J David Macor

Four dollars a gallon! Four dollars a gallon!! I can’t believe how much I paid at the pump today! I drive a Lexus RX 400h; the h standing for hybrid. Yet, I am still hit just as hard in the wallet as anyone else. Sure, it doesn’t help that my hybrid SUV only gets decent mileage (about 25 mpg’s), but things are still horrible. The question I asked myself and the question it seems that everyone is asking themselves is, what can I do about gas prices?

Well, the short answer is nothing. There are market and political forces at play here that are beyond any individuals control. At the same time, there are ways to alleviate this pain until prices (hopefully) settle down at a more comfortable level.

50 Ways To Save Money On Gas

Short Term Gas Saving Solutions

1. Change your oil.
2. Make sure your tires have proper air pressure.
3. Don’t constantly haul around large items.
4. Change your air filter.
5. Take off your bike rack when you aren’t using it.
6. Avoid things like drive through to stop idling.
7. Avoid braking hard.
8. Avoid accelerating too fast.
9. Plan your trips in advance to avoid wandering.
10. Get a GPS navigation system.
11. Take off slowly when you are at a complete stop.
12. Park in the shade.
13. Walk whenever you can.
14. Park in the first spot that you see.
15. Join the gasoline company loyalty clubs.
16. Sign up for credit cards that give your cash rewards.
17. Use the lowest octane gas for your car.
18. If your car requires a higher octane, try mixing it with a lower one to save.
19. Keep your eye out for gas deals while you are driving.
20. But don’t go crazy driving around for deals.
21. Check out the web to find low gas prices (see below).
22. Don’t fill the tank until you are really low on gas.
23. Fill your tank completely full.
24. Use the radio to avoid traffic jams.
25. Stay on the highway as much as possible.
26. Try to average 55 mph.
27. Buy gas on Wednesdays (statistically the cheapest gas prices fall here).
28. Buy gas a few days before a holiday to avoid the price hike.
29. Go to your dealer for a tune up.
30. Anticipate slowing down by keeping your eye on all traffic.
31. Carpool with you colleagues.
32. Make use of the carpool lane while carpooling.
33. Avoid gas stations that are right off of the highway.
34. Some club stores and grocery store offer gas discounts.
35. Ride the bus or subway at least every once in a while.
36. Use your car’s cruise control.
37. Don’t shop at gas stations that charge extra for credit card usage.
38. During the winter, don’t warm up the engine for more than a minute.
39. Make sure your gas cap is on securely.
40. Bring lunch with you to work, to avoid going out to lunch.

Long Term Gas Saving Solutions

41. Buy a smaller, more fuel efficient car.
42. Buy a Japanese car.
43. Buy a hybrid!
44. Buy a scooter.
45. Buy a motorcycle.
46. Buy a car with a manual transmission.
47. Get rid of your car.
48. Sign up for ZipCars.
49. Move closer to your work.
50. Replace your car’s fuel injector.

Website’s That Help You Save Money On Gas

• My Mile Marker
• The Top 10 Highest Gas Mileage Cars
• GasPriceWatch.com
• Motor Trend
• Gas Buddy
• Gas Price Watch
• FuelMeUp.com
• AltFuelPrices.com
• GasNearU.com
• MSN Autos

How are you weathering the storm of high gas prices? Do you have any other tips for saving money on gas? Are you any closer to buying a hybrid?