1. Use the Internet to compare prices.
2. Use a credit card that gives you a rebate on gas.
3. Consolidate errands to drive less.
4. Keep your tires inflated and your windows closed!

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• by Vickey

• We're all sick of hearing about how expensive gas is, and even sicker about emptying our wallets every time we stop at a station! We're mad as hell and... and... well, we're mad as hell, but we're still gonna buy gas. We still have to get from point A to point B, but there are ways to shave a little off the price of fuel. Let us show you how.

• You don't need instructions to do this, right? You're always comparing prices as you pass gas stations!

• The cheapest prices are often in less affluent neighborhoods and far from freeway exits, according to MSN's "12 Ways to Find Cheaper Gas." Membership warehouse stores often have the cheapest fuel around, and sometimes big discount stores will use low-priced gas to lure customers onto their lots.

• How about using the Internet to check gas prices? Can you trust that information? Which sites are best? Here are some quick reviews. Our advice is to check our top pick first, then one or two of the others—just in case.

• Almost all of these sites start with you entering your zip code. Some have interactive maps as well. On most, the list of stations you get will include surrounding areas, not just your own zip code.

1. Gas Buddy
   • Has the most stations listed, in both the U.S. and Canada.
   • The gas stations are arranged by the lowest price to the highest.
     • If you live in a large metropolitan area, you may have to scroll through the list to find the one closest to you.
   • Often, only the lowest grade price is given.
   • Gas Buddy claims a network of over 181 websites charting prices in the US and Canada.
   • This site relies on consumers to correct prices or enter new data, so join the 700,000 members and input your station's data. That will keep the list updated, with everyone sharing information.
2. MSN Autos Local Gas Prices
   • MSN updates their gas station prices every day with overnight info from over 90,000 stations in the US—but their partner OPISNet draws the prices from credit card statements, so while some prices are current, others lag by 2-3 days.
   • Not all nearby stations are listed. And because the cheapest prices are often "cash-only," it's the cheapest stations that are left out of this list.
3. Motor Trend Gas Prices
   • Sponsored by Motor Trend Magazine.
   • Very similar to MSN because it also uses OPISNet—which stands for Oil Price Information System Net, in case you're interested. The Motor Trend site suffers the same drawback: because the prices are culled from credit card receipts, cheap stations that offer better prices for cash are not listed.
4. Gas Price Watch
   • Gas Price Watch, or GPW, takes a little longer to load, and you must enter a city and state—not a zip code. GPW color codes its gas prices to let you know if they've been verified in the last 12, or 24 hours, or more. Google Maps are used, but the prices have a tendency to appear and disappear. In our area, most prices were 3 or 4 days out of date—but maybe you'll have better luck. GPW uses "spotters" (their 165,000 registered members) to update prices, as Gas Buddy does. It is not as easy to navigate through, however.
5. Fuel Me Up
   • Fuel Me Up claims to update their prices 3 times a day, but some prices are several days old. If you use this site, be sure to scroll to the end of the first 10 stations shown, and click on the "Show All Stations" option. You won't get all stations, but you will get a bigger selection.
6. Internet Auto Guide Gas Prices
   • This site gives you the prices of all grades of gas—a rarity. Most of the others give only the cheapest gas price. The lowest prices are marked, but the list doesn't give them in order. Unfortunately, the Internet Auto Guide's list is much shorter than other sites. The cheapest chain, Arco, is not represented at all.
7. Even Mapquest has jumped on the gas price bandwagon!
   • Mapquest also needs only a zip code to find gas stations (ignore the other fields). Bad news: you'll get only a half-dozen stations in your neighborhood. Good news: those stations have really low prices. An added bonus: Mapquest includes a Gas Price Calculator to tell you you how far your last fill-up will take you.
8. Automotive.com Gas Prices
   • Unlike the other sites, the list of stations at Automotive.com really is arranged with stations in your zip code appearing first, regardless of price. The lowest price is marked. They exclude Arco stations from their list, but they do offer a Gas Price Widget so that you can enter your zip and get prices without going to their site. See more about widgets in Step 3: Stay Updated.

• Keep the current gas info on your computer or your phone! Here's how:

1. If you're a Mac user, download Apple Gas Widget onto your Mac to help you stay on top of gas prices. It draws its info from Gas Price Watch and links to Google Maps to help you find stations on your route. This widget even tells you how much mileage you'll get from the gas in your tank!
2. For PCs, use Gas Price Widget from Automotive.com. Sadly, the Widget doesn't include Arco, and some Yahoo Users have complained that it only works sporadically.

• Many GPS devices are adding gas price searches to help drivers. GPS Lodge reviewed these popular toys:

1. Garmin Nuvi 780 and Garmin Nuvi 680 use MSN Direct to search for gas stations and lists the price of regular gas. The subscription to this service is $50 a year and comes through the FM airwaves.
2. Tom Tom Plus GO 920/920T uses Bluetooth to funnel gas prices to users, once you've signed up for the $20 per year subscription. The information comes through a Bluetooth-compatible phone.
3. Dash Express Connected GPS, which uses a built-in cellular radio to search for all gas prices (not just regular).
4. MSN Streets and Trips 2008 offers a GPS navigation system and gas price updates that go to your laptop on an FM signal (no Internet connection needed).

• You can have gas prices texted to you! We've already mentioned that certain Tom Tom GPS units will use a Bluetooth phone keep you informed. Here are other options, listed by Life Clever:

1. To get prices from Gas Buddy, text your zip code to gas@gasbuddy.com
2. Try the free beta service MobGas. Enter your mobile phone number at their website to access gas prices for up to 5 areas and receive SMS alerts when lower prices show up. From your phone, text your zip to sms@mobgas.com.

• Besides finding the cheapest gas station in town, you might want to look into these tips. They'll tell you how to squeeze the most mileage from every drop.

1. The Auto Club has an online pdf version of their Gas Watcher's Guide, which offers tips on how to get the most out of every tank. Their experts recommend avoiding sudden stops and starts, using the "recirc" function on your AC, and maintaining steady, moderate speeds. And get those bags of cement out of the trunk; the heavier load you carry, the more gas your car uses.
2. Cars.com Tips for Saving Fuel also dispenses advice—and their first point is to carpool and share rides. They also remind you to keep your tires properly inflated, as underinflated tires waste fuel. Some other points:
   1. Keeping your engine tuned saves gas.
   2. Anything on the car roof is going to create wind resistance and lower your gas mileage.
   3. Driving with all the windows open creates so much drag that more gas is wasted than if you ran the air conditioner.
3. Federal Trade Commission Gas Savings Page repeats a lot of this advice and adds other tips. Did you know that dirty, clogged air filters in your car can reduce mileage by up to 10%?
4. Cheat at Shopping Tips let you know how to save money on gas. For instance, don't top off when you fill up, and buy at non-name brand stations.
5. Snopes presents several common misconceptions about saving money on gas. You won't maximize your fuel economy by only filling up your tank half-way, pumping slowly, buying gas in the morning or avoiding the station while the tanker trunk is on site. The best way to save money on gas is to find the cheapest price and fill up regardless of the time of day.
6. The experts agree: cars run most efficiently in their top gear at a moderate, steady speed. Jumping on and off the gas pedal wastes a lot of fuel!

• A few sites advise saving money by using the right credit cards—specifically, gas rebate credit cards that pay you back when you use them. Good counsel, but before you start filling out card applications, here are a few things to think about according to MSN article "Are Gas Rebate Credit Cards a Good Deal?":

1. Are the great rebates permanent, or are they introductory offers?
2. No matter how great the deal is, the credit card companies can change the terms anytime. All they have to do is send you a letter.
3. Some cards give lesser rebates at the big membership stores, like Costco or Sam's Club. If that's where you normally buy gas, check the credit card terms carefully.
4. If you leave unpaid balances on your card, you'll end up paying double and triple the savings in interest charges. Bad deal!
5. How are the rebates paid? Do you have to request them? Do they expire if you forget to request them? All these tricks can keep your earnings away from your wallet.

• Now that you've given the matter proper deliberation, here are two excellent websites that will help you find the right credit card:

1. Pump and Save focuses exclusively on gas credit cards. The interest rates and bonuses on each card are laid out clearly, with links to online applications. Pump and Save us run by Card Fusion, called by Work at Home Programs Blog, "The world's largest and best credit card gallery."
2. CardRatings.com, especially their Gas Rebate Credit Card Page, also presents the basic information about the credit cards and their rebates and links to online applications. CardRatings.com has been around for 10 years and is run by a consumer advocacy group dedicated to helping consumers avoid massive credit card debt.

• Right now, both Pump and Save and CardRatings.com agree on the best card: Discover Open Road Card, which gives you 5% back on your gas purchases up to $1200/year. (After that, the rebate drops to 1%.)

• This is a big one! Thinking about trading in your gas guzzler for a new car?

1. Cars.com lists which NEW cars, trucks, and SUVS have the best mileage—and the worst. Check it before you visit a showroom!
2. For more information, the Kelly Blue Book Site allows you to choose and compare 4 new vehicle models at a time. Mileage is under "Quick Facts."
3. If a used car is more in your budget, the government's Fuel Economy Calculator gives you the mileage stats for cars from the 1980s up to last year.

• There's no way to get out of paying for gas when we need it, but at least you now know where to check online to compare prices and find savings tips. Keep comparing prices, and maximize that fuel economy!