Fortune is favoring you if you're going to hit the road for the holidays this year! You might have seen that the gas costs have gotten much lower in recent weeks, and economists are predicting the trend to last throughout the holiday season.

The AAA analyzes these holiday prices and travel plans and released a statement last week saying that about 46 million people in the country plan to travel this season. That's an increase of more than 4 percent over the 2013 holiday season. The take-home message, though, is that gas costs will be an average of 46 cents less per gallon than a year ago. That's a seasonal low five years in the running.

You could even get to spend more on presents, but finance experts believe higher retail costs could offset any spending gains. Regardless, you can still drive more on your fuel budget than you would have been able to otherwise. If nothing else, that could take the stress off so you can meet up with family and friends more easily.

If you're traveling at all, though, the staffers at Christian Brothers in Pflugerville, TX recommend performing a holiday driving auto checkup before you head out. With more traveling, your chances of having to cope with things such as icy weather and storms goes up, making this extra important.

If you stop in, we can help with the following:

• Check the battery and charging system
• Test the brakes
• Examine the vehicle for dangerous carbon monoxide leaks
• Make sure the heater and your car's engine thermostat are working properly
• Make sure you're on schedule for spark plugs
• Check the tire tread and pressure
• Get an oil change
• Do a headlight check for winter driving conditions
• Flush and clean the engine cooling and antifreeze systems

You should also do things such as stocking the car with an extra set of warm clothes and boots, food and a flashlight, hand tools and jumper cables and scrapers or snow brushes. We also recommend that you never let your fuel tank empty fully in order to keep the fuel lines from freezing and cracking.