In the past months we have seen the price of gasoline soar higher than ever before, and this can be hard on people who have a budget that is tight. Even though gas prices have come down a slight bit, you still will want to do everything you possibly can to save on the money you have to pay out for gas. There are a variety of ways that you can save gas, and save money.

Tip#1 - Start Carpooling

Carpooling is a great idea for fellow students and fellow employees both. If you can find people that are going to the same place you are you can save gas by riding together. It may be a good idea to trade off on who is driving from week to week so no one person gets stuck having to drive all the time. If you have to take your children to school or other functions you can also work on trading off with your friends and neighbors to take them there.

Tip#2 - Public Transportation

If it is possible you can take public transportation to work instead of driving your car. Not only will this save you money on gas, but you will also be able to relax and not worry about having to drive through all that rush hour traffic. You may even be able to fit in a quick nap on your way to work or on your way home.

Tip#3 - Price Shop

Often it may be so convenient to buy your gas at the small gas station just up the road, but to save some money on gas you may want to check the prices at other gas stations that are nearby as well. Even if the difference is only a few cents, after putting hundreds of gallons of gas in you vehicle each year, those few cents are going to add up to quite a sum of money.

Tip#4 - Get Moving

You can save some money on gas if you start walking to where you are going, or you can ride a bike as well. You will not have to worry about paying to park your car, and the exercise will be great for you body. If you are walking or biking you will not have to worry about those huge traffic jams either.

Tip#5 - Take Care of Your Car

It is always important to take care of your car so it gets the best gas mileage possible. Also be sure to plan where you are going before you go so you will not have to backtrack and waste gas. If you can, you should use your air conditioning as little as possible because using it takes more gas. Roll down your windows and you will use less gas.

Tip#6 - Check your Tires

It is important that you check the air pressure in your tires as often as possible. If your tires are too low, or the pressure in them is unequal it can make your car burn more gas. You should also be careful how you drive. If you take off from every red light very fast you are going to burn more fuel, so it is best to take off a little slower.

These are a few tips that can help the money conscious person to save money on gas. Even as gas prices drop, these tips can still help you to save more money. Conservation is important, so take advantage of these tips, save money, and save gas.

To most people, the most obvious way to save gas is buying a new car that gets better gas mileage. But before you head to the dealer to make your trade-in, you should know that there are easier ways to save money on gasoline.

Do you stop short at traffic lights and then make a jack-rabbit start? Do you weave in and out of traffic? Driving more sensibly can save you 5%-33% on your gasoline costs. Driving the speed limit can save you another 7%-23%. It is estimated that every 5 miles you drive above 60 miles per hour is comparable to spending an additional $0.20 on gas. Using your cruise control can also save gas since it regulates your speed. Additionally, using your overdrive gears when climbing hills can help. Excessive idling wastes fuel as well so you might want to consider turning off your car if you need to wait for someone or are completely stopped in traffic.

If you’re carrying around a lot of junk in your trunk, now is the time to clean out your car. Every extra pound you carry in your vehicle reduces your gas mileage. This formula applies more accurately to small vehicles rather than larger ones, but the total savings of reducing the weight in your car by 100 pounds is 1-2%.

Keeping your car properly maintained can improve your gas mileage as much as 19%. Visit your mechanic to check if your car is properly in tune and that there are no major mechanical problems detracting from your gas mileage. Discuss a schedule for changing your air filter, as this can improve mileage by up to 10%. Perhaps the simplest mileage savings comes from keeping your tires properly inflated. Purchase a tire gauge at your automotive supply store and learn to use it!

Many employers are now offering their employees the ability to telecommute and work from their home offices. Telecommuting just one day out of ten will obviously save you 10% on your gas costs. Carpooling, ride-sharing and public transportation are also ways to save gas, but these things may not an option for you due to scheduling conflicts. You can still save gas by avoiding rush hour commuting, combining errands into one trip and arranging your route to avoid backtracking.

Many families are unwilling or unable to give up their annual driving vacation, but can save money by making sure their car is properly maintained as described above and by driving the speed limit. Additionally, using a top carrier causes drag and can reduce efficiency by as much as 5% in addition to the reductions caused by carrying extra weight.