Ease Your Pain at the Pump

We all know how it feels, watching the dollars climb past $30, $40, $50 as we fill up our gas tanks. It hurts. The days of $3-per-gallon gas may be over for good, but we have some handy tips for keeping costs down while you're behind the wheel. Your wallet will thank you: Changing your driving habits, maintaining your car and using the correct fuel may cut your gas costs by as much as $800 each year.

The first essential step to cutting gas expenses -- that could save you more than $250 per year -- is being good to your engine. Get the most out of the gas you put in by tuning up your car and filling its tires regularly. You may not drive a hybrid or a Smart Car, but with proper maintenance you can improve your own car's gas mileage by 4 percent, no matter what you drive. With today's gouging prices, every little bit helps.

Take a look at your tires. Filling the tires properly can improve gas mileage by an additional 3 percent. Check your tires' inflation pressure every month. Check the tires before you drive the car, when they are cool. The proper pressure is listed in your manual and on the driver's door jamb.

Efficient low rolling resistance tires can increase fuel economy even more. They're not necessarily more expensive than less efficient tires, you just have to know to look for them when replacing your car's tires. The federal government can help by requiring replacement tires to be at least as efficient as the original tires on the vehicle.

If you've been pampering your car with premium gasoline all these years, it's time to find out if you're getting your money's worth. Consult your owner's manual, car manufacturer or dealership to see if mid-grade or regular gasoline would work for your engine. Not all vehicles need the good stuff. The same goes for oil. Whether or not you change the oil yourself, make sure it's the correct kind for your engine. Using the manufacturer's recommended motor oil will allow your engine to run like it's supposed to.

But your car may not be the only one to blame for eating a tank of gas. Take a look at your own driving habits, because they may be costing you nearly $300 each year. Are you a speed demon? Do you floor it when the stoplight switches to green? In a 75-mph zone, reducing your speed by 5 or 10 miles per hour can do wonders for your fuel economy. Avoiding speeding and rapid acceleration can boost your gas mileage by an incredible 20 percent. While driving in town, cutting down on unnecessary idling and jackrabbit starts can improve your fuel economy by an additional 5 percent.

There's always the third possibility: leaving your car at home. Think about your weekly schedule. Is there one day you could carpool or take public transportation to work? Could your kids bike to school or take the bus instead of getting a ride? Reducing average weekly commutes by just a day each week can save more than $200 a year.

The days of $3-per-gallon gas may be over for good. Additional drilling won't reduce prices at the pump any time soon. Long-lasting relief from soaring gas and energy prices will only come with more efficient vehicles, cleaner energy sources and better transportation alternatives. Now's the time for a rational energy policy promoting clean cars, clean energy and smart growth and public transit to help insulate consumers from volatile gas prices. Read more about the solutions to high gas prices on NRDC's Move America Beyond Oil site.

Check your tires' inflation pressure every month, filling the tires properly can improve gas mileage and reduce pollution.	Try out carpooling or public transportation to get to work one day out of the week. Besides saving money, you may find that you enjoy reading the newspaper and not having to sit in traffic.	Examine your driving habits and make a concerted effort to become a smooth driver. Limit speeding, unnecessary idling and aggressive acceleration and your gas tank will last a lot longer.

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