Gasoline is about $4 a gallon, giving you a choice: Hock the kids for the next fill-up or change your driving habits to reduce consumption and save money.

There's no silver bullet to solve this quandary, but a lot of little things can add up to big savings.

The key: Don’t buy higher octane gas than your car requires. An engine designed to run on 87 octane regular gas won’t perform any better on 92 octane premium. Shop by price: Compare Exxon-Mobil (XOM) against Chevron (CVX), ConocoPhillips (COP), Sunoco (SUN), Hess (HES) and Brand X. Gas is gas is gas, so it makes no sense to be loyal to one brand - especially if it’s consistently more expensive than the competition.

Here are seven small conservation steps that will add a little distance between you and your next stop at the pump (click on the individual icons to view each money-saving tip):

If you plan to buy a new fuel-efficient car, check Consumer Reports and the Energy Department’s website.

Uncle Sam has compiled data that will help you compare cars side-by-side. You can search by mpg, make and class. There’s also information on hybrids built by Toyota (TM), Honda (HMC), Nissan (NSANY), Ford (F), Mazda and General Motors (GM), as well as diesels and cars that use alternative fuels.