If you're living in Southern California than you've probably noticed the gas crisis that's taking place. Fuel prices are way up, resulting in record high prices. According to Bloomberg:

Spot gasoline in Los Angeles has surged $1 a gallon this week to a record $1.45 a gallon premium versus gasoline futures traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange, data compiled by Bloomberg show. That's the highest level for the fuel since at least November 2007, when Bloomberg began publishing prices there. On an outright basis, the fuel has jumped to $4.3929 a gallon.

Gasoline at the pump gained 8.3 cents to $4.315 a gallon in California yesterday, according to AAA.com, 53.1 cents more than the national average of $3.784. In Los Angeles the price was $4.347. Gasoline futures for November delivery on the Nymex rose 14.34 cents to settle at $2.9429 a gallon, after falling yesterday to a 10-week low. Retail price movements tend to lag behind those of futures.

In fact, the situation has gotten so bad that some gas stations, including Costco Wholesale Corp and Valero Energy Corp have stopped selling gas altogether. This is extremely grave news especially in a location like Southern California, where people are practically required to drive everywhere.

That's why for this week's top 5, we've decided to give out some tips to help motorists take less trips to the pump. Be sure to read on even if you're not a Southern California resident. After all, you can't have too many money saving tips. Not to mention, you never know when a gas crisis like this hits your location.

Take Lesser Trips - Consolidate all your errands into one trip, to avoid going back and forth. If you're planning go to the grocery, pick up your kids from school, and visit the doctor, see if you can do it all in one trip, instead of spreading them out.

Stop Driving Like a Maniac - Take it easy on the gas pedal. Don't step on it more than you need to, in order to save on gas. Be sure to be mindful of the speed limits as well. These limits aren't just recommended for safety reasons, they also allow you to maximize the fuel that you have.

Try to Drive at Non-Peak Hours - Getting stuck in traffic isn't just annoying, it also makes your car consume more gas. For one thing, being in a traffic jam means that you'll have to keep your engine running for a longer period of time. Secondly, the stop and go nature of driving in traffic makes you step on the gas pedal more, thus consuming more gas in the process.

Don't Buy Premium Gas If You Don't Need To - Check your car's manual for the fuel recommendation. If you're not driving a luxury car or high performance vehicle, chances are you only need to carry regular gas. Don't spend more on high-octane fuel if you don't have to.

Be On Top of Your Maintenance Schedule - Regular oil changes, maintaining a clean air filter, and generally keeping your car in good shape will allow you to keep your fuel consumption at an optimal level. Conversely, not taking care of your vehicle can turn it into a gas-guzzling machine.

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