GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — If you filled your vehicle up with gas in Kent County one year ago, AAA says you paid about $2.82 per gallon. If you filled up this week, it was closer to $4.25. So how can you get the most bang for your buck?

You’ve probably heard that just slowing down and using your cruise control can keep your mileage under control. With Grand Rapids Community College Automotive Department Associate Professor Brett Atchison behind the wheel, News 8 took a drive to see exactly how much. We hit the highway with the cruise control set at 70 mph.

“That’s the best we’re going to do: 23 (mpg) at 70,” Atchison said as the mileage displayed on the dashboard screen.

Then he backed it down to 60 mph.

“Our current is 28 miles to the gallon, average is 27.2,” Atchison said as he watched the mileage readout. “We went from 23 miles a gallon to getting almost 28 by just slowing down 10 miles an hour.”

While 60 mph on the highway may be a little slow for most, it illustrates how you can increase your mileage by slowing down.

On top of slowing down, you should check your tires for proper inflation and make sure your vehicle is in good mechanical shape.

And think about giving up your remote starter.

“It warms up; it’s all nice and toasty when you get in your car in the morning. That takes a lot of gas. I mean, you’re literally getting zero miles to the gallon when your car sits there and idles,” Atchinson said.

Of course, winter won’t last forever. It will soon warm up and when it does, you may be tempted to roll down the window and let the fresh air in — but that’ll cost you.

“The car has certain aerodynamic properties. When the windows are up, the car is most aerodynamic. When you roll the windows down, you increase the drag on the car,” Atchinson said.

Don’t buy into the idea that mid-grade and premium fuels will increase your mileage.

“If the company that built the car says it doesn’t need premium, don’t run premium,” Atchison said. “It’s literally not going to do any benefits for your car whatsoever.”

You may want to rethink your route. Many GPS apps now feature an option that will find you the most fuel-efficient route.

“Those fuel-efficient route options take you away from city driving. Because that stop and go … idling in traffic, all of that stuff is really where all of your mileage goes horribly wrong,” Atchison said.

While there isn’t one be-all, end-all idea for boosting your mileage, a few more miles here and there can add up.

“If you even do two or three of those things we talked about, you’re going to see a difference in your gas bill,” Atchison said. “The more of those things you can do, the better it’s going to be for you.”