Drive Like a Grandma: How to Use Up to 20% Less Gas

What if you had a coupon code, rewards program, or discount that would save you 20% at the pump, every time you fill up, forever? Would you use it?

When I started using this method to drive more smoothly, my own gas costs fell almost exactly 20%! Before changing my habits, I was getting 21.9mpg in my 2014 Town & Country. And afterwards my average climbed to 26.1mpg over several thousand miles! That’s real savings of 19.2% less gas that I needed to buy.

Aggressive drivers may be able to reduce fuel use by 20% or more using these simple tips. Here’s the best part: it requires no signups, no subscription, no credit cards, no loyalty discount, no upfront costs, no snake oils, and no magic gadgets. All you have to do is drive like a grandma.

How Your Driving Style Changes Fuel Economy

What actually affects your gas mileage? There are two main ways you’re costing yourself money when you get behind the wheel and both are under your control: the gas pedal and the brake pedal.

How the gas pedal costs you

Putting the pedal to the metal and accelerating hard will absolutely kill your miles per gallon. If your car can show you live fuel economy data, you have seen this already: need to pass someone? Need to be first from the stoplight? Your mileage will drop down right next to zero. Trying to save time by pushing that pedal down farther? Speeding costs money! With every extra mile per hour you add to your speed, you need to burn extra gas.

Top ways people waste money with the gas pedal:

• Speeding
• Hard acceleration from a stop
• Accelerating when you could just coast, like on an exit ramp or approaching a red light
• Passing

How the brake pedal costs you

Every time you push down on the brake pedal and slow your car, that’s gas you burned that you’re never getting back. Most people don’t realize that the brake pedal is wasting money when you waste acceleration! In fact, the Department of Energy states that only 12-30% of your gas actually moves your car down the road. That means some of the gas you use is from building up speed and then throwing it away as you slow down or stop.

Top ways people waste money with the brake pedal:

• Starting and stopping in traffic jams
• Racing to red lights and stop signs
• Tailgating
• Accelerating when you could just coast, like on an exit ramp or approaching a red light—yes, this one costs you double!

How Much Could An Aggressive Driver Save?

You might look at this simple list and think “There’s no way I’m costing myself money driving normally!” but just take a look at data from the leading national agencies.

The U.S. Department of Energy says aggressive driving—speeding plus rapid acceleration and braking—can reduce fuel economy by 15%–30% at highway speeds and 10%–40% in stop-and-go traffic. Federal fleet guidance puts the typical improvement from better driving behavior at roughly 5% to 20%, with the largest gains available to aggressive drivers.

According to the EPA, a typical gasoline vehicle:

• Drives about 11,500 miles per year
• Gets about 22.2 mpg
• Uses approximately 518 gallons per year

As of July 23, 2026, AAA reported a national average gas price of $4.09, so the average driver spends approximately $2,124 per year, or $177 per month, on gasoline.

Consider the savings you could achieve by reducing how much gas you burn:

Reduction in fuel use	Annual gallons saved	Annual savings at $4.10	Monthly savings
5%	26 gallons	$106	$8
10%	52 gallons	$212	$17
15%	78 gallons	$319	$26
20%	104 gallons	$425	$36

Yes, you read that correctly: for an aggressive driver, reducing fuel use by 20% could save about 100 gallons and $400 per year, assuming gas costs around $4 per gallon. Drive aggressively? You might need to buy 100 extra gallons of gas every year—or more.

Five Habits That Reduce Fuel Use

Accelerate Gently

When accelerating from a stop, get up to speed more gently. When entering traffic or making a turn, wait for a good opening so you don’t have to speed up so quickly

Look Farther Ahead and Coast

Look ahead of you to find out if you really need to speed up as much – there may be a red light or traffic jam ahead, just coast!

Reduce Highway Speed

Your vehicle becomes noticeably less efficient when increasing speed, especially at highway speeds. Set the cruise and let the crazy people pass! The faster you go, the more gas you burn. Leaving a few minutes early can add up to serious savings over a year.

Leave More Following Distance

Ease off the gas pedal sooner, coast through minor slowdowns, and stop building up speed just to throw it away.

Train Your Brain

In my own vehicle I set the default dashboard screen to show me my fuel economy. That keeps me focused and reminds me that I can save money right now. Think of your gas and brake pedals as money you’re spending and consider – is it worth it?

Bonus Tips

Your driving is the biggest factor in how much you spend on gas, but here’s a good reminder that every other reputable source on the internet also says you should do the following:

Keep your tires at the correct pressure

Give your car the best advantage you can in rolling smoothly down the road – it might save you an additional 3% on gas! Make sure you check the sticker on your driver door, don’t just inflate to the maximum pressure printed on the tire.

Avoid unnecessary idling

If you park your car for more than 10 seconds it is cheaper to turn off the car.

Test Whether This Method Works for You

Take a note of your vehicle’s overall MPG from the menu on the dash, or figure it out by dividing miles driven by gallons of gas purchased. Write it down on a sticky note or put it in your phone. Then reset the fuel economy figure and try this smooth-driving method for your next few fillups. See a difference? Estimate your savings with the table above!