Saving money at the pump.

In 2005 gasoline prices broke all records with many paying well over $3 a gallon. Despite the more recent drop in price, I would not be surprised to see it to go up around $4 a gallon in 2006. You really you have to start to think about the price of different types of energy.

Everyday it seems like we are hearing about oil prices going higher and higher. As oil prices rise, we can expect to pay more at the pump. Here are a few simple ways to help contain your costs:

Don’t drive so much. I have a nice little shopping center a 10 minute walk down the street. But when I needed to get something quick I would get in the car drive down to the busy parking lot, circle it for 5 minutes looking for a spot, get angry, get my item and head back fighting all the way just to get out of the parking lot. The time savings were little at best over walking and the frustration and waste of gas were high. If there isn't anything close consider public transportation of one form or another. I live in Boston and I can get to most of the city for around a buck.

But this is not some sort of tree hugging save the earth type rant (that will come later) I’m here to try and save you some money so here are some real tips you can use to save some actual cash.

1. Find the places near you that offer the cheapest gas and shop there first. This may sound like a drop dead simple step but certain stations will simply have lower prices because they deal in larger volumes.
2. Check your tire pressure. Under-inflated tires require a lot more energy to roll. The placard on your inside drivers door is generally where you'll find the correct tire pressure. Consider replacing worn tires with Low Rolling Resistance tires.
3. Fill up on weekdays—because prices usually rise on the weekend. The cheapest times to buy gas are typically Tuesday midday or Wednesday morning.
4. Some gas stations have a one day a week bargain on gas get to know who in your area is doing this and seek them out.
5. Fill up at night and on cold days because pumps deliver more gas when temperatures are lower.
6. Buy gas from busy gas stations. Stations that are consistently busy have their tanks refilled regularly, which means the fuel is more likely to be fresh. Fresh gas has more power than gas that has become contaminated by sitting in infrequently used tanks.
7. Avoid gas stations near freeways, however, because prices are always higher.
8. Don't overbuy. Unless your owner's manual says you must use a higher grade, buy regular gasoline. Costlier high-octane gas does not improve the performance of your vehicle.
9. Avoid topping off. When you purchase just a bit of gas at the gas station the pump doesn’t have enough time to really activate, resulting in short bursts of fuel that may short change you from the amount of gas that you are purchasing.
10. Avoid running on empty. You may think you're using very little gas when your car is on empty, but you're actually using more gas because your vehicle is running less efficiently as it tries to accelerate and decelerate in a normal fashion. The best time to replenish your gas tank is when you have half a tank or less left, or when you find a gas price that you just can’t pass up.
11. Carpool whenever possible. Carpooler's often share the cost of gas, and the wear and tear on your vehicle is reduced as well.
12. Combine trips. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
13. Choose your vehicle wisely. If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets better mileage whenever you have the option.
14. Choose your route wisely. Take the route with the flattest terrain and fewest stops. Try to avoid traffic jams and stop and go traffic.
15. Slow down. Driving at posted speed limits saves fuel and lives. Each 5 mph over 60 mph is like paying an additional 10 cents per gallon. Use cruise control to maintain your speed.
16. Avoid idling. If you have to sit in your car for more than one minute, shut off the engine.
17. Air conditioning does consume some fuel but not as much as you might have heard. At low speeds, open the windows or sunroof to stay cool. At higher speeds, use the car’s fan instead, as the aerodynamic effects of open windows are worse at higher speeds. If you are that worried about it and will never use your AC have the compressor removed for a weight savings.
18. Park in the shade. This minimizes fuel evaporation and helps keep your car cool in the summer.
19. Lighten your load. Don’t carry around items you don’t need. For every 100 pounds of weight in your car, fuel economy decreases by one to two percent. Put heavy items in the trunk instead of on a roof rack, because it creates drag.
20. Keep your gas cap on tight. Tightening the gas cap on your car will prevent gas from evaporating and escaping into the air. Most will click when they are tight enough. If you've lost your gas cap, buy a new one ASAP.
21. Change your oil, spark plugs, and air filter on schedule. And go to a repair shop if your “Check Engine” light comes on—a faulty oxygen sensor could be the cause, lowering your mileage significantly.
22. Use the recommended grade of motor oil, preferably one with "energy conserving" on the label. Gas mileage could improve 1-2 percent.
23. Get a tune-up. A simple tune-up on your car can improve your gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent.
24. Look into discount gas card offers. Shell, Gulf, BP-Amoco, Exxon-Mobile, and others have rebate programs that offer as much as 5-10 percent off the gas you buy.
25. Some credit card companies have cash back programs with different amounts of cash back depending upon what category your purchase falls into. Do some research; I have seen cards giving 3-6% or even 10% back on gas purchases. Make sure you do all your research some of these cards also have fees that negate the savings you might expect to get. Generally speaking you need a fairly good credit score to get a good card, and pay off the balance month to month in order to see real savings at the pump.
26. Some supermarkets and retail chains have attached gas stations that will give you some sort of discount if you use your “shoppers” or “club” card when you buy gas. Others may give out instant coupons that will give you even more of a discount.
27. Take a look at Non-Brand Name Gas Stations out away from the highway. Most non-brand name gas stations use the exact same product as the brand names. Save a few cents every gallon getting a very similar product.
28. Don't Top Off: Many studies have shown that the "top off" usually remains in the hose or is lost to evaporation. Don't bother; when the valve at the nozzle cuts you off you are full enough.
29. Driving habits. Avoid Sudden Stop and Go: Driving less aggressively WILL increase your gas mileage. Rapid acceleration and braking burns more fuel and is harder on your vehicle. Using cruise control is the most efficient for gas mileage.
30. Tire Pressure: Driving on tires that are not fully inflated can cost you as much as 10% or more in lost gas. Check your pressure once a month. Or buy a cheap pump you can keep in your trunk and you can check and inflate your tires more often without putting quarters into the air pump at the station.
31. Don't Drive a Gas Guzzler: Now that high gas prices appear to be here for a long time, consider trading in that SUV for a more fuel efficient vehicle. Hybrid engine vehicles are going to be the next big thing for the automobile.
32. Track your average mileage and have your car checked if the average decreases. To calculate your mileage, note the odometer reading and number of gallons purchased each time you fill up. Divide the number of miles traveled between fill-ups by the number of gallons purchased.

But is any of this effort worth it. Let me tell you my general situation, my car requires premium gas. For the sake of argument let’s say the price of premium is up to $3 a gallon of gas. (Not far off for most of us, and now what I am paying) I need 10 gallons of gas, $30 bucks ouch, and I have a fairly small car. My local “stop and shop“ grocery store offers $0.05 off when using the store card, with premium gas they kick that up to $0.10 off. Ok that’s a start, my credit card, that I pay off every month, offers 5% cash back on gas purchases at the pump. Today I also have an instant coupon from the grocery store giving me an additional $0.15 of a gallon today. So I filler up. With the grocery store discounts, I get the price per gallon down to $2.75 a gallon and with my 5% cash back that takes it down to around $2.61 per gallon. I’m still paying around $26 for my fill up but that extra 4 bucks feels good going back into my wallet. And this is with my small car, if you have an SUV to getting 16 MPG that you feed 30 gallons to every week you better try one or more of my tips to get your price down.

Good luck out there... Roblem