THE COLOR OF MONEY
Common sense, and some planning, can help cut your gas bill

By Michelle Singletary

In a very unscientific poll, I've discovered that while many drivers are groaning about the high price of gas these days, many don't have a clue that there are some things they can do to cut their fuel bills.

Although the average retail price of gas has been dropping, it still makes me weak in the knees when I have to pay at the pump. On a nationwide average, gas prices are still 44.1 cents a gallon more than they were a year ago.

And goodness knows, those of us who will be driving to our vacation destination could use all the savings we can get.

I think we all know if we drive less, we spend less on gas. But what else can we all do besides parking the car to increase our fuel savings?

The experts at Money Management International, a nonprofit credit counseling agency, offered these suggestions to save on gas:

• Before you hit the road, plan your vacation route so that you drive by gas stations with the lowest prices. Visit www.gaspricewatch.com to compare gas prices. You can search for price deals by using a zip code search or by specifying a street, city and state. You can even sort prices by the grade of gasoline. You can also find information about the cheapest gas prices at www.fueleconomy.gov.
• Check your car's owner's manual. If your car does not require premium-grade gas, get regular unleaded.
• Don't let brand loyalty cheat you out of savings. Gas is gas. I know that little gas station might look fishy and you might wonder if the gas is good, but all companies have to comply with the same federal regulations. They use the same refineries.

Here are a few gas-savings tips from the Alliance to Save Energy, which recently teamed up with the U.S. Department of Energy for a yearlong "Powerful Savings" program (www.ase.org/powerfulsavings) to help consumers reduce their energy bills and cut energy use:

• Don't speed. The faster you drive, the less gas you save, the more money you spend. Each 5 mph over 60 is equivalent to paying an extra 10 cents per gallon for gas.
• Replace air filters regularly. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your vehicle's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, according to the DOE. And while you're having the air filter replaced, change your oil and fuel filters. I'll admit I'm pretty bad about remembering to do this myself. If it weren't for my husband, my oil would have the consistency of mud.
• When renting a car, ask for a model that gets better fuel economy.
• If you're buying a new or used car, pay attention to the mileage the vehicle gets. Check out the Department of Energy's Web site www.fueleconomy.gov to find the most gas-efficient vehicles.

The Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality suggest you:

• Keep your tires properly inflated and balanced. This prevents excess drag on your engine and can improve your fuel economy by up to one mile per gallon. Depending on the size of your gas tank, you could get an extra 20 miles per tank of gas.
• Stop pumping when you hear the "click." Don't top off your tank. Spilled gasoline pollutes the air when it evaporates. Not to mention that wasted gas is wasted money.
• Avoid aggressive driving and quick starts and stops. At highway speeds, you'll lower your gas mileage by about 33 percent. By maintaining a constant speed and driving sensibly, you could save as much as 50 cents a gallon.

In some ways, rising gas prices can be a good thing. They're a wake-up call to all of us to drive slower and to conserve energy. And maybe it will spare the backs of all those poor men (sorry, honey) who have to load and unload overstuffed suitcases while on vacation.