Gasoline prices continue to rise, costing you money. At the risk of dating this article, never-before-seen US gas prices of over $3.00 are now commonplace in some areas. I know those in Europe and elsewhere pay a lot more, but we can agree over the past year that many countries have seen huge spikes recently.
Rising gasoline prices affect all of us to some degree. Unless you walk, the cost of commuting to work increases. The prices of goods rise due to the increase in transportation costs. How can you lessen the impact on your pocketbook?
Fortunately, the Internet offers many different ways to help ease your burden. Please note that many of these sites are directed at the United States.
1. Look for cheaper gas prices online
Cheaper gas prices may be available but are hard to find. Instead of driving from one station to another looking 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 reported times for gasoline prices! The cost of gasoline can go up or down sharply (although it tends to do more of the former) in the span of a few hours.
2. Use map services to plan your trips smarter
It just makes sense that if you know where you’re going and don’t get lost, you’ll need less gas to get there. Explore these websites to help you plan your trip; some even display satellite maps to further aid you on 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/
Although very helpful, please use the above sites as a guide as 100% accuracy is never guaranteed.
3. Find nearby stores
Don’t travel miles and miles off the road 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 “30338 pizza” to find various eating establishments in or near Dunwoody, GA.
InfoSpace – http://www.infospace.com/
Using InfoSpace’s “Near an Address” feature on your home page, enter your address and business type, and find nearby businesses you’ve never seen before while on the road. This is better than driving somewhere else and spending more money on gas!
4. Stay out of traffic
Tired of being idle? We all want to reach our destinations sooner, avoiding gas-guzzling traffic jams. These websites provide traffic information, as long as you live in supported metropolitan 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 with your local transportation department as they can display traffic information online. This may include cameras, incident information, and/or road closures. Perform a Google search similar to the following:
california point
tennessee point
new york point
5. Purchase online without Shipping Costs
When done correctly, shopping online can save you money that you would otherwise spend on gas. Many stores now offer free US shipping (restrictions may apply) if you spend a certain amount of money, adding to 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/
MSN Shopping has a dedicated “Free Shipping Center” directory with even more businesses: http://shopping.msn.com/content/shp/?ctid=18
Even though fuel prices are rising, let the internet help you cope. Compare gas prices online. Get to your destinations faster and cheaper using online maps. Find nearby businesses with nearby address search, conserving gas. Shorten your travel time with online travel information. And travel less often by taking advantage of online shopping with free shipping. Use these internet techniques to stop wasting your money on higher gas prices.