As gas prices continue to soar, it becomes imperative for most to find ways to either save money on gas or eliminate most of their driving. There is a happy medium, however, it only takes some advance planning and diligence, but you can save money on gas each day.
Find the best price at the pump
Not all gas stations are created equal. The prices you will find on gasoline will vary throughout any town or city, but there are a few rules you can follow to make sure you're getting the best deal available when you need to fill up. First, the stations closest to an Interstate or major highway will usually have the highest prices. Most travelers don't want to take the time to drive into town to get a better deal on gas, so the stations closest to the Interstate can have higher prices and people will still buy there. See if this is true in your area and you'll start to see patterns of where the gas is generally cheapest.
Prices go up right before the weekend
Ever naotice how just when you need to fill up your tank before hitting the road to visit your parents, the gas prices are suddenly higher? Most stations will raise their prices in anticipation of the weekend driving trips or vacations. Visit the pumps on Monday or Tuesday for the best prices, but check around your area and see if this is the case.
Combine errands and save money on gas
If you have several errands to do during a given week, write them down and then group the errands by area. You can tackle several items one day if you're driving to one area for a doctor's appointment, then on another day when you'll be in a different area of town, see what you can do in that region so that you're not driving all over town unnecessarily.
Keep a phone book in your car
If you live in a large enough city, you could have several options for bank branches, pharmacies and libraries or post offices. Having a phone book in your vehicle will help you find the closest branch so that you're not driving around looking for the services you need. Better yet, you can call businesses before you drive there to see if they have what you need in stock.
Check out public transportation, walk or ride a bike
Your city may have a great gas-saving public transportation system that will pick you up near your home and take you where you want to go. If you attend a university or college, you may even get discounted passes. Senior citizens and disabled people may also qualify for free or reduced-cost passes. Sometimes, taking a bus or riding a light rail system can be faster, there are no parking lot hassles or parking tickets, you can get reduced auto insurance because you're driving less and you will save money on gas. Walking or biking to nearby services will also cut down on your driving and will have the added benefit of providing you with exercise and fresh air.
Finding the best prices on gasoline and driving less will help you to save money on gas, but also look into some of the alternatives to driving such as public transportation, walking or riding your bike. These ideas are the only ways to save money on gas but they are the best ways to save money and the easiest. You may not even notice the changes.
