Here's an interesting solution for small business owners looking to potentially curb fuel costs: MyGallons.com, a company based in Miami, lets you actually hedge fuel.

MyGallons does this by selling consumers pre-paid gas cards at the current price, which then can be used at anytime—particularly when the price of fuel (maybe) goes up. The pre-paid card—which comes with a $30-$40 annual fee—works like a debit card and can be used at about 95% of gas stations nationwide including 76, BP, Texaco, and Chevron, MyGallons says. And there are no time restrictions or limits on the card, meaning that gas purchased now can be redeemed at a station anytime.

The idea is that the pre-paid card allows regular Joes to hedge fuel much like certain airlines such as Southwest and other large fuel consumers do. The company's owner, Steven Verona, explains to the Miami Herald:

"Basically, if you pre-purchased fuel for $3 a gallon from us a year ago and redeem today at $4 a gallon, you save a dollar at the pump. We lost a dollar, but we make it up with the hedging positions we set a year ago."

Of course, the whole system as it benefits the consumer is predicated upon the belief that fuel costs will continue to rise. But given that OPEC president Chakib Khelil predicts that gas could rise to $170 a barrel in the next few months (the current price is about $140), that doesn't seem like much of gamble.

What do you think? While you consider that, here's a pic for nostalgia's sake: