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Gas prices are in the news again. Prices at the pump are going up, up, up. That may have some of us asking: “What should I do?”

Our Money Coach Bill Stanley said there are two things to consider when trying to reduce how much you spend on gas: the car and the driver. 

“You must make sure your car is in good mechanical shape and your tires are properly inflated,” he said.

“You can monitor the mechanical condition of your car by keeping track of the miles per gallon that it gets. Few do this. All you do is write down the gallons and the mileage at each fill up. If you notice that the miles per gallon is going down, it may be time for a tune up.”

Stanley said most families have more car than they need, and many have more cars than they need.

“Americans have always used the car more as a status symbol rather than just transportation,” he said. “Do you need that pickup or SUV that gets poor mileage? Downsize your car and you will spend less on gas.” 

Once you get your vehicle in good condition, it's time to recondition ourselves, the driver.

“How you drive matters. Modern cars don't need to be warmed up; jackrabbit starts eat up the gas,” Stanley said. “Slow down, keep within the speed limit.”

One way we can change things is in the number of times we use the car each day and how far we go.

“Combine errands, avoid going out for just one purpose, shop close by,” he said. “If possible, carpool or use public transportation. Try walking. Establish a 'leave the car home' day."

Another tip Stanley offered concerns gasoline.

“Gas is gas -- buy the cheapest,” he said. “Don't waste gas driving around looking for cheap gas. Go online at gasbuddy.com or a similar site.”

He said he gets to thinking about how much gas and money Americans waste when he's in some neighborhoods each afternoon.

“When I get caught in the line of huge, idling SUVs picking up one child from school, I think back to when I was a kid,” he said. “I walked to elementary and middle school, and I took the bus to high school. Our kids need more exercise anyway -- let 'em walk. Moms and dads should try neighborhood carpools to shuttle kids around.”

The bottom line is that paying for transportation must be budgeted. And it's important to keep on top of it, Stanley said.

“If you are on a tight budget and gas prices are more than expected, you must cut back in another area,” he said. “ budgeted 2011 for $3 per gallon gas. I'll just have to cut back in another expense category.”

Bill Stanley and Money Matters airs every Tuesday on FOX21 Morning News.
If you have a question for Bill, contact him directly: MoneyCoachBill@aol.com