Tips for saving at the pump as fuel prices continue to climb

Calgary drivers are staring down the highest gas prices ever experienced in the city.

According to GasBuddy.com, the average price of regular grade fuel in Calgary hovered around 172.3 cents per litre Thursday morning.

The current price is an increase of more than 25 cents per litre compared to this time last month.

Some industry analysts are predicting prices will dip on Friday due to a slight recovery in the value of the Canadian dollar and Wednesday's correction of oil prices.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped from just over US$123 per barrel on Tuesday to US$108.7 on Wednesday in the most significant dip in oil prices since late November.

Even with a bit of potential relief for drivers on the horizon, the expectation is that fuel will remain much more expensive than previous years for the foreseeable future.

To save a few bucks, drivers can do things like slow down when safe to do so and limit how hard you accelerate.

Consumer Reports found reducing the speed of a Toyota RAV4 from 120 km/h to 105 km/h improved fuel economy by 2.5 km per litre.

Not only will limiting hard acceleration improve your fuel economy, but it will also extend the life of your engine, tires and brakes.

Other tips for improving gas mileage include making sure your tires are correctly inflated and removing things like rooftop carriers or roof racks to reduce aerodynamic drag, especially when driving long distances on the highway.

To see just how much of an impact rooftop storage units can make, Consumer Reports tested out a 2019 Nissan Altima and found that the car's mileage dropped by about 19 per cent.

Signing up for loyalty programs at gas stations and using a credit card that offers cashback incentives are other ways to fully capitalize on some of the saving options that are out there.

Although changing the way you pay and switching up driving habits aren't necessarily game-changing money saving hacks, every little bit helps. Especially when gas prices are through the roof.

With files from CTV News Toronto