Gas prices are setting records. You realize the cost of the driving vacation you had planned will be a lot more than you thought. The trip is going to be so much more expensive you are thinking of not taking it at all. You don't have to cancel your trip! You can travel and control your costs of gas by following some simple tips.

The best fuel saving device is you the driver. Believe it or not you are in control of your gasoline usage. These tips and suggestions will allow you to lower your fuel costs while on that driving trip.

An easy thing to start with is to lighten your load. Get rid of all the extra things you have in your trunk. Take out that 60 pound bag of cat food you bought three weeks ago. Remove your surplus tool kit. Run that box of paper to the recycling center right now, instead of leaving it your car for another few weeks. 100 lbs of weight reduction from your vehicle will save you around 1 to 2 percent of your fuel usage. If you can reduce your load by 200 lbs then your savings is 2 to 4 percent. The lighter your car is the more fuel efficient it will be.

Buy gas before you leave on your trip. You already know the best places to buy gas near your home. Chances are it will be priced lower than the stations along your travel route. In fact you will be best off buying your gas the day before you leave. The day you leave you will most likely be rushed and hurried. You may not have time to go to the outlet with the best price. If you fill up the day before you will be able to do it without worrying about any deadlines.

Don't use luggage racks. If you need to pack your car for the trip try and get everything inside the car. The wind resistance created by using luggage racks will rob you of fuel. The resistance will increase on the highway.

Use your cruise control on the turnpikes and freeways as much as you can. If you can keep the vehicle speed constant it will be much more fuel efficient. The cruise control on your car will do a much better job of keeping a constant speed than you will be able to maintain manually.

If you use these tips you can still take that driving vacation without breaking your budget on gas costs. Following these easy suggestions will go a long way to help you control your costs.