by Brad Vandenheuvel

Created on: March 19, 2009   Last Updated: January 16, 2010

With gas prices that seem to fluctuate every minute, there is simply no telling how much of your hard-earned money you will need to dish out to fill up your tank at the pumps. For those who drive hybrid vehicles saving money on gasoline is made easy because these cars use much less fuel, and can often go twice as far (or even further) than a regular car on one tank of gas. Unfortunately these more expensive vehicles are simply unaffordable for many drivers; however there are other effective techniques that can be used to decrease the amount we spend on gasoline each month.

1) Get outside- If you need to get somewhere that is nearby, why not take walk or bike ride to get there? The health benefits and savings alone make walking, biking, and jogging by far the best ways to travel. This of course is the obvious choice for trips to places that are nearby, however for destinations that are far away (or days where the weather is nasty) this may not be the best option.

2) Carpooling- If you are traveling far enough away from home where walking would become too time consuming, try sharing a vehicle with anyone else that is going to this same destination. Carpooling is good for both the environment and your wallet. You can rotate driving duties, or ( if one person always wants to drive) you can simply pay a small fee for gas. It is obviously better a better financial decision to split the cost at the pumps between three, four, or five people.

3) Alternative transportation- If you live and work in a local area, why not buy a bus pass for a month? You may have to spend a few dollars on this pass, but in the long run you will save money from the gas that you no longer need to purchase. For traveling over long distances, try boarding a coach bus or train, as these methods of travel are often very cost-effective and will save you money.

4) Select the right gas station- Lets face it, we all have our favorite places to stop and fill up our tanks. Usually competing stations are right near one another, and by selecting whatever station has a lower price- even if this is only by a fraction of a cent- you will save yourself hundreds over the long run. Sure some companies boast having higher-quality gas than others, but when you are tight on funds, I'm sure your car will be fine with a slightly cheaper brand of gasoline.

5) Get memberships or cards- Many gas stations offer incentives to make customers want to come back for more. If a free card or membership

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