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Gas continues to set record highs, and most people are now paying well over $4 per gallon. This sharp increase has forced people to make some drastic changes to cope with these high prices. Here are a few basic things to consider that could save considerable money over time on gas.

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Walk, bike, ride the bus or join a carpool.

Keep your car maintained. By keeping up with regular maintenance your car will run more efficiently and burn less gas. This includes regular oil changes, air filter replacement and properly inflated tires.

Drive smart. Aggressive driving leads to increased acceleration and braking that can use unnecessary gas. Whenever you brake, you waste the gas it took to get going that fast.Try to maintain a steady speed for as long as possible and use the cruise control over long distances.

Alter your daily commute. If you commute through heavy stop-and-go rush-hour traffic you might be able to drive to and from work an hour or so earlier or later in order to miss the rush. Avoiding this type of traffic can not only save gas but also create a less stressful drive. Of course this may only work if you have flexibility in your schedule.

Combine trips. If you can do several short trips in one longer trip, you will save fuel and time. Make lists to avoid having to go back. There is no need to make a separate trip if you pass the same locations on a daily basis.

Buy gas on Wednesday. Gas prices are statistically the cheapest on Wednesdays, but this is only statistically true over a large number of days. It won’t be true every week.

Buy gas three days before a holiday. Gas prices almost always go up for holidays.

Clean out any unnecessary items in your car. If you have heavy objects in your car that you don’t need, remove them. Your lighter car will use less fuel to get where you’re going.

Remove unneeded racks. If you have a bicycle or ski rack, remove it when you’re not using it. It causes drag and lowers mileage.

Avoid idling. While idling, your car gets exactly 0 miles per gallon. Park your car and go into the restaurant rather than idling in the drive-through. Idling with the air conditioning on also uses extra fuel.

Park in the shade. Gasoline actually evaporates right out of your tank, and it does so faster when you park directly in the sun – winter or summer. Parking in the shade also keeps it cooler inside, and you will need less A/C to cool off when you get back in. If there is no shade available, park so that your gas tank (the actual tank under the car, not the valve to fill it) is facing away from the direct sun.