Two families will try to pare back at pump

— -- If you want to cut back on home heating bills, you can turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater. Cutting back on gasoline bills is harder.

Millions of Americans drive to work every day, spending an average of 24.4 minutes to get to their jobs.

And for most parents, that's just the beginning. They spend many more hours ferrying their kids to school, soccer practice and dance lessons.

Still, there are lots of ways families can spend less money at the pump, ranging from easing up on the accelerator to buying a more fuel-efficient car.

For this month's Frugal Family Challenge, USA TODAY and ABC's Good Morning America Weekend have challenged two families to cut their average monthly gas bills by 25%.

They'll receive help from Philip Reed, senior consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com, an automotive website. Here's a look at the families who are participating in this month's challenge:

The Rhodes family

The Rhodes family of Camas, Wash., drives more than 3,000 miles a month, at a cost of more than $600. They have four children, ages 16 through 20, all living at home, and that adds to their overall mileage.

The Rhodeses have three cars: a 2004 Subaru Forrester, a 1999 Ford Expedition and a 1991 Toyota Camry. Until recently, their fleet included a 1994 Acura Integra, but in late September, their oldest child, Ryan, was involved in an accident that totaled the vehicle. (Fortunately, no one was hurt.)

Randy Rhodes, 53, an electrical engineer, uses the regional light-rail system to commute to his job in Portland, Ore., which saves on gas and helps him avoid traffic. But to get to the train, he needs to drive 12 miles.

Ryan has the longest commute, driving 41 miles round trip to his job at UPS. The adult care home where Mary, 56, works part time is only 2 miles from home, a short drive.

Randy saves money by filling up their Expedition in nearby Oregon, which doesn't impose a sales tax on gas. In addition, the Rhodeses have tried to cut back on unnecessary driving trips.

Still, higher gas prices have put a serious strain on the family budget.

Before gas prices started climbing, Mary says, "We were eating out more, renting movies. We've cut way back on that."

The Porter family

Kelly and Tim Porter, of Salem, Mass., have two children, Emma, 2, and Alec, 10. They spend about $600 a month on gas.

Tim, 42, a manufacturing supervisor, drives 60 miles round trip every day to his job in Lawrence, Mass.

He drives a 1993 Toyota Camry that gets about 20 to 25 miles per gallon.

Kelly, 41, a stay-at-home mom, uses the family's Toyota 4-Runner, which gets 17 to 20 miles per gallon, to take Alec to school and Emma to her dance lessons and singing group.

Kelly also tries to visit her mother, who lives 40 miles away, about once a week.

On weekends, the Porters like to go to a family camp in Milton, N.H., a 150-mile round trip.

But rising gas prices have forced the Porters to cut back on out-of-town trips.

"We didn't go to camp as much this summer," Kelly says. "And we didn't take any family vacations."