I'm all about helping the consumer today. Jean Chatzky provides daily money tips. Check out the website for more information on getting on the road to financial security. It's pretty informative. The following tip is for those people out there crying every time they go to the gas station.

The Gas Equation
When I leased my Dodge Durango, I knew it was a gas guzzler. It's big—seating seven—and mighty comfortable. I could handle the fact that it was only giving me (according to the onboard computer) 12 to 13 miles to the gallon when it was costing me only $25 to $27 to fill it up. But when it started costing me upwards of (gulp) $40, I needed strategies to make sure I was getting the most out of every last drop. Here's what you need to do, according to the Federal Trade Commission:

Fill 'er up. Not your tank, but your tires. Keeping them inflated to the proper levels (which you'll find in your owner's manual) will boost fuel efficiency.

Pay for maintenance. Changing the oil, spark plugs, and filters as recommended in your owner's manual can also help your car run more efficiently.

Stop speeding. According to the FTC, driving at 65 miles per hour rather than 55 will increase fuel consumption by 20 percent; Go 75 mph and fuel consumption jumps by another 25 percent. Avoid revving starts as well.

Paying a premium. Finally, make sure you're buying the proper octane gas for your car. Putting premium gasoline in a car that calls for regular won't get you better mileage, but it will cost you significantly more money these days.