TOP DRAWER ARTICLE

Saving Money at the Gas Pump
by
HL Carpenter

Looking for a winning ticket in the annual race between holiday travel season and rising gas prices? Here are tips to pump up your savings.

Slow down. Driving like Richard Petty can empty your tank in a hurry. Zipping along at 140 miles per hour might make you a top NASCAR driver, but if you want to become the champion of the gasoline race, keep your speed below sixty.

Can the zoom. Forget about revving your engine so you can surge ahead of the car beside you. You won't find a checkered flag at the next red light, only less fuel in your tank.

Hug the curves. Take back roads. There's usually less traffic and fewer stoplights, plus no one's pushing you to speed up.

Become a pit crew of one. Keep the air pressure in your tires at recommended levels. Change the oil when the monitoring system lights up on your dashboard.

Lighten up. Get lean by dumping the junk in your trunk. And while you're at it, lift your lead foot. The turtle, not the jackrabbit, usually wins the money race.

Make a map. It works for holiday shopping and holiday driving. Go from Point A to Point B to Point C in one trip. You may feel like you're doing short laps, but the money you save on gas could pay for a nice gift: A ticket to the next NASCAR race.

Originally published November 2010.

Last update: January 8, 2011