Save on Gas With These Tips

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Gas prices are too damn high.

For the last two plus years, we’ve been cooped up at home because of the pandemic. Now, there’s a new force keeping us inside: gas prices.

Gas prices are hitting record-breaking levels, but not in the way we’d want them to. According to AAA, this is the first time in US history that the average price of gas was $4 or over in all fifty states. At the time I'm writing this, the national average for unleaded gas is a whopping $4.95 per gallon.

Yes, it sucks... but I do have some good news. I’ve found five tried-and-true ways to save at the pump, so that you can better your chances against these insane prices, and get to where you need to go.

1. Make Wednesday gas day. Wednesday is typically the best day to fill up for less. Prices tend to rise on Thursdays in anticipation of weekend travel. A study found that refueling on Tuesday or Wednesday instead of the weekend saved 8 or 9 cents a gallon, saving more than $60/year on average. In this economy, I’ll take it.

2. Early birds get the deal. Gas station owners tend to hike prices after 9:00am or so, once they’ve had time to check out the prices at competing stations.

3. Don’t top off. You know when you’re filling up your tank and you hear that first click? You may be tempted to double check the nozzle and give your tank a little extra, but don’t! Quit while you’re ahead! That extra squeeze is likely to evaporate or splash out. And make sure your gas cap is on super tight so that none of your fuel escapes as fumes. 1 in every 5 people have loose, damaged or missing gas caps, causing 150 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year. Not only is a tight gas cap good for your wallet, but it’s also good for the environment. Win-win.

4. Pay with cash. Some stations charge you less per gallon when you pay in cash because it means they won’t have to pony up for credit card fees. This hack could save you 10 to 15 cents/gallon, which could really add up depending on how often you refuel your car.

5. Use loyalty programs. See if the station you visit most often has a rewards or loyalty card. But don’t stop there. Some grocery store loyalty programs offer gas rewards; meaning, you earn points for shopping at the grocery store, and then you can redeem those points for cash. The last place to check is gift-card resale sites. You may be able to score a gas card worth $100 for just $90 by buying from someone who wants fast cash over gift cards.

xo,

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