Does it feel like your gas pedal is directly connected to your wallet? With the current prices of gas just rising up, and up and up, a lot of drivers are starting the feel the pinch. Car owners are starting to appreciate that one way on cutting down on gas costs is to cut down on driving. That however is not the only thing you can do to cut on traveling costs.

If you look at the total cost of driving your vehicle, you will see that there are various other ways and areas where you can cut your expenses. Here are some tips that will help you cut down on the cost of operating your vehicle. It won't help you find cheaper gas, but utilizing one or all of them can go a long way toward helping your traveling expenses make a huge dent in your wallet.

1. Car Pools

This is one of the best ways you can use to cut down on car expenses. Chances are that most other people are also feeling the pinch. Most of them also have to work and if you work in the same direction, why not do it together? You are more than likely to find a willing participant amongst your neighbors or family. And you don't have to keep the car pool down to work only. If you regularly go shopping at the same place like a hypermarket or fruit and veg store, people who share the car pool can share the driving and expenses. It is a great way to save money as well as to get to know your neighbors.

2. Reduce the amount of fuel you use

You can do a few things of your own to save on expenses. These little things will take you about 5 minutes to implement once a week and will amount in a huge saving for you at the end of the day. The things you should check at least once a week are:

a) make sure that your tires are inflated to the recommendation of their manufacturers.
b) make sure that the air filter is clean so that it can function properly
c) last but not least, make sure your car is well tuned.

Your car uses less fuel when you are driving at slow speed, so when you are on the road, drive slower and try to avoid quick starts and stops.

3. Consolidate Your Trips

Consolidate your trips as much as you can and try and avoid making unnecessary trips. Plan your shopping and other things you regularly do so that you need to do the least amount of traveling to do it.

4. Shop Around For Better Auto Insurance.

There are many places on the Internet where you can browse around for better auto insurance prices. If you have been with an insurance broker for a long time and you don't want to move over to another insurance company, see if you can negotiate with your agent for a better price. Keep in mind that your car loses value every year, and your insurance should be adjusted accordingly every year. If you have not done so for a while, now is a good time to see whether you can get a lower insurance rate.

5. Refinance Your Vehicle

If the cost of having a car is getting too much for you, you could consider refinancing it. If you refinance your vehicle your old loan will be paid off and you will be paying less on the new refinanced amount. This is only an option to be considered if you are seriously in trouble maintaining your car as it means that you will be paying your car off for longer.

6. Should You Consider An Extended Warranty?

Maintaining a vehicle is one of the major expenses of driving and making sure that your car is properly maintained could save you a lot of expenses should you run into difficulties with your car and need repairs. An extended warranty is a way of ensuring that your vehicle is always in top performing condition. To get the best price on an extended warranty you should obtain it before your current warranty expires.

Typically the original manufacturer's warranties last for 3 years or 36 000 miles, so you should try and obtain an extended warranty before you reach those limits.

Hypermiling need not be dangerous if you apply it with a bit of common sense. Use these tips to shave off $$$ off your gas and vehicle expenses.