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Just yesterday, I drove by a gas station that I always pass on my way to work and noticed that a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was going for $4.21. This was up from $4.10 the previous day, and the $4.10 price was up from $3.99 the day before. And, while the other gas stations in the area don't seem to be raising their prices as quickly, they are all over $4.00 per gallon, and there seems to be no end in sight to the hikes.

Being a saver by nature (some might call me a cheapskate) I grew angry and began thinking of ways that I could deal with the continuous rise in gas prices. (Quitting my job and staying at home are not viable options.) So, here are some solutions I came up with:

CHANGING MY HABITS

1. I am going to slow down when I drive. While it drives me nuts to go 55 to 60 miles per hour on the highways, I have discovered through experience that driving at a constant speed of 60 miles per hour actually helps conserve fuel.

2. I am no longer going to be a lead foot when driving. I will accelerate slowly and steadily when I get a green light or when it's my turn to go at a stop sign. I will also cruise toward stops without braking suddenly or sporadically. Numerous studies in driving habits have shown that making such changes will save gas.

3. I am no longer going to drive willy-nilly all over town. Each time I need to run an errand, I will make sure I take the most direct route, and if there are other stops I need to make along the way, I will plan the most efficient way to get to them all, so I'm not wasting gas.

4. I will fill my tank late at night or early in the morning or whenever the outside temperature is coolest. Just yesterday, I was listening to a news report that brought to my attention the fact that gas expands when the temperature is hot, so when a driver puts fuel into his/her vehicle in the middle of a sizzling day, he/she is actually getting less gas for the dollar. It's better to fill the tank when the weather is cold. (The oil companies know this but don't want to pass the knowledge on to the public because, God forbid, consumers might actually start yelling at their politicians to do something about this unethical price gouging.)

5. I will carpool as much as possible. This way the expensive cost of driving is spread among all the carpoolers, and everyone gets to where he/she needs to go. (There are some wonderful rideshare programs listed on the Internet to help with this. Just google "rideshare" and see for yourself.)

6. I will use public

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