Some tips for saving at gas pump
By Marshall Loeb
MarketWatch
NEW YORK — Prices at the gas pump are hitting record highs nearly every day and are expected to top the $4 mark this summer. But don't let $80 fill-ups pump the fun out of your sunny days.
From Kiplinger's magazine reporter Stacy Rapacon, here are four ways to keep more cash in your pocket when you pull into the service station:
Two Web destinations to consider are GasBuddy.com and GasPriceWatch.com. GasBuddy links you to more than 179 local Web sites, each focused on a U.S. state, metro area or city. Prices are updated constantly by the site's 124 million users and are dropped after 72 hours, when it is assumed that spotters will have updated their information. Similarly, GasPriceWatch.com hosts data from about 162,000 volunteer tipsters, but it mostly collects pricing info directly from fuel providers and gas-station companies.
By Memorial Day weekend, the site plans to roll out a certified pricing program, which will guarantee you a specific price if you get to the pump within one hour of seeing it on the site. Additionally, it offers a tool that allows you to track prices at specific stations along your regular routes.
Also, don't wait until your gas gauge drops down to "E." Thinking about a refill earlier, when the gauge indicates a quarter-full tank, leaves you some time to shop around for the best gas price.
Finally, check that the price on the pump matches what's on the sign, and be sure that the gas pump starts at the $0 mark.
Proper tire pressure is very important for good fuel economy. Every pound-per-inch under the manufacturer's recommendation for your tires loses you a mile per gallon per fill-up.
Also, large loads impact cars much like mules, weighing the vehicle down and making it harder to speed up. Trim the excess luggage from your car, like those golf clubs in the winter and those snow tires in the summer.
