One reaches a certain age and a certain amount of your life is spent driving. As such, purchasing gas in an unavoidable ritual. I've been driving for over 20 years now. Over the past five years I've kept track of gas prices, mileage. I've purchased gas (87 octane) largely from the same two stations.
Since I began, gas prices are an average of $1 higher. The price jumps correlate with such things as elections (price goes down, then 2-3 weeks after the election is over, the price makes huge jumps, usually averaging around $.30). In the past two years I've traveled pretty regularly to Nashville, TN; prices there for 87 octane gas are around $.20 - $.30 cheaper than in my hometown in Monterey County, California. Now it hovers at $3.57 at the cheapest gas station near me.
Where I live, mass transit is horrid to say the least and not a viable option. I have to get where I need to go, so the gas stations (& oil companies) have me by the manifold. It's frustrating to watch the prices go up & down, to hear gas companies deny price gouging but to see clear evidence of it, or when gas gets very high (as it is now) to have to choose each month between getting to classes or being able to buy food.
What I'm looking for is a proactive solution to just one of a myraid of things which directly impacts me: gas. I drive the exact speed limit (& don't enjoy it), keep my car & tires maintained, avoid stop-&-go city driving, run my AC/heater as little as possible, combine trips to maximize gas use, have a car with good gas mileage (a stick, so coast as much as possible) but still am filling my tank an average of once a week and watching around 70-80% of my income go down the open throat of my gas tank. I need to get where I need to go, but at the same time am looking for ways to maximize my dollar, my gallons, and to better serve the environment.
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
