1. Driving Across Town Costs You



So you live in Town A and want to drive 20 miles to Town B so you can save 10 cents a gallon on gas? It's really not worth it.

Let's say your tank holds 20 gallons of gas and gas costs $3.00 a gallon in your town. If you fill your tank near home, it's going to cost you $60. If you drive the 20 miles to Town B so you only have to pay $2.90 per gallon, it's going to cost you $58 to fill your tank. That's only a savings of $2.

Now, if you get 20 miles to the gallon (and if you drive an SUV or other gas guzzler, you probably don't) you are paying $2.90 to get to the gas station in Town B and $2.90 to get back home.

You just took a $2 savings and turned it into a $3.80 loss (not to mention the time you wasted). Congratulations. If you had used a gas rebate credit card with a 5-percent gas rebate, you could have saved $3 instead of losing $3.80 and you would have saved time too.

Do yourself a favor, don't drive two towns over to get gas, even if it is 10 cents a gallon cheaper. It's really not worth it in the long run. Use a gas rebate credit card instead.

2. Those Gas-Saving Products Might Be Bad For Your Car

If you've seen the infomercials and have been tempted to buy the latest gas-saving additive for your car, you might want to think twice. The EPA has already concluded that these products really don't conserve gas and they might even harm your engine.

Instead of spending $20, $30 or even $100 on a product that isn't really going to save you any money at all, use a gas rebate credit card. Not only is it guaranteed to get you a rebate, it won't hurt your engine if you use it.

Of course, a gas rebate credit card doesn't have to be the only way you conserve on gas. There are many things you can do in conjunction with your gas credit card usage. For example, get rid of that "lead foot" habit and drive more conservatively and, of course, keep your tires properly inflated.

The next time you're tempted to run across town to save a few cents a gallon or buy that new "miracle additive" that will double or triple your gas mileage, remember what I've said here. The best way to save money is to drive sensibly, keep your tires inflated and, of course, make use of a great gas rebate credit card.