Take full advantage of the biggest savings

Shoppers were out early this morning taking advantage of Black Friday bargains, but one of the best bargains is the cost of getting to the stores.

Compared to the Fourth of July holiday, when gasoline was over $4 a gallon, fuel is averaging $1.81 a gallon in Nebraska, with some stations selling fuel as low as $1.59.

The savings piles up if you're planning to make a long-distance holiday trip, notes AAA Nebraska.

In July when fuel was posted at $4.10 a gallon, a family driving a vehicle with a 15-gallon tank that averaged 24 miles per gallon would spend $123 on gasoline for a 720-mile road trip. Today, the cost is only $54.

But AAA is wise in reminding drivers not to revert to old habits such as aggressive driving and excessive speeds that are unsafe and waste fuel. Follow the speed limits, especially in construction zones, or you may end up spending your gasoline savings on costly speeding fines, which are double in roadway work zones.

How much better to spend the savings on creating a Merry Christmas!