How To: Spend less on gas

Are rising gas prices getting you down? It wouldn't be a surprise if they were - with prices topping $3 a gallon at some stations, the cost of gas is putting a strain on a lot of people's wallets. If you want to conserve gas, here are some tips that will help you save gas and ease the strain on your bank account.

-Most simply, cut down on your driving. Yes, it is an obvious way of saving, but if things are really tough, try walking, taking the bus, riding a bike, or even carpooling.

-Clean out your car. If you keep trash and useless junk in your car, they are increasing the weight. The more your car weighs the more gas it takes to keep it moving.

-Don't gun it when the light turns green. Accelerating your car uses much more gas than driving at a constant speed, and slamming on the gas pedal to get moving again burns fuel.

-Air conditioning uses gas, so try to keep it off it you can. Unfortunately, driving at high speeds with your windows down increases drag on your car and can also increase gas consumption.

-Park between stores. If you're going to multiple stores that are in the same area, just park your car in one spot and walk to each store. If you don't want to carry your bags into the other stores, you can go back to your car to put your purchases in there before heading into the next store. Also, don't waste gas playing the parking lot game. If you find a spot, take it - walking an extra 50 feet isn't going to kill you.

-Use cruise control. Driving at a constant speed will help your gas mileage, which is why cars get better gas mileage on the freeway.

-Decrease your speed. Not only are speed limits there for safety, driving the minimum posted speed limit will save on gas because high acceleration hurts mileage.

-Fill your tank up (almost) all the way. It will save you money in the long run because you'll only have to drive to and from the gas station once instead of multiple times.

-Find an alternate route to work and school that has fewer stoplights and less traffic. Along the same lines, try to schedule your errands for a time when traffic is light. Stop-and-go traffic is a real gas burner.

-Get your car tuned up and make sure everything is working correctly. Something as simple as having an old spark plug replaced can increase your fuel efficiency significantly. Also, with every oil change, check your air filter and have it replaced if necessary. Replacing a dirty filter will help your car "breathe" more easily, which can increase gas mileage by up to 10 percent.

-Check your tire pressure at least once a month. Having the pressure too high or too low could use up more gas. Some gas stations even have free air pumps if your tires need a few pounds of pressure.

-Gas prices are statistically cheaper on Wednesdays. This may not be always true, but overall they tend to be the cheapest in the middle of the week.

-Fill up three days before a holiday. Prices usually jump a little during holidays due to the expected increase in people driving longer trips.

-Don't top off! Pumps click off automatically when your tank it full. Topping off releases gasoline fumes into the air, and can cost your money for fuel you aren't even putting into your tank.

Keep these suggestions in mind and you could spend the extra dough you save on gas on something even better!