This app promises 40% savings on gas

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Want to pay less at the pump? This app helps you change your habits.

Central points

• Speeding, sudden acceleration and braking can push up your gas costs.
• The FuelStar app alerts you to expensive driving habits and guides you on ways to change them.
• You can also reduce gas consumption by driving less and sticking to cheaper pumps.

Gas costs have fallen slightly in recent months after peaking at over $5 per gallon. gallon in June. However, a gallon of gas still costs over $0.50 more than it did a year ago. People are driving less and carpooling or using public transportation more to reduce their gas costs.

Unfortunately, it is not only the price of gas that has increased. Everything from groceries, to rent and medical care are more expensive, and consumers want to find ways to save money. As such, a free app that teaches us how to drive more efficiently is sure to appeal. Today saw the launch of FuelStar, an app that promises to help people save up to 40% on their gas expenses. Find out how it works and how else you can reduce what you pay at the pump.

How FuelStar could help you reduce gas costs

The way you drive can have a big impact on your fuel costs. For example, according to the US Department of Energy, people waste gas when they accelerate, accelerate or brake quickly. Eliminating this behavior can reduce costs by 15% to 30%. Similarly, the site says that “every 5 mph you go over 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.26 per gallon for gas.”

The FuelStar app converts the Department of Energy’s research into real-time alerts and advisories. The app tells you if you are driving too fast and warns you when you suddenly accelerate or brake. Created by Cambridge Mobile Telematics, it also gives you a summary after each trip showing how much you’ve saved or overpaid for gas. Finally, you can see all your recent trips, your exact savings and how you compare to other drivers.

FuelStar is free to install. It is only available from the Apple App Store right now.

Every dollar counts

Unless you drive like Michael Schumacher, the FuelStar app is unlikely to reduce your costs by 40% – that’s the absolute best case scenario. But even a small reduction will go a long way to offset skyrocketing living costs and leave more money in your bank account.

Here are some other ways to reduce your fuel costs:

• Make fewer trips. Maybe you can carpool on the school trip or tick off a lot of errands in one trip instead of taking several trips. If there are trips you can take on foot, by bike, or by public transportation, it can have a big impact on your bottom line.
• Find the cheapest pumps. FuelStar can help you reduce your consumption, but also consider cheap gas apps like GasBuddy and Waze that can find the best value gas stations in your area.
• Empty your trunk. Just as carrying extra weight in your handbag or backpack will wear you out, carrying excess weight also increases your fuel costs. If you have a suitcase full of unnecessary things, take out everything you don’t need.
• Pump up your tires. It doesn’t save you much per gallon, but checking your tire pressure every month can improve fuel efficiency and extend the life of your tires. Regular engine tune-ups also help.

If you drive a lot, it may be worth looking at a credit card with high rewards on gas consumption, or a gas station that pays rewards for your consumption. That way, you can get something back for the money you would have spent anyway.

Bottom line

The headlines are full of warnings of a potential recession and increasing economic uncertainty. As consumers, it’s hard to put money aside to mitigate potential problems when stopping at the grocery store or filling up on gas costs so much more than it did last year.

If you can incorporate small cost-saving measures into your daily life, it can give you a little more money to put towards other financial goals, such as an emergency fund. Let’s say that braking less suddenly and easing your speed can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 10%. That’s a few more dollars in your pocket — and a few more dollars to protect you from potential hard times.