Have you been thinking about how much you spend when you put gas in your car? Maybe you've been wondering where it comes from? Here are a common reason people cite that we should reduce our personal gas consumption:

Are you worried about funding terrorist activities in the Middle East? Tired of us going to war over there? If we were to cut down our dependence on oil from the Middle East, then the argument goes that we would be giving less of our money to terrorists there and we could care less what happens over there.

The 2000 Census reports that Americans are having longer commutes as our roads get more crowded. Ten years ago, in 1990, our national average commute was 22.4 minutes. It's has now increased to 25.5 minutes for the same commute. That's three extra minutes for the same exact commute, more than a 14% increase. Taking that data and projecting forward, you can see that by the year 2010, our national average commute could take almost 30 minutes.

Since the route to your work place isn't magically growing, we all know what we're doing with that extra time. Driving our gas away, inching our way like an inchworm on the highways between our homes and our jobs.

What about the environment? You hear about the greenhouse effect and how we're polluting our world. Making it toxic. Here's how you can make a difference every day.

Turn your lights, TV, radio, off when you're not in the room to use them. Consider the energy requirements when you buy big appliances like your refrigerator, hot water heater, or wash machine.

Buy products in bulk so that there will be less packaging to throw away later. If you love the smaller sizes and find they work in your house better, consider buying one small container and refilling it with a bulk sized product. I do this with dish detergent and hand soap in my house. Not only does it cut down on my trash it saves money!

If you accept the premise of Global Warming, which anyone who isn't a reactionary conservative now does, you will have to admit that there is the need for fuel efficient cars. Fuel efficient cars will not be the total answer to global warming but fuel efficient cars will certainly help. As more and more countries around the world become more prosperous and their citizens become increasingly able to afford certain luxuries, the global demand for cars is growing. And as more and more cars get on the roads all over the world, there will be more and more pollution produced by those cars which will necessitate more fuel efficient cars. Plus as the cost of the oil needed to produce the fuel to power all of these cars continues to go up and up, the producing of more fuel efficient cars will become an economic necessity, which sad to say, will drive the push for more fuel efficient cars faster than environmental concerns.

With high gas prices at the pump and summer just around the corner, consumers are looking for a way to win the battle in the gas wars. There are several steps one can take in order to cut his/her reliance on gasoline that will result in money saved. The following are a few suggestions on how to start winning in the gas wars.

1. Always avoid purchasing higher-octane gasoline than your car requires. Unless your car requires it, higher-octane gas is a waste of money.

2. Keep your tires properly inflated. Check your tires frequently.

Gas prices are higher than ever, so you're likely to see more advertising for "gas-saving" products. Yes, we want to improve on fuel efficiency, but are these products really helping? Or are they just taking an extra bite out of our already shrinking car budget?

The truth is, you should be suspicious of any gas-saving claims for certain devices or oil and gas additives. Even for the few gas-saving products that have been found to work, the savings have been miniscule.

Is it time for you to trade in that old car for a newer model? Before you run to the dealership to purchase your new vehicle, you may want to do some researching. Gas prices are constantly on the rise, putting consumers in the red. Maybe you should take this fact into account before you make your next purchase. Here are some suggestions weigh before you purchase your next vehicle.

You've been saving up money for this trip; your family is really looking forward to it. But when you did a final budget check, you found that you're going to be short of cash. You won't have any money for souvenirs. Here are some ideas for you to save money on your hotel:

* Get as small a room as you can handle. Don't pay extra for a larger room just because the hotel didn't have any smaller rooms left. Negotiate your rate down.

* See what discounts you might qualify for – maybe for being a senior citizen, in the military, your corporate discount, or even any partnerships with your credit cards.

It is no secret that gas prices today are sky high and unfortunately there is no hope of them falling down soon. We must take action, as consumers, so that we are not robbed dry at the pump. The following are several pieces advice on how to conserve your fuel, so you will make fewer trips to the pump.

First, use the proper octane fuel recommended for your vehicle. Higher number octane's require more resources to manufacture, cost more, and may not improve the performance of your car if it is not designed for it.

Do you that you spend half as much time at the pump as you do driving? Well, with high gas prices and the popularity of SUV's, people are spending more and more money at the pump. Today, prices and fuel-efficiency have gotten so bad that people are actually turning down better job offers, because the job would require a longer commute.

However, if you are like many people that have no other alternative but to commute to their job by vehicle, then take note of the following money saving tips.