Are High Gas Prices Giving You Indigestion? Here’s Some Help.

Great article in USA Today about how gas prices are impacting small business owners. Rhonda Abrams penned the article that brings the crisis in the Middle East a little closer to home by pointing to the still-rising oil prices and the burden on small businesses.

Down in Miami where I live, it was costing me $40 to fill up my tank two weeks ago. Literally overnight the cost rose to $55 a tank—and I do a lot of driving. Even though I work from a virtual office, I still have client meetings around town and a teenaged daughter to drive halfway around the world and back every week. I’m sure you can understand where I’m coming from. As a small business owner myself, the rising gas prices are a painful pinch.

In her article, Abrams offered 10 tips for saving money on gas, including driving less, changing work hours, using the phone, and even buying an electric vehicle. All good suggestions. You should definitely check out her article when you get a minute. But first, here are a few more gas saving tips from Davinci Virtual Office Solutions:

• Make sure your tires are properly inflated.

• Check and replace your car’s air filter.

• Drive the speed limit.

• Remove extra weight from the vehicle.

• Pay cash for gas to get a discount at some stations.

• Check your local radio station Web site to find out the cheapest gas prices in your area.

• Avoid constant braking.

• Cut back on the air conditioning—roll down the windows instead.

• Don’t rev your engine.

• Buy gas early in the morning or late at night while gasoline is densest.

• Drive at a steady pace.

• Avoid bumpy roads that eat up gas mileage.

• Get regular tune ups.

• Car pool

• Telecommute

That should be enough to get you started. I’ll continue sharing new tips from time to time as I come across them. Hopefully gas prices will start going back down soon. But for savvy small businesses that are determined to find ways to slash their fuel bill, these tips will take you a long way. If you have tips to share, please let me know in the comment box below. I’d love to hear them.

In the meantime, check out this video to pick up a few more tips from the pros at AAA:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BemhqwEK7Bc[/youtube]

About Jennifer LeClaire

Jennifer LeClaire is a veteran business journalist, editor and new media entrepreneur with a strong niche in real estate and technology.