Gas prices in Mora went from $3.35 a gallon to $3.45 pretty much overnight.  Even though I thought it was bad when it hit $3.35, for some reason seeing the new, higher price today felt like major defeat.  It began to stir many thoughts about how to save money, conserve more, and continue in real estate with costs rising so drastically.  So here are some thoughts I've come up with.

1. Make sure my buyers are preapproved - BEFORE I show them houses.  I am guilty of this, as many other agents are.  Especially coming out of an era where pretty much anyone could get financing, this has become far more important to me.  In a rural area, I don't want to be driving 30 miles, 60 miles, or more without knowing for sure that my buyers can perform.
2. Screening buyers.  Have you ever gotten a call on your listing and have a preapproved buyer, but then get there and find out the buyer wants a wooded parcel, or a contract for deed, or something that just isn't happening with the property you're showing them?  I'm doing my best to avoid this by more pictures of my listings, more descriptions, and talking to clients more when they call on a listing I have.
3. Eating cheap - while supporting local charities.  Okay, I admit it, I LOVE brats and would be doing this no matter WHAT gas prices are, but I find that I can't supply myself with a cheap lunch like the brat stand at the local grocery store can.  It's run by local organizations that are trying to raise money, so I'm giving money to the community at the same time.  What a win-win situation!
4. Searching for new ways to advertise.  I'm slowly leaving the newspaper advertisement world.  Prices continue to rise with the cost of gas, and even though I wasn't getting calls from those ads anyway, I find myself searching for tons of low cost ways to advertise on the internet to make up for the lack of advertising I'm doing in print.  It's helping!  
5. Long days, focused trips.  If I have to drive a ways to show a property, I immediately plan out other tasks I can do while in that area.  I no longer just get in the car and run here there and everywhere.  If I'm driving 30 miles east, I find everything I can or need to do in that direction and get it done.  I check on all listings in that direction, drop off listing flyers in the area, do whatever I can to promote my business in that area on a regular basis.

There are more things, but these were some of the biggest changes I am making or will be making to try to conserve gas and keep my costs down.  What changes are you making, if any, now that gas is skyrocketing?