As gasoline prices continue to set records and you find yourself spending more and more money at the gas pump, the prospect of taking that driving vacation trip seems more expensive than ever. You can travel and not break your budget on gas.

You can control your gas consumption. Remember, you the owner and operator of your car, are the best fuel saving device. There are some basic tips that you can follow to ease your gas burden while traveling.

First thing you can do is get rid of all the extra stuff you have sitting in your trunk. Take out that extra tool kit, get rid of the box of paper you were going to take to the recycling center and take out the 50 pound bag of pet food you bought last week. Every 100 lbs of weight that you can take out of your car will save you 1 to 2 percent on gas. The lighter your load the more fuel efficient your car will be.

Buy gas before you leave on your trip. You already know the best places to buy gas near your home. Chances are it will be priced lower than the stations along your travel route. In fact you will be best off buying your gas the day before you leave. The day you leave you will most likely be rushed and hurried. You may not have time to go to the outlet with the best price. If you fill up the day before you will be able to do it without worrying about any deadlines.

Don’t use luggage racks. If you need to pack your car for the trip try and get everything inside the car. The wind resistance created by using luggage racks will rob you of fuel. The resistance will increase on the highway.

On the highway use your cruise control as much as you can. The more you can keep your speed constant the more fuel efficient you will be. Your cruise control will do a much better job of maintaining a steady speed than you can do manually.

Know where you are going and how to get there before you leave.  There is nothing that will waste more gas than driving around lost.  If you have maps or a GPS and you have planned your route before you start your trip, you can avoid extra driving and avoid wasting fuel.

If you use these tips you can still take that driving vacation without breaking your budget on gas costs. Following these easy suggestions will go a long way to help you control your costs.

Scott Siegel will show you how to cope with high gas prices. He is the author of a 143 page manual of industry insider information on saving gas and money at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can improve gas mileage, increase fuel economy, and save money. Go to:  http://www.beatthegaspump.com