WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL

It's 6.40 p.m. now which means we have already finished one whole school day for this new term. The main topics of conversations in school today were either the mid year examination marks and of course, the increase in fuel price. Mind you, not only the teachers and staff were talking about it but also our students. And that is why you see the funny photo of Miss Cheah! I needed to do something different to get everyone's mind off the current problems faced by Malaysians for a moment.

Here is a list of ways to save on fuel that I got from the Internet to share with everyone.

1. Keep the tyres inflated properly. Underinflated tires waste fuel and wear out the tyre thread. Also, check tyres regularly for alignment and balance.
2. A well-tuned engine burns less gas. Get regular tune-ups and follow through with routine maintenance.
3. Get the junk out of the trunk. A weighed-down car uses more fuel. For every extra 250 pounds your engine hauls, the car loses about one mile per gallon in fuel economy.
4. Pay cash at stations that charge extra for credit cards.
5. Don't top off the petrol tank. Too much petrol will just slosh or seep out. Why waste the extra sen?
6. Drive intelligently; don't make fast starts or sudden stops. You're just overexerting your engine and burning extra fuel. Engine-revving wastes fuel, too.
7. Lighten up on the accelerator. The faster you drive, the more gas you use. For example, driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph can improve your fuel economy by two miles per gallon.
8. Avoid long warm-ups. Even in the mornings, your car doesn't need more than a minute to get ready to go. Anything more and you're just burning up that expensive fuel.
9. Combine errands into one trip and plan your stops for the most-efficient route. You'll save yourself time and money.
10. Do not rest your left foot on the brake. The slightest pressure could cause a drag that will demand additional petrol use -- and wear out the brakes sooner.
11. Tighten the gas cap. Buy a new one if your current cap doesn't fit snugly. Petrol easily evaporates from the tank if it has an escape.
12. Buy a fuel-efficient car. When pricing cars, factor in long-term fuel costs. Keep in mind that sunroofs add to wind resistance, lowering the mileage per gallon.
13. Be smart with the air conditioning. On the highway, closed windows decrease air resistance, so run the air conditioner. In stop-and-go traffic, shut off the air conditioning and open the windows.

Reference: http://www.bankrate.com/cnn/news/cheap/331Ways/Autos/fuel.asp