Gas Prices Hit $5 a Gallon: Tips to Ease the Pain

Image by Chuck Coker / Creative Commons

About a week and a half ago, I saw this article about how gas prices were headed to $4 a gallon by Memorial Day. At the time, the price of gas near my house was hovering right around $3.80. Now, less than two weeks later one gas station in downtown Los Angeles is already selling gas for $5.09 a gallon.

Now, I have to admit, this particular gas station appears to be on its own in terms of the astronomical pricing, however even prices out by me have risen at least $.35 in less than two weeks. In fact, the typically lower-priced gas stations like Costco, Sam’s Club and ARCO are selling for $4.05+. There is one lone hold out I found near downtown LA who was still selling for under $4 a gallon, but I’m pretty sure that won’t be the case for long.

The question then becomes…how can you ease the pain at the pump? Well, here are a few tips that while they won’t necessarily take away the pain, they could help to ease the pain a bit.

1) Check out public transportation options in your area. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out; if you can drive less you will pay less for gas.

Image by David Villa / Creative Commons

Check out bus lines, rail lines, carpooling options as well as ride-share options. You may be surprised to find what your area has to offer when you look.

2) Plan ahead. Do not let yourself run out of gas. People often pay more at the pump when they are in a bind and need to fill up at the last minute. When you plan ahead you can use a tool like gasbuddy.com to find the gas station near you with the least expensive gas and then go there to fill up.

3) Pull out that GPS. When you need to get to a particular destination, especially if you have never been there before, use your GPS or map it out ahead of time. This is another way planning can really help you save both time and money.

Image by Michael Sheehan / Creative Commons

4) For those who want to ease their gas pump pain, while improving their fuel economy and lowering their vehicle emissions all at the same time, check out Biofriendly Corporation’s Green Plus® liquid catalyst.

5) Make at least one day a week a truly car-free day. Walk, ride your bike, put on those rollerblades you haven’t seen in years, or choose any option other than driving in a car.

Image by Jason V / Creative Commons

Remember, there is no need to wait until September for the official “World Carfree Day” celebration, because as World Car Free Days Collaborative says:

“Every day is a great day to take a few cars off the street…”

6) Change up your driving habits by driving a little more efficiently. Removing excess weight from your car, using your cruise control and avoiding excessive idling are all ways you can save money by improving your driving efficiency. If it can save money, don’t you think it is worth giving it a try?

7) For those of you who have been thinking about switching to a hybrid or electric vehicle, now might be a good time.  Although, you might want to think about investing in a solar system as well – in the long run it will cut down both your home and vehicle expenses. One additional advantage you will have, especially if you live in a major metropolis is that AAA is starting to offer roadside assistance for electric vehicles.

Image from Consumerreports.org

With gas prices on the rise, these tips can at least help you ease the pain a little. If you have other tips you use to ease the pain at the pump, please leave a comment and let me know what steps you take when gas prices are on the rise.