Yesterday I filled up at the gas station and I was shocked. Shocked! Cost to fill up -- $43.12! I really haven't been hiding under a rock. It's just that I don’t often fill the one vehicle I share with my husband, so it wasn't until I handed over $43.12, that the runaway cost of gasoline got personal. Believe me, as I pulled away I renewed my resolve to employ every gasoline-conservation technique and tip known to humankind. I thought perhaps you could use a reminder as well:

Combine errands: Instead of running to the dry cleaners tonight, the drugstore tomorrow, the post office the next day and the doctor on Tuesday, combine those errands into one trip. Plan ahead because it's all those little short trips that can really whack the gas mileage.

Get technical: Learn to drive as if there were an egg is between the gas pedal and the floor. Break it and you die. This means gentle and gradual pressure on the gas, no sudden acceleration or 'floor boarding.'

Car pool and other alternatives: Whenever possible, walk or ride a bike. Most of your trips are within just a few miles of your home anyway, so cut them down and get some exercise at the same time. Can't avoid a car trip? Whenever possible share a ride with a co-worker or another family.

Pass on the premium: High-octane fuels aren't necessarily better for your car. In fact unless your car's manual specifically calls out premium fuel, it could be detrimental to your car's engine. The American Automobile Association (AAA), estimates that premium gas accounts for about 20 percent of total gasoline sales in this country, despite the fact fewer than 10 percent of cars on the road were designed to burn the higher-octane fuel. That means U.S. drivers spend about $1.7 billion per year more for gasoline than they should.

Slow down: Gas mileage decreases rapidly above 60 miles per hour. If you drive 70 mph instead of 55 mph, experts say you could be burning up 17 percent of your fuel just to get there a few minutes sooner. In fact, each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is equal to paying an additional 10 cents per gallon of gas.

Keep them filled: Bald tires are not only a driving hazard, but they burn more fuel. Keeping your tires properly inflated is an easy way to improve your gas mileage up to 3 percent, which is a savings of at least 5 cents per gallon.

Trunk light: For every 100 pounds of excess weight in your trunk, your car loses 1 percent of fuel economy. Empty everything but the required safety equipment.

Cheap(er) gas: The Web site GasBuddy.com (www.gasbuddy.com) is a portal to local real-time gas price information in the United States and Canada. You can log on and it will identify the cheaper gas stations in your area.

While the price of gasoline remains out of our control, we can control over how often we fill up. So how low can you go? Could you cut one complete fill up during the coming month? That's my goal; I hope it's yours, too.

For more money-saving tips, buy 'Live Your Life for Half the Price.'

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