Do Some Spring Cleaning

Clean your fuel system (via a system flusher like 3M Fuel System Cleaner Tank Additive, $7.75 for a 16-oz. bottle, 3mestore.com, or by having a pro do it) every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, says Michael L. Caudill, president of Driven Media Communications. This improves your fuel efficiency by five percent, sparing you $100 a year in gas costs.

Lay Off Those Pedals

Curb that inner speed demon — slow and steady wins the gas-saving race. The Alliance to Save Energy estimates that cutting out three driving no-no's — going over the speed limit, accelerating like a jackrabbit and braking hard — could save you 80 gallons of gas or $255 per year! And finally, when you can, hit the cruise control — it will prevent all the revving up and slowing down that burns through your gas.

Pump Up Your Tires

Check your tire pressure every couple of weeks or so to make sure it's at the manufacturer's recommended level. When your tires aren't properly inflated, “rolling resistance” increases, which means it takes more fuel to make your car go. This practice can save you around 3.3 percent in gas payments, or up to $65 a year.

How Much You Save

Air filter replacement = $200
Oil change = $40
Not getting lost = $100
Decluttering your trunk = $40
Cleaning out your system = $100
Driving slow and steady = $255
Keeping tire pressure up = $65

Total yearly savings = $800

Our assumptions: You drive the national average of 12,500 miles per year in a vehicle with a fuel economy of 20.1 mpg using regular grade gasoline at $3.21 per gallon (the 2008 average cost projected by the Energy Information Administration).