Gasoline prices continue to rise, costing you money. At the risk of dating this article, previously unseen U.S. gas prices of over $3.00 are now common in some areas. I know those in Europe and elsewhere pay much more, but we can agree over the past year that many countries have recently seen huge spikes.
Rising gas prices affect all of us in some degree. Unless you walk, your cost of commuting to work increases. The prices of goods climb due to increased transportation costs. How can you decrease the impact on your pocketbook?
Luckily the Internet offers many different ways to help ease your burden. Note that many of these sites are geared towards the United States.
1. Search for Cheaper Gas Prices Online
Cheaper gasoline prices may be available but tough to find. Instead of driving from station to station checking for cheap prices or traveling 20 miles out of the way, try the following sites:
GasBuddy.com – http://www.gasbuddy.com
GasPriceWatch.com – http://www.gaspricewatch.com
Carefully read the times reported for the gasoline prices! The cost of gas can rise or fall sharply (though it tends to do more of the former) in the span of a few hours.
2. Use Mapping Services to Plan Your Trips More Wisely
It just makes sense that if you know where you’re going and don’t get lost, you’ll require less gas getting there. Browse these websites to help you plan your journey; some even display satellite maps to further assist your travels:
Google Maps – http://maps.google.com
MapQuest – http://www.mapquest.com
MSN Maps and Directories – http://maps.msn.com
Windows Live Local – http://local.live.com
Though very helpful, use the above sites as a guide as 100% accuracy is never guaranteed.
3. Find Nearby Stores
Don’t travel miles and miles out of the way and spend more money on gas to go somewhere when an equivalent store is just around the corner!
Google Maps – http://maps.google.com
For example, I can query “pizza 30338″ to find several eating establishments in or nearby Dunwoody, GA.
InfoSpace – http://www.infospace.com
Using InfoSpace’s “Near an address” feature on their front page, enter in your street address and type of business, and find close-by businesses never previously noticed while on the road. This beats driving elsewhere and spending more money on gas!
4. Stay Out of Traffic
Tired of idling? We all want to arrive at our destinations sooner, avoiding gas-guzzling traffic jams. These websites provide traffic information, provided you live in supported metro areas:
MSN Autos Traffic Reports – http://autos.msn.com/everyday/trafficreport.aspx
Traffic.com – http://www.traffic.com
Yahoo Maps, Driving Directions, and Traffic – http://maps.yahoo.com
Check your local department of transportation as it may display traffic information online. This can include cameras, incident information, and/or road closures. Perform a Google search similar to the following:
California dot
Tennessee dot
New York dot
5. Shop over the Internet with No Shipping Costs
When done properly, shopping online can save you money otherwise spent on gasoline. Many shops now offer free USA shipping (restrictions may apply) if you spend a certain amount of money, increasing your savings! Some online shopping sites with free shipping offers at the time this article was written (listed for informational purposes only) are:
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com
Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com
Shoes.com – http://www.shoes.com
Tower Records – http://www.towerrecords.com
World of Watches – http://www.worldofwatches.com
Zappos (shoes) – http://www.zappos.com
Though fuel prices rise, let the Internet help you cope. Compare gas prices online. Arrive at your destinations quicker and cheaper using on-line maps. Find nearby businesses with near-address searching, conserving gas. Shorten your commute time with online travel information. And, travel less often by taking advantage of online shopping with free shipping. Use these Internet techniques to stop spending your money on higher gas prices.
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