Stops at the pump add up

In the midst of rising gas prices ($4-per-gallon is no longer a jaw-dropping sight, especially here in the North State), many Americans are looking for cheaper ways to get from here to there. In April alone, the average American household spent more than $368 on gasoline, according to an executive analysis of data by the Oil Price Information Service for CNNMoney. The study compared average gas prices with median incomes nationwide, and found that most households spent about 9 percent of their total income on gas alone during the month of April. The total is especially shocking when compared to previous years—the average household spent about $174 on gas in April 2009, and $281 in April 2010. With the weather warming up and Bike Month in full swing, it makes one wonder … why bother stopping at the pump at all?