5 Ways to Use Less Gas

I have always tried to stay home if at all possible. Getting three little girls ready to leave home and buckling them all up is a chore, to say the least. However, with gas prices on the rise and apparently nowhere near their upper limit, I am really trying to stay home. Here are ways I conserve on gas. (These are probably nothing new to anyone, but I thought I'd share anyway.)

1. "Run" errands online if at all possible
• need insurance quotes? online auto insurance and homeowners' insurance quotes are only a click away
• have bills coming due? pay them online; you can even enter the address yourself if the biller is not already in your bank's database
• need to buy something else? shop for groceries, gifts, and even pizza online - particularly if the merchant offers delivery with your order
  
2. Combine trips - instead of making 5 individual trips to town in three days, create an errand day and organize your stops into a circuit that will make the most efficient use of your time and your gas
3. Drive with care - don't speed, don't accelerate rapidly, and try to avoid stop-and-go traffic
4. Do without - so many things we think are necessities are really luxuries; learn how to say no to yourself and your family
5. Carpool - if you do have to go somewhere, car pool with a friend, co-worker, or neighbor when possible (this works even better when you and your car pool buddy take turns driving your vehicles)

What are your favorite tricks for savings gas?

image courtesy of Fotosearch Stock Photography