Simple tips to help you save money and improve the efficiency of your gas, electric or hybrid vehicle.

Fuel savings for all cars:

• Combine errands when ever possible. Making several short trips from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer, multi-stop trip covering the same distance.
• Use heat settings, seat warmers and air conditioners only as much as you need to be comfortable in the car.
• Minimize idling your car to warm it up. Most manufacturers recommend driving off gently after about 30 seconds. The engine will warm up faster being driven, allowing the heat to turn on sooner, and decreasing both your fuel costs and emissions.
• Drive more efficiently. Avoid fast starts and stops.
• Keep your vehicle in shape. Replace air filters when dirty, make sure your tires are properly inflated and service your car as the manufacturer recommends.
• Remove accessories that increase wind resistance, like roof racks, when you're not using them.

At the Pump:

• Read the prices on the pump and compare to the prices on the roadside sign, they should match. If not, alert the station manager and file a complaint with Weights and Measures.
• Check to see the gas pump has a seal indicating it was tested and approved by Cuyahoga County Weights and Measures. Seals are good for 12 months from the date of the test, so don't worry if the seal's date has the previous year on it.
• Look at the grade selector before you press it. Stations can put the 87, 89 and 93 octane buttons in any order – high to low, or low to high. If you don't pay attention, you could pay more per gallon than you expected.
• Once you place the nozzle in your tank, check to make sure the pump meter resets to all zeros. If the numbers jump at all before you press the handle, do not use that pump. Report "pump jump" incidents to both the station and Weights and Measures.
• Stay near your vehicle during fueling to avoid spillage.
• Make sure the meter stops when you stop pumping. If the meter creeps up after you stop pumping, tell the station manager and file a complaint with Weights and Measures.
• Get a paper receipt. It can help if there's a problem.
• Whenever possible, avoid filling up when a tanker truck is refueling the station's storage tanks. Refueling can stir up debris from the bottom of the storage tank, meaning there's a chance some of the debris could get in your gas tank.

Fuel savings for electric cars and hybrids:

• Brake gently. Hard stops won't recharge your batteries the same way slower stops do.
• Use the seat warmers instead of the cabin heater when practical to save energy and extend range.
• If you have a plug-in hybrid or EV, keep the battery charged.
• Check the owner's manual for information on saving energy. Instructions can differ between models.