Non-Profit Credit Counseling Experts Share Tips For Saving At The Pump

April 27, 2011 - PRLog -- As gas prices continue to rise, what's a person on a budget to do?  Money expert Barbara Stark, director of community development and education for the national non-profit credit counseling organization American Debt Counseling, Inc., says small changes to daily routines can have a big impact on the wallets of those who rely on their cars to get them to and from work, school and everything in between.

“The average price of a gallon of gas is $1 more than it was at this time last year and car-dependant people on a budget need to look for ways to conserve gas as much as possible so as not to strain their finances in other important areas, such as food, rent and utilities,” said Stark.  “People who turn to free credit counseling for help budgeting their income and expenses learn that saving a little money in one area can make a big difference when every penny counts.”

Stark shares these tips from the U.S. Department of Energy for consumers fed up with filling up at the pump:
•   Keep your car engine tuned and improve mileage by four to 40 percent while saving 12 cents per gallon.
•   Save nine cents per gallon by keeping your car tires inflated to their proper pressure.
•   Use the octane fuel recommended in the owner's manual and save three-to-six cents per gallon.
•   Lose the junk in your trunk.  Save between four and eight cents per gallon by reducing the weight in your vehicle by 100 pounds.
•   You can assume that each five miles per hour you drive over 60 will cost you an extra 24 to 87 cents per gallon.
•   Shop around for gas.  Comparing prices at different stations can save you hundreds of dollars a year.
•   Don’t be an aggressive driver.  When driving, avoid fast starts and stops, and maintain an appropriate speed. Over time, you will save hundreds of dollars on lower gas and maintenance costs.
•   Use motor oil with friction-reducing additives labeled "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol.
•   Combine car trips to increase savings. Instead of making several different trips in a week to run errands, map out a plan to tackle several errands in one outing and minimize the number of miles driven.

Stark also recommends making use of available smart phone apps and resources such as gasbuddy.com, which will show you where you might be able to find the cheapest gas near you.  “Gas prices within the same city on the same day can vary as much as $2 per gallon. While it’s generally not worth making a special trip out of your way to buy cheap gas, sometimes you can plan ahead and know you’ll fill up your tank along your daily route,” said Stark.

For more money-saving tips visit http://www.americandebtcounseling.org, read Stark’s blog at http://www.getdebthelp.org, or follow American Debt Counseling on Facebook and Twitter @myadc. For a free budget review and confidential credit counseling call 888-DEBT-USA.

American Debt Counseling
Based in Sunrise, Fla., American Debt Counseling, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization providing financial education programs as well as confidential and professional certified credit counseling and debt management services across the nation.  American Debt Counseling, Inc. is BSI registered and a member of the Association of Credit Counseling Professionals.

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American Debt Counseling, a national nonprofit credit counseling firm, provides free certified credit counseling and low-cost debt management. For a free customized spending plan call 1-888-DEBT-USA or click http://www.americandebtcounseling.org.