When Filling Up Taps You Out

With fuel prices at record highs, filling the gas tank is starting to feel more like an investment than an expense. For some ideas on how to save on gas, a 7/26 posting on Businessweek Online said the most important steps are all pretty simple: keep our tires properly inflated, accelerate and brake gently, slow down, and combine errands. More tips can be found at the Department of .
A couple of articles on Yahoo! Finance offered somewhat more involved ideas such as and . Another idea that’s growing in popularity is , essentially renting a car by the hour.
As for the many devices and additives that claim to improve a car’s gas mileage, an ABC News online story posted on 7/13 said EPA testing found that none of them work. Instead try using your car’s air conditioner less often. While some believe the added drag of driving with open windows negates the savings, the article said that’s a myth.
h3(matt). Matt’s View
p(matt). Perhaps the most radical idea is the one offered by . Qualified drivers in a limited but growing number of markets get about $30 a month in free gas in exchange for attaching magnetized advertisements to their vehicle. It’s not quite selling your soul for a tank of gas, but since many people see their car as an extension of themselves, it’s close.