apprehensive - it's the astronomical rise in fuel prices. Crude oil that used to cost $27 a barrel hardly 4 years back now costs $140 a barrel. And it could go still higher.

Never has there been a greater necessity for reducing fuel consumption. By doing so, not only would you be doing yourself good by decreasing your expenditure on fuel, you would also be doing the environment a favor by incinerating less fossil fuel.
How do you cut down on your fuel intake without requiring to stop using your vehicle? By keeping to my following six tips, you will cut your fuel expenses by at least 25%.

1. Maintain Your Car
A car that is regularly serviced will require less fuel. Manufacturers of cars suggest a maintenance program. Check yours, and make sure that you follow it meticulously. Get your car checked regularly and get the oil changed at fixed intervals, together with the filter.

2. Avoid Idling The Engine:
A lot of people believe the fallacy that their car engines must idle for some time in winter months so as to get them warm prior to driving. This is incorrect. Simply idling for more than half a minute only wastes fuel. Ten minutes of idling every day means 100 litres of fuel wasted per year. Instead have a block-heater that will heat your car without the negative side effects.

3. Maintain Correct Tire Pressure:
Are the tire pressures proper? See to it that a monthly inspection is carried out. Make sure this is performed when your car is in an idle state, and no one has used it for around 3 hours, at least.
In case your tires are not inflated enough, there is increased rolling resistance. This causes an increase in the load on your car engine, and makes your fuel use to rise. It the pressure comes down by 20%, your fuel usage increases one tenth. You also need to factor the effect of climate on your tire pressure, which has a tendency to differ depending on the temperature.

4. Take of Unwanted Weight:
Don't lug more load in your vehicle than absolutely necessary. Extra load means greater wind resistance, and means more fuel consumed. Whether it's a rack on your car roof or additional luggage, it all means greater gas guzzling.

5. Plan Your Trips:
Scheduling trips beforehand will help combine tips and errands to insure more efficient use of your automobile, and consequently, reduced fuel use.

6. Drive Cleverly:
Your way of driving also dictates how much fuel you consume. Are you a fast driver? Do you gather speed quickly? When you disregard the speed limit, you are, in effect, increasing you fuel bill. Plan beforehand when you need to halt by decreasing you speed in place of braking hard. On top of increasing the fuel used by your vehicle , this may possibly spoil your engine.

7. Assure Yourself Of the perfect Fuel:
Before getting a new car, get to know what its fuel consumption is - this is different from vehicle to vehicle. Which car you buy will impact your gas bill before any other factor.