FUEL -- SAVING STRATEGIES TO TRY

                   Filling your gas tank have you shaking your head in exasperation?  Some oil industry experts are warning of $5 per gallon gas in 2012.  Yikes!  What's a vehicle owner to do?  Here are some tips on how you can save a few dollars each time you're at the pump.

Learn to coast
                  Coast to a stop when you can (this, of course, requires that you're not already speeding).  If  you drive in a lot of traffic or on city streets with many stop lights, learn to take your foot off the gas and coast safely between slowdowns and stops.

Don't drive aggressively
                  Jack-rabbit starts from a traffic light or stop sign waste fuel.  Period.  There are times when you have to speed up, such as when merging onto a busy highway.  But if, when looking ahead, you're just going to have to stop at the next traffic light, why rev up to speed there?  Seriously, where are you going?  No one, except you, cares how fast your vehicle can acceerate from one traffic light to the next.

Adopt "calm driving" practices
                Automotive editors at website http://www.edmunds.com/ tested many fuel-saving tactics and looked at basic car-maintenance tips and vehicle aerodynamics.  They reported that --- by far --- the greatest fuel-saver was to switch to calm driving.  Fast lane-changing followed by sharp braking used 35 percent more fuel than driving the speed limit and adopting other smooth driving habits.  Also, don't needlessly idle your engine.  And be aware that your vehicle's fuel efficiency usually decreases markedly at speeds of more than 60 mph in most car models, noted the U.S. Department of Energy.  So resolve to drive at, or a little slower than, the posted speed limits.

Keep your tires properly inflated
                Driving on underinflated tires can reduce your vehicle's fuel efficiency by an average of 3.75 percent, reported Edmunds.com editors.

Shop around for gas
                Of course you don't want to drive all over town just to save a few pennies per gallon, but do keep a sharp eye on gas prices at different stations on your normal driving route.  Or check websites such as http://www.gasbuddy.com/ to check prices in your area.  Also, not every car needs premium-grade fuel.  Unless your car was designed specifically to use it or it knocks severely with regular fuel, you can use regular gasoline and save some money.  Consult your owner's manual for more information.

Use cruise control judiciously
                Your cruise-controlled vehicle will work hard and waste fuel just to keep its speed while heading up and down hills.  Resolve to using cruise control only on flat roadways, which is the most efficient way to use this vehicle feature.

Reduce drag
                A lighter vehicle uses less fuel.  Clean out your trunk and back seat, and keep only what you need for emergencies.  And next winter, clean snow off your car, not just your windows, to reduce vehicle weight and save fuel.

Keep your vehicle well-maintained
                The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that vehicle owners can retain their car's fuel efficiency up to as long 15 years simply by following the manufacturer's auto maintenance schedule.  Other maintenance tips:  Motor oils with labels denoting "Energy Conserving" on the performance symbol of the American Petroleum Institute contain friction-reducing additivies that can improve your vehicle's fuel economy.  And routinely check and replace your car's air filters, as clogged filters can decrease your gas mileage by up to 10 percent.

Commute smarter
                Leave early to avoid heavy traffic in which your car sits idling for long periods of time.  If your workplace permits it, telecommute when you can.  Cut your weekly fuel costs and save wear on your car by taking turns driving with other commuters.

Track your gas mileage
                Determine how many miles per gallon you're actually getting now so that after you adopt some of the above-mentioned gas-saving ideas, you can see your progress.  Too busy to do the bookkeeping yourself?  Try a website such as http://www.fuelly.com/ that can help you track your gas mileage over time, helping you save fuel and expenses.  Sign up for a free account, add a car or motorcycle to your profile, then either keep track of miles driven between fuel-ups (using your vehicle's tripometer) or record your odometer at each fuel-up.  The site also has some interesting and off-beat gas-saving tips from other users.

Dump the guzzler
                Of course you could always sell your gas-guzzler and buy a fuel-sipper, a hybrid or one of the new electric vehicles.  If you already were planning to sell your old car, then buying a more fuel-efficient one is a terrific idea.  Shop smartly by comparing fuel-efficiency rates on different vehicles in your price range.