It's no secret, winter is upon us, and many of us will be scrambling around figuring out ways to make the most of our automobile's gas. During the cold winter months, we often have to let our vehicle warm up, it takes us longer to get places, gas burns less efficiently, and we have to run our heater on full blast, so we tend to eat through gas relatively quickly. Then there's the other hand, people like myself, who live in warmer climates that stay warm pretty much year round. There brings up a whole different set of issues in how to maintain fuel economy. 

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and most of us are looking for ways to save every dollar we can so we don't go broke into the new year. I thought to myself, what would be beneficial to know when it came to automobiles and how to save money wherever we can, so here's a list of ways to make the most of your fuel economy in the winter, whether you're in cold or warm weather.

Cold:

• Warm up your vehicle before driving it. If you think letting you car warm up fast; less than a minute, and then driving off is going to waste less fuel, you're wrong. It wastes fuel as well as does environmental damage via greenhouse gases. 
• Avoid driving at high speeds for the first few miles of your drive when it's below zero weather to help avoid engine damage.
• When you're out driving; for instance running errands, go to the farthest destination first so that you can warm your engine up and more efficiently use the engine for the other stops throughout the day.
• Always clean off the ice & snow on your car. It will your windows easier to warm off, and make your car lighter and more aerodynamic. Use a scraper too when cleaning the windows of ice, don't just rely on your heater. 
• If you have a garage, use it! You'll save time having to warm your car up to the appropriate temperature.
• You don't have to speed since most vehicles achieve maximum efficiency around 60 mph. By driving a little bit slower, you'll increase your full economy and probably be less likely to get in a winter fender bender. 
• Remove any sort of accessory that will increase wind resistance like roof racks if you won't be using them in the winter.
• Make sure you're using the manufacturer recommended oil for driving in cold weather.

By following these cold weather tips, you'll increase your winter full economy and you're wallet will thank you. Now let's take a look at warmer weather fuel economy tips.

Warm:

• When you're driving slow, roll down the windows. Utilize the AC when you're on the highway. 
• Read your owners manual. You might not know that in most manuals, it contains info on how your vehicle's AC system controls work and how to most efficiently use and maintain your AC system.
• Don't over-use the AC, just use what you need to cool down.
• Park in the shade or purchase a sunshade so when you get back in your car,the interior doesn't feel like a sauna.
• Try not to idle with the AC running prior to driving. Wait until you're in the vehicle to turn on the AC since most vehicles generally cool down quicker once you're driving.
• Empty the trunk because with less weight is better mileage.

I hope that these tips and tricks will help you maintain better fuel economy in the winter months, whether you're in cold or warm climates. If you still find yourself guzzling through gallon after gallon of gas, maybe it's time you visited your local car dealership and picked up a Honda or a Toyota.