Guest Author - Jill Florio

With gas prices dipping up and down around the $2.00 mark, it's good idea to make the gas you buy last longer. Here are a few tips from Consumer Reports:

1. Don't let your car idle. Turning off your car when the wait is shorter than 30 seconds is more efficient. So in those traffic jams, or at railroad crossings, you might consider switching yourself off.

2. Decrease road rage. Hard acceleration wastes fuel. Driving evenly can save you 33% on highways and 5% in the cities.

3. Drive 60 mph on highways. Each 5 mph over 60 costs 10 cents a gallon.

4. Regular tuneups can save at least 6 cents on the gallon.

5. Test your tire PSI once a month. A slight underinflation of just 2 psi can increase fuel use by 1%.

Of course, you can always buy a hybrid car (that's pretty expensive), or at least switch to a more efficient gas user (which I recently did, trading my Ford F150 pickup for a Ford Escort). It's not that extreme an option, and many people are doing just this. The day of the SUV is over. Look for Geos, Hondas, and Subarus to make a comeback.

If you do decide to trade in your gas-guzzler, this Consumer Reports guide can help you choose something more fuel efficient: Used Car Buying Guide 2004.

You could also simply ride your bike more. But in the meantime, I'm saving up for that hybid car!
_________________________________________