The Gas Saving Trick That’s Hiding Under Your Right Foot

Introduction

Let’s talk gas prices. Because lately, everyone is acting like they’re defusing a bomb when they pull up to the pump. People driving across town just to save 4 cents a gallon. Phone apps lighting up with alerts like, “Gas is $3.41 over on Elm!” Really? You’re burning gas… to save on gas?

There’s a better way. Without gas saving apps. No loyalty cards. Keeping your current car. And no need to buy scammy gas saving devices that do nothing.

Just your foot.

Let’s rewind a bit.

From Cheap Gas to Pump Panic

Back in 2020, the world stopped. Literally. Planes were grounded. Roads were empty. Oil prices crashed—at one point they were negative. Like, “please take this gasoline, and here’s $5 for your trouble.”

Fast forward: COVID eased up, travel surged, and then—Russia invaded Ukraine. Boom. Supply shock. Prices spiked. And just like that, a tank of gas started costing more than dinner for two.

Everyone scrambled for savings.

The Usual Advice (AKA: Meh…)

Sure, you can get a loyalty card and knock a nickel off each gallon. Whoop-de-doo. That’s about 1.4% off. If you use 600 gallons a year, congrats—you just saved $29.

Or you could get a credit card that gives you 5% back on fuel. That’s a solid $100 in savings a year. Better… but still not game-changing.

Then there’s the bold move: ditch your gas guzzler and buy an EV. But that comes with sticker shock, range anxiety, and $1,500 for a home charger.

You could downsize your vehicle too—but unless you’re already car shopping, that’s a pricey switch.

So what’s left? A dusty corner of the internet filled with gas-saving potions and plug-ins? Please.

The Gimmicks: Spoiler Alert—They Don’t Work

Search “gas saver” and you’ll find:

• Fuel additives that promise “more power!”
• Magical devices you plug into the cigarette lighter
• Little widgets that swirl your gas into… unicorn mist?

Consumer Reports tested a bunch of them. The verdict? Useless. Modern cars already squeeze every drop of efficiency they can. If a $20 gadget could outperform a team of engineers at Toyota, it’d be standard equipment.

So what does work?

The One Trick That Actually Saves You 45% on Gas

Ready? Here it is:

Slow. Down.

That’s it. Your right foot is the most powerful gas-saving device you own.

I ran the experiment myself. On a road trip from Cleveland to Toronto, I ran a simple test using cruise control in my Honda CR-V AWD Touring.

• At 75 mph, I got 28.3 MPG
• At 70 mph, I got 38 MPG
• At 65 mph, I got 41.1 MPG

Here is the graph of my results:

That’s a 45% improvement in fuel economy—just by easing off the accelerator.

Just me, the cruise control, and a bit of patience.

The Math Behind the Magic

Let’s say you drive 15,000 miles a year and your car gets 25 MPG. That’s 600 gallons of gas. At $3.50 per gallon, you’re spending $2,100 per year.

Now boost your mileage to 36 MPG by slowing down a bit. You’re now using just 417 gallons. That’s $1,460—a savings of $640 a year. With no effort beyond dialing back your speed.

But I Don’t Want to Drive Like My Grandma

Totally fair. Driving 65 on a 70 mph highway feels like you’re holding up traffic. But here’s the thing—on a 30-mile commute:

• Driving 75 instead of 65 saves you just 4 minutes
• Most of us waste that checking email in the driveway

You’re not late because of the speed limit. You’re late because you spent 12 minutes looking for your keys in the laundry basket.

And slower driving isn’t just cheaper—it’s safer. You’ll reduce wear on your engine, brakes, and tires too. Win-win-win.

The Other Perks of Slowing Down

Let’s sweeten the deal with a few extras:

• Less wind noise: Enjoy that podcast without cranking the volume
• Fewer gas stops: Because nothing says “road trip buzzkill” like waiting in line at a Love’s in the middle of nowhere
• More relaxed driving: You’ll stop white-knuckling your way through traffic like you’re in the Indy 500

And best of all, you’re not just saving money—you’re keeping more of your sanity.

Still Not Sold? Try This

You don’t have to drop all the way to 65 mph. Even backing off by 5 mph makes a big difference.

Try a one-week test. Use cruise control. Watch your MPG rise. Do the math. If the savings don’t excite you, go back to burning extra fuel. But odds are, you’ll be hooked.

This is one of those rare financial moves that:

• Costs nothing
• Saves a lot
• Starts working immediately
• Doesn’t require a spreadsheet, app, or PDF download

Wrap-Up: The Best Gas Savings Are Free

The next time someone tells you about a gas-saving app or loyalty program or a $19.99 plug-in miracle, just smile politely and ease off the gas.

You’ve got the secret weapon right under your ankle. It’s smart, safe, and seriously effective.

And once you’ve banked your gas savings, put that money to work. Pay down some debt. Top up your investments. Or hey—buy a better set of headphones for those road trip podcasts.

Want more smart, simple ways to free up cashflow? Check out Cashflow Cookbook. It’s packed with over 60 strategies to save up to $13,000 a month—without sacrifice or spreadsheets. Available on Amazon in both US and Canadian editions. Or take the more comprehensive Cashflow Cookbook Course and really tune up your finances.

Your foot’s already saving you money. Now let’s get the rest of your life to match.