Surviving the Gas Crisis

The obvious way to cut your gas prices is just stop driving.  More Americans are taking public transportation but all we know that sometimes, it’s just a whole lot easier to drive. If you’re having trouble deciding whether to bite the bullet and take the bus or treat yourself to a road trip, check the AAA Fuel Cost Calculator, which will estimate the total gas cost of your journey between two major American cities.

Those who intend to travel might also want to take a glance at the Energy Information Administration’s chart of “U.S. Retail Gasoline Prices.” The chart shows the average weekly gas prices being paid by citizens around the country. Not only can you gauge what gas prices will be in whatever region you’re heading to, but you’ll also be able to figure out if you’re getting ripped off at home or on the road.

If you checked out the average price for your region and discovered it’s lower than you normally pay, you’re probably going to the wrong gas station. But you can turn that frown upside down by researching lowest gas prices in your area with Gas Price Watch or Gas Buddy.

Search Gas Price Watch by zip code or address to get a ranked list of gas prices at stations in your area.

Or become a price-watching expert with Gas Buddy, a community-based gas price finder that monitors fluctuating gas prices in regions of the United States and Canada. Simply click your location on the map and select your county, and you'll be taken to a customized page showing the cheapest user-submitted gas prices in your area. Besides gas price listings, there are gas charts that show the movement of average prices over time, gas price maps that show all the prices in a given geographical region, a message board, news headlines and more. Gas Buddy also offers mobile services for your phone.

In the MSN Money article, “12 Ways to Save Money on Gas,” the last suggestion is simply to use less gas. But if you can’t manage that, the first 11 items on the list should prove quite helpful. For example, if you’re feeling too lazy to research local gas prices online, think again. MSN warns that high and low gas prices differ by as much as 65 cents in big metropolitan areas. Other tips include paying in cash, or even applying for a gas rebate card. The article also suggests how to find spots that consistently offer better prices.

Unfortunately, we’re living in a time when even the cheapest gas that you find on Gas Price Watch or Gas Buddy is by no means “cheap.” In addition to ensuring you’re getting the best deal, learn about bigger changes you can make to save resources and money. In a findingDulcinea article about energy-saving techniques, you’ll find tips for conserving oil and softening the blow to your bank account.

Or maybe this is the perfect opportunity to reduce your gas use in favor of more environmentally friendly fuels. Discover everything you need to know about alternative fuels in the findingDulcinea feature “Driving Alternative Fuels Home.”