Fuel-saving steps make sense no matter the cost

One point that shouldn't be lost amidst discussions about the national economy and a new stimulus package is the fact that the price of gasoline is now the lowest it's been since February 2005.

While that's little comfort if you've been laid off, it should be a relief to those of us who feel the pinch of gasoline prices the most, such as commuters and people who need to drive for their work.

Crude oil prices have fallen from a record $147.27 a barrel in mid-July, to $54.39 for light, sweet crude for December delivery.

Gasoline is about $2 a gallon for ethanol blend in McCook; $1.91 in Omaha, down about a dollar from a year ago and more than $2 from the peak this summer.

Diesel prices have made a similar move, but when are the prices of groceries going to come down to reflect the lower prices?

But let's not lose sight of why the price of fuel is down: a slower economy and lower demand. We should use the money we're saving in gasoline to pay off credit cards or to pay cash for Christmas gifts.

And, let's not give up the habits that we learned when gasoline was above $4 a gallon.

Driving less, driving slower, walking or bicycling when possible, trading for a more fuel-efficient vehicle when appropriate -- they all make sense whether gasoline is $5 a gallon or $1.