Green Hands USA: America Volunteers

Looking for new tires? The right choice could help you save gas, and in the process save up to $100 a year in fuel costs.

That's the word from Consumer Reports this month. The venerable magazine has looked at "low-rolling-resistance" tires, which require less force force from a car's motor, and judged them to be good. According to the Department of Transportation, up to 4 percent of your total fuel usage is caused by the rolling resistance of your tires.

Specifically, CR looked at Michelin Energy Saver A/S and the Cooper GFE tires. Their conclusion: the tires not only provide good performance, they can increase your fuel efficiency and cut your fuel costs by $100 a year.

Now, this savings comes with a cost. The Cooper tires run around $70 each, and the Michelin tires are around $140. So this savings really only helps you if you are already planning on buying new tires. But if your tires last four years, chances are you'll pay for them with your fuel savings.

Consumer Reports has more info on the tires and a fun video about choosing the right tires on their site here. Check it out.