Gas prices have gotten out of control. I remember when gas was $.89 a gallon. I do not believe we will ever see gas under a dollar again in our lifetime. However, all the complaining in the world will not make these ridiculous gas prices go down. Therefore, in order to survive it is important that we come up with practical ways to reduce how much we end up paying at the pump. Here are a few helpful tips to ease your financial pain at the pump.

Carpool.
Carpooling is a great way to save money on gas. If there are a number of people in the carpool it can save even more money. One way to manage the carpool is to rotate cars and drivers. For example, if there are four carpoolers, one week one person drives and everyone pitches in for gas money. The following weeks the rotating continues. The goal is to have each person drive their vehicle every four weeks.

Use Public Transportation.
Depending on your commute, gas can easily cost you $150-$500 a month. Gas for cars has become the new mortgage. One option is to use public transportation. Yes it may be an inconvenience, but it can actually save you money. The cost of public transportation varies from city to city. However, I can think of three advantages for using public transportation. You will have less car maintenance because of less drive time. Generally, the monthly bus pass will cost less than the monthly price of gas. Using public transportation gives you an opportunity to have time to do work, read, think, people watch, and avoid stress from commuting.

Drive Slower.
Gas and oil burns quicker at higher speeds. Is your foot causing you to make extra trips to the gas pump? Some people do not mind paying the price for living life in the fast lane. However, the faster we drive, the more natural resources are consumed. Also, you can get a speeding ticket, and then have a higher insurance premium, plus the cost of the ticket. Be sure to drive the speed limit.

Maintain your vehicle.
Maintaining your car might sound like a no-brainer, but how many of us are actually doing it? Here are some basic tips to maintain your vehicle: a) Keep your tires properly inflated in order to get more miles to the gallon. b) Combine your errands into one trip in order to reduce wear and tear. c) Remove excess junk out of your trunk so that you get further down the road. d) Get regular oil changes and tune ups as recommended by the manufacturer.


It is so important to be proactive with solutions to cut gas cost. Saving on gas is a lifestyle decision that will refuel your bank account. What have you done specifically to save money on gas for your car?