Energy prices continue to rise throughout 2008, and experts are predicting that prices are only set to get higher-- much higher. In fact, some experts are predicting that the recent record $100 per barrel price of crude oil will double to $200 per barrel this summer.

What is going on?

While we can sit here all summer coming up with reasons as to why crude oil prices are rising, it would not do much to solve the problem. The issue that affects most North Carolina-- and American-- consumers is the price of gasoline, which is directly related to crude oil prices.

We have put together some of the better techniques-- tried and tested-- to help you get the most from your gasoline dollar (or dollars, in this case). We also dispel some of the myths that have made their way into mainstream culture.

First and foremost, the best way to save gasoline is to not use any at all. Consider any alternatives you have at your disposal. Are you able to walk? Can you ride a bicycle? If you live close to work, you can certainly take advantage of one of these gas-free and healthy alternatives. Consider taking your lunch to work or school so that you don't have to drive for your food, not to mention fight the dreaded lunchtime traffic.

Are you interested in other options, such as carpooling and public transit? While not as luxurious as driving your own vehicle, riding with other people limits the total cost to you. The further the distance you travel, the more money you could save. If you travel alone, you are fronting 100% of the fuel cost. Add another person and you are now only paying 50% of the fuel cost. Add a third person and your portion falls to 33%. Sure, it may inconvenience you, but if times are tough it is a small price to pay.

Plan your trips accordingly. Group all of your tasks together so that you aren't driving to Point A, back home, then to Point B and back home again. Also, consider different routes. A certain route may be four miles longer, but it might take the same amount of time and have less stoplights and stop signs, resulting in less fuel being used.

Are you in the market for a new vehicle? When people ask us about the best cars to buy, we generally look to reliability. But did you know that by limiting certain vehicle options could have an impact on fuel economy? Several options should be avoided for the maximum benefit, especially if you don't really need them. For instance, avoid the 'thirsty' options, such as heavier vehicles (SUVs), vehicles with performance packages (tuned to use more fuel) and larger engines, four wheel drive, standard power steering pumps, oversize tires, etc. Stick to something more modest. We explain:

Vehicles that weigh less use less fuel. Chose the lighter alternatives. Do you really NEED all of that space an SUV provides? Do you need that grocery-getting pickup truck? Can you get by on a lighter, more efficient and probably cheaper family sedan or coupe? Think about your needs first, and then ask yourself whether the extras are really worth it.

Speaking of weight, remember that the weight of a vehicle is not limited to the vehicle itself. The items you put into it have an effect, as well. Driving around with a 200-pound toolbox in the back of your pickup truck? Do you still have sandbags in your trunk from the winter? The extra weight does add up. Experts say that for every 100 pounds of weight, fuel economy drops by 3%. Less weight would even do your 0-60 times a little better, especially if you are carrying a horse trailer in your trunk!

Think about all of that power under the hood. Those 300 ponies sure do sound nice when pushed to the limit. But do you really NEED all of that power? Vehicles with less power use less fuel. Did you know that vehicles with 100 horsepower can more than adequately power your commute? It's true. Your 0-60 time may add a few seconds, but for those of you not power (and fuel) hungry, then it's the way to go. The difference between a four-cylinder and six-cylinder engine could be several MPGs. A hybrid vehicle, which alternates between an electric motor and combustion engine, can save you even more money.

Did you know that vehicles with electric power steering pumps achieve up to 3% better fuel economy over traditional gear or pulley-driven pumps. The gears and pulleys create resistance on the engine, which in turn cause it to work harder. The same is true for air conditioning. While there is no magic air conditioning system that will run free from your engine, you can turn it off in cooler weather to save an average of 10-20% in fuel.

Select vehicles with smaller tires, as the larger tires weigh more and have a higher rolling resistance, which in turn uses more fuel. Find vehicles with cruise control and use it if you can.

Aside from a new vehicle, maintain your vehicle! We cannot stress that factor enough. Think of it this way: who has the easier time running up a flight of stairs? Is it the couch potato in poor health or the young athlete? It works the same way for your vehicle. Keep it in shape and it wont be gasping for air (and gas). A properly maintained vehicle can achieve substantially better fuel economy than its un-maintained counterpart. Consider the following checks and tips:

Keep your tires properly inflated. In a vehicle we tested, a 5-PSI pressure drop resulted in a 2.4-mpg (7.5%) decrease in efficiency. That's a lot of money to think about. Check tire pressures weekly, and when the vehicle has not been moved for at least eight hours. As the tire rotates, it heats up. As the air inside the tire heats up, it expands, causing 'inflated' pressure readings. We also performed a survey of vehicles in several local parking lots. Of the 610 vehicles surveyed, only 12 had all four tires inflated to the proper tire pressures. Most of the vehicles had tire pressures of only around 65% of the manufacturer's inflation guidelines.

Surprisingly, we found that overinflating the tires past the manufacturer's recommended volume by 5psi did NOT increase fuel economy and, in fact, made the ride harsher. The reasoning behind this data comes from the assumption that fuel economy and tire pressure are directly related. Not true. Aerodynamic drag, which is wind resistance on the vehicle, works to slow the vehicle and increases with speed. Also, rolling resistance, the amount of resistance a tire generates as it moves over a surface, hits a minimal point at a certain tire pressure. This tire pressure is often at or near the tire pressure set out by the vehicle manufacturer. Thus, increasing pressure does almost nothing to affect rolling resistance as minimal rolling resistance has been achieved. Increasing pressure does, however, make the tire more likely to blow out. Disclaimer: these statements are not completely 100% across the board, as some tires perform slightly differently on certain vehicles.

Do not use a fuel grade higher than recommended for your vehicle. It will not give you any added benefit. Instead, you'll see dollar signs flowing out your exhaust. Also, avoid using any of the products on the market designed to increase fuel economy simply by pouring the liquid in your tank. Think about it: if the product really worked, wouldn't your car manufacturer be using and recommending it?

Reduce wind resistance by removing luggage racks and like items from the outside of your vehicle. Keep your windows up at highway speeds to further reduce drag.

Pickup truck owners: leave that tailgate UP! Contrary to urban legend, keeping your tailgate down while driving actually REDUCES your fuel economy by increasing aerodynamic drag. The reason? Ever ride in the back of a pickup truck? You can carry on a conversation. When your tailgate is up, a pocket of air is created in the bed. This swirling mass of air, called a vortex, pushes the air that is coming over your truck further up and away from the bed. When the tailgate is left down, that vortex collapses. The result: instead of being pushed up over the bed and tailgate, the flowing air comes straight down into your bed, where it pushes down heavily on the tailgate. Every test we performed using several different models confirms this theory, as do many science magazines and television shows, including MythBusters. Our tests show a decrease in fuel economy from 10-20%.

Replace components as recommended in your owner’s manual. Bad spark plugs, air filters, oxygen sensors and the like will make your vehicle much less efficient. All cars today are computer controlled. If the computer is getting a bad reading from one area of the vehicle, it will translate across the board. The rest of your vehicle, in turn, will be receiving bad readings, resulting in decreased economy.

Have your vehicle repaired immediately if any service lights illuminate in your dashboard. These lights indicate a failure in one of the components relating to fuel and emissions.

Ask your dealer for an engine computer software upgrade, which is usually free if your vehicle has less than 80,000 miles. The software may be updated to provide more efficient operation, not to mention correct some serious problems. While at it, the dealer can upgrade all other modules in the vehicle. In a test vehicle, upgrading the software resulted in a 4.9-mpg increase and 137 problem fixes from false service lights to intermittent A/C failures and cruise control issues. The vehicle was approximately one year old.

Use fully synthetic motor oil in your vehicle. While more expensive, this oil is made from polymers, not crude oil, and results in superior performance, sludge protection, horsepower and fuel economy. It also lasts longer than conventional oils. Some car manufacturers who use solely synthetic oils recommend service intervals of 15,000 miles or longer.

Have you thought about your driving habits? Changing them can help drastically. Read over the following list and see how well you do:

Don't warm up your car. Instead, get in and drive off normally. Your car will heat up faster and you won’t waste gasoline just sitting there. A car sitting at idle is getting zero MPGs. While a vehicle is not at its most efficient while cold, getting some MPGs is better than none. Several vehicle manufacturers have noted that a cold startup followed by idle subjects an engine to its worst stress.

Don't speed. The faster you drive, the more gasoline you use. Most cars get the best efficiency at about 45mph. Over that, you're just burning more than you need to burn. Think of it as an upside-down U shape. The very top is your best mileage at 45mph. Our test vehicle achieved 23% better fuel economy at 55mph versus 65mph, and 33% better at 45mph versus 65mph. Of course, in a perfect world we could all drive 45mph safely.

Some vehicles are even using CVTs, Continuously Variable Transmissions. These transmissions lack the traditional gears found in most vehicles and constantly adjust engine speed and transmission speed to give you the optimal balance between fuel economy and power. If the car detects that you need speed, it adjusts itself to give you the maximum power. If it detects you want maximum economy, it will adjust itself accordingly. In our tests, CVT transmissions performed 2-3MPG better than traditional 4 speed automatics and 1-2mpg better than manual transmissions. They also averaged approximately 1-1.5 seconds better 0-60 times than the same vehicles with non-CVT transmissions.

Avoid sudden acceleration. Think about running. Will you get farther if you pace yourself and ease into it lightly, or if you dump all of your energy getting started? Suddenly accelerations burn gas and put undo stress, wear and tear on your vehicle.

Use overdrive whenever possible. If you have a manual transmission, shifting gears sooner and running in higher gears will save fuel, as well.

Avoid rush hour traffic if at all possible. You don't want to be sitting around. Remember: an idling car gets ZERO MPGs.

Park in the first available space in the parking lot instead of cruising around for one next to the door. You may walk further, but you'll get needed exercise and save frustration.

Many consumers know that air conditioning is one of the top fuel robbers on a vehicle. Here are some air conditioning tips:

- Park in a shaded location and use sun shades whenever possible to increase initial comfort.

- Lower your windows for about a minute or two before entering your vehicle. It will be less to cool down.

- Air conditioning robs the most fuel during acceleration. Try using it only once you reach cruising speed.

- Some sources claim that using the air conditioning at highway speeds is better than leaving windows down. Not true. In testing, we continuously achieved 11% better fuel economy with the windows down than with the windows up and the air conditioning on. Keeping the windows up AND the air conditioning off resulted in another 3% gain.

Not all vehicles are created equally, and some vehicles will reap better gains than others. NCCC does not recommend performing any action that can adversely affect the safety of your vehicle or its occupants. Always follow safety rules and laws in your area and follow your owner's manual recommendations.