Are Gas Prices Going to Go Up Again?

Are gas prices going to go up again? That's the question of the day! During the summer months of 2008, gas prices were extremely high compared to past months and years. The price per gallon was over $3 and was higher is some places. During this time, people were struggling to pay bills because the price of gas was affecting everyone and businesses were raising rates or adding fuel surcharges. Gas prices have gone down and so have the prices for other things, but the question remains, are gas prices going to go up again?

It is possible that we will see gas prices go up high again this summer. How likely is it to happen? Nobody really knows the answer to that, but we should be prepared for it just in case.

When the question, are gas prices going to go up, is asked, you need to think of ways you can save money now so you can prepare yourself for higher prices when the arrive. It may be difficult because it's an unknown time frame you are dealing with, which is the exact reason why you should start now.

There are many things you can do to prepare yourself since there is a good chance that gas prices are going to go up. Here are a few ideas.

• Vehicle

When gas prices came down late last year, you were probably relieved and immediately asked yourself: "are gas prices going to go up again this summer?" The best thing to do get better gas mileage might be to trade in your gas guzzler for a more energy efficient vehicle. If you are driving a truck or SUV, you might consider trading it in on a car. Cars get a lot better gas mileage than trucks and SUV's ever will.

If trading in your vehicle is not an option you want to consider, there are still other things you can do to improve gas mileage. Have the air pressure checked in your tires. You should also check the tires to make sure they are in good condition and that they are the right size for your vehicle. And while you are at it, check the air filters as well, and make sure you are using the right octane gasoline when you fill up.

• Current bills

Since we can expect that gas prices are going to go up again, it is also a good idea to pay off your current debts and avoid accumulating new ones. When you get the current debts paid off, stick some cash back into savings and apply the rest to other bills to get those paid off too. Continue this cycle until you can get them all paid off.

• Start a home business

Starting a home business on the side can help you generate more income each month. When you bring in more money, you can use that to pay off bills faster or you can put it in a savings account to help offset the higher gas prices when they return. With the money you receive each month; you can set some aside in a "gas prices going to go up" fund.

No matter what the gas prices are doing right now, there will always be the chance they will go up higher. So start preparing now for the day when you go to the gas station and read the price and it's back to $3 or $4 a gallon. If you take necessary steps now, the next time you are asked: "are gas prices going to go up?", you can say: "They might, but I'm prepared for it if they do".

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Darlyn Burkle of www.I-Choose-Us.com, offers resources to show women how to survive a depression and thrive through the financial crisis. The 52-week Money Saving Toolkit helps women save and earn extra money. It covers practical money saving tips for saving on food, utilities, mortgage, gasoline, entertainment, college education, travel, gift-giving, and more.

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