CLEVELAND -- How much money would you save if you carpooled to work? What if you didn't use your car at all? No matter how high gas prices get, changing your driving habits takes motivation.

Cal Kirchick bikes to work every day, rain or shine. The 62-year-old Kirchick said, “I was 40 years old and becoming a couch potato.”

Kirchick was battling a heart illness before he said his wife suggested he started bicycling. That was 20 years ago.

"I actually started commuting to find a way to ride my bicycle every day," said Kirchick.

Kirchick bikes to work, covering more than 20 miles from Beachwood to Cleveland and back.

"I'm getting exercise while other people are driving to the gym,” Kirchick said.

Instead of biking, Phillip Gehlbach has dedicated himself to carpooling.

“It's definitely saving some bucks on the gas," Gehlbach said. Gehlbach claimed carpooling saves him more than $100 per month in gas.

"It was lucky that I found someone so close to where I live and work with the same hours. It was worth checking out and pursuing," said Gehlbach.

He met his carpooling partner through a Web site called rideshare.com. Ghelbach drives one week. His friend drives the next.

"I met this person online. We talked briefly over the phone and all of a sudden his picking me up to ride together, and I never met this person so it felt kind of weird. But he's a great guy. He's a nice guy and it's worked out really well,” said Ghelbach.

Carpoolers and bicyclists can also save even more money on car insurance. Lynne Zufan with Allstate insurance has handled policies in Ohio for 13 years. Zufan said most insurance companies, like Allstate, vary their plans for different types of drivers. Zufan recommends drivers simply call their agents to see how they can save.

For instance, carpoolers like Gehlbach pay less for insurance, sometimes saving from 3 to 15 percent. Kirchick said he drives less than 7,500 miles a year, thanks to his bike. That means he pays 10 percent less on car insurance.

So here’s the bottom line: By bicycling to work, Kirchick saves a gallon of gas per day. That's 20 gallons, or more than a full tank, of gas per month. Depending on the price of gas, Kirchick saves $3.89 per day, or almost $20 per week. Ultimately, a cyclist can save more than $1,011 per year.

Gehlbach said he saves $1,200 per year.

Carpooler Phillip Gehlbach said he saves $1,200 per year. As for savings on insurance, the best thing to do is call your agent.