Gas prices are on the rise again. Many people can't afford to spend any more for gas, but they are left without a choice. The only thing you can do is start being frugal when it comes to gasoline.

According to the local news channels, the Midwest can expect gas prices as high as $3 a gallon before Memorial Day. Everytime you drive, it costs you money. What used to be change is now leaving drivers without any spare pennies at all.

What can you do? If you are like us, driving is essential. My husband and I operate a small ranch and large diesel trucks and lots of traveling is necessary to make money. But it costs us. My husband faces a forty mile commute to his work. Between the work costs, the ranch costs and the traveling to shows and rodeos, we spend well over a thousand dollars each month in fuel. And it hurts.

Maybe you aren't spending that much, but chances are that you are spending money that you didn't expect to. What can you do about it.

The most simple? Start walking more. I no longer drive to our barns or to feed horses. I walk and make several trips. It doesn't save much, but every penny counts. I don't make unnecessary trips, and I use the cell phone to our advantage. If someone is already in town, I call them for whatever I need to be brought home.

Carpooling can help cut your commuting costs in half or more. My husband has started carpooling with two other people who work with him. That has cut his commuting costs by 60%. One of the commuters drives a small car with great gas mileage so they always take it and simply split the gas and general maintenance costs.

That brings up to point number one. You can now buy a cheap small car and save the cost of it in one year's gas. Think four cylinders and 30 miles or better per gallon. It doesn't have to be the family car, just the commuting to and from work car. Figure up the distance, how much you are spending now and how much you would save if you weren't driving a SUV. It might be worth it to drive something a little less expensive.

Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check the oil and replace the filters. Dirty filters can cause your car to work harder to do what it does. You could decrease your gas usage by 25%. Look into steel-belted radial tires and make sure that they are aired up properly. You could save 10% on your gas mileage with steel radials, and 30% of your gas by having your tires properly inflated.

Don't waste money topping off your tank. It usually just overflows during warm weather and you are basically pouring money on the ground. You don't need to warm up your car either. Idling wastes about a quart of gas every 15 minutes. Don't leave it running when you are trying to get everybody out of the house or sitting in a parking lot. It will warm up faster by driving than by idling.