Copyright 2006 David Maillie

Gas prices are at an all time high and there is no indication that they will be coming down any time soon. What if we could show you how to easily save 20% or more on gas? Here are some great tips that are guaranteed to save you big at the pump.

Start keeping track of your gas mileage so you can see how much you are paying and what you are or will be saving. Many cars will automatically tell you this in the digital display. If yours does not, the easiest way is to write down the amount of gas you put in at your next fill up. Then erase the odometer (press the single long button on your odometer display). When you get near empty, divide the miles driven by gallons used. This will give you your miles per gallon. This is good to know as it can tell you when something is wrong with your car. It will also show a noticeable improvement when you incorporate some of the tips below.

Make sure your car receives all necessary car care and treatment so it is functioning at its best. This will help ensure the best fuel economy as an ill tuned car can easily be running poorly and cost you 10-20% or more in additional fuel costs. Remember good car care goes a long way with fuel economy.

Slow down. That's right, the National Institute of Highway Safety has stated that we get better gas mileage if we stick with the speed limit. As we increase our speed our fuel efficiency drops fast along with our driving safety. It is a big drop of as much as 10,20 even 30% all depending on how fast you go.

Remove excess weight from your car. Many of us have extra items in our trunk that can add considerable weight to the car and greatly reduce your fuel economy. This is a no-brainer.

Make sure your tires are inflated to the correct tire pressure. Over or under inflation can effect you fuel economy. Purchase a tire pressure gauge and use it at every fill up.

Turn off the air conditioning in town. When you are driving at slower speeds or with a lot of stop and go driving the air conditioning will greatly increase your fuel usage and decrease your mpg. At highway speeds researchers have found that the air turbulence caused by your windows being down actually reduces your gas mileage more than having the air conditioning on. For maximum cooling make sure you close your vents when you have the air on (many cars need you to reset this every time you turn on the car).

You could really save by finding alternative transportationwalking, ride the bus, car pool, or even riding a motorcycle (some get 50+ mpg). But that would greatly inconvenience most of us, so use the above tips, care care and treatments, and ideas to increase fuel efficiency and economy so that you will feel less of a pinch at the pump.