Six Ways To Save Gas This Labor Day

Its the last big summer holiday and if you're hitting the road, here are some easy ways to cut back on that gas bill.

1. Shop Around - The closest gas station may not be the cheapest. As long as you're not on empty, compare prices at gas stations near your home and along your commute. Check out price comparison websites like www.gasbuddy.com and www.billshrink.com. Plug in your destination to find the most affordable gas stations along the way. The difference in price can be as high as 50 cents.

2. Pay Cash - Last year's high gas prices forced many drivers to pay for their gas with a credit card, but those merchant fees were passed right back to the driver and many gas stations are still doing it. Paying with cash avoids the transaction fee. According to www.gasbuddy.com, cash discounts are popular in some states including Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Gasbuddy.com says discounts for cash-paying customers are legal in every state, as long as the gas station makes it clear that prices are different when you pay in cash vs. credit or debit.

3. Keep Your Car In Shape - Sounds obvious, but routine maintenance on your car's tires and engine can increase fuel efficiency. Properly inflated tires save money, because under-inflated tires take more energy to roll. Regularly change your air filter, clogged filters can damage your engine. According to the Department of Energy, a new air filter can improve gas mileage by 10% and costs from $20.00 to $60.00

Stick to the motor oil that's recommended by your car's manufacturer and is "energy-conserving". That can also increase fuel efficiency.

4. Slow Down - Aggressive driving wastes fuel. According to the Alliance to Save Energy, consumers pay 24-cents more per gallon for every five miles per hour they drive over 60 mph. The Department of Energy says rapid acceleration, hard breaking and speeding all lower a car's gas mileage by 33% on highways and 5% in the city.

5. Clean Out The Car - Any heavy items from unnecessary equipment to that bag of salt from last winter decreases fuel efficiency.

According to the DOE, gas mileage decreases by up to 2% for every 100 pounds. Also try packing everything inside the car, piling anything on the roof increases drag and decreases fuel economy by 5%.

6. Limit A/C Use - Try to keep the air conditioner on it's lowest level. Maxing it out can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 25%, compared to having it turned off, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.