Ok.  Having Mr. Thrifty tell you to inflate your tires makes him sound like your dad.  “Clean your room!”  “Mow the lawn!” “Floss!” blah blah blah.  Putting dad aside, inflating your tires can make a difference and help you save money on gas.

It makes sense- your tires are where you car is attached or connected to the road.  This point of connection is where friction occurs.  The greater the friction the more energy (gas) it takes to propel your car (remember your high school physics class).

If you have your tires under-inflated your tires will have a greater surface area on the road and hence greater friction.  Think about riding a bike.  Have you ever ridden a mountain bike on the road and then switched to a road bike with the skinny tires?  Riding the road bike takes a lot less energy than riding the mountain bike.  It is the same with your car when you have under-inflated tires- more surface area, more friction, more gas.  Inflate your tires to the recommended level to save money on gas.

Total Savings: 2-3% improved fuel economy (ok, not a lot but that is better than a kick in the shins)