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While cars are more fuel-efficient nowadays, American drivers still spend a lot of money on gasoline for their cars. Gas prices are hitting an all-time high as inflation and supply and demand challenges continue to drive prices higher. Many drivers are feeling the pinch and looking for ways to cut down on fuel costs.
Learn more about some of the best ways to save on gas the next time you hit the pumps.

Easy Ways to Save Money on Gas

Saving money on gas is more than just finding savings at the gas station: making minor adjustments to your driving habits can also help cut fuel costs. Here are five tips that can help you chop off hundreds of dollars from your annual gas bill:

1. Drive Smarter

car driving fast on road

Credit: Unsplash


There are numerous driving tips on how to save on gas. However, most of them are outdated and end up saving you little or no cost at all.
According to Edmunds.com, in real-world testing, rapid acceleration, aggressive driving, braking sharply instead of coasting, and high cruising speed are by far the biggest fuel-guzzling culprits. As such, you should avoid these bad habits when driving.
Moreover, Edmunds recommends that you keep your tire pressure at the specification recommended by the manufacturer. Doing this will not only cut your gas costs but will also prevent tire wear and improve your driving.

2. Don’t Use Premium Gas

The chemistry of gasoline has changed tremendously over the past years, and today, most cars run just fine on mid-grade or regular gasoline. Whether or not you can use premium gasoline boils down to two words: “recommended” and “required.”
If your car requires premium gas, you’ll unfortunately have to stick with these requirements to avoid causing damage to your vehicle.
However, if premium gas is only recommended by the manufacturer, you can experiment with lower-grade gas if the performance is still efficient and has the same fuel economy. Let’s say premium gas is 20 cents per gallon; you’ll be saving $3.00 per 15-gallon tank. If you’re filling up your tank every week, these savings add up.

3. Buy at Cheap Gas Stations

Costco gas station

Credit: Costco


There are some gas stations known to charge more. They usually mark up $0.20, $0.30, or even higher per gallon than those located a mile or so down the road. These gas stations charge more because they are the only stations for hours in any direction or because they are conveniently located in high-income neighborhoods. It’s in your best interest to avoid such gas stations and go for cheap gas stations like Costco, Gulf, Valero, Shell, Caseys, and Mobil.

4. Track Fuel Economy

Once you begin maximizing your miles per gallon, you will want proof that your efforts are fruitful. Typically, most modern cars are fitted with computerized fuel economy meters. Upon filling up, reset the meter in order to keep track of your fuel economy over the distance it’ll take to use up the gas in the fuel tank. Alternatively, you can keep track of your fuel economy using a gas-tracking app such as Fuelly.

5. Follow Regular Car Maintenance

Regularly maintaining your vehicle, especially its engine, can ensure that you save on fuel costs. This is because a well-maintained and well-tuned engine runs more efficiently. As such, you’ll put the same amount of power using less fuel. Ensure that you stick to your manufacturer’s service plan.

6. Use Apps to Find the Cheapest Gas

GasBuddy app screnshots and woman pumping gas

Credit: GasBuddy


Purchasing gas at one gas station only to come across a gas station with cheaper gas just down the street is one of the most frustrating things that can happen to a driver. Numerous apps like Waze, GasBuddy and GetUpside can tell you the gas price at various stations near your location. They’ll enable you to find the cheapest gas station along any route that you usually drive along.
Another important tip is to not wait until your tank is nearly empty to fill up because then you’ll be forced to purchase gas wherever is closest, even if they are charging higher prices.

7. Check Tire Pressure

According to the U.S Department of Energy, having underinflated tires can reduce your gas mileage and cause you to lose roughly 2 cents per gallon. As such, you should always keep your tires rotated and inflated to ideal pressure.

8. Fill Up Your Gas Tank Early in the Week

According to a 2019 gas price analysis by GasBuddy, gas prices tend to be lower on Mondays and Tuesdays. So, if you’re looking to purchase cheap gas, avoid filling your gas on Fridays and the weekend when gas prices tend to be at their highest.

9. Sign Up for Fuel Rewards

man pumping gas

Credit: Unsplash


Most gas station chains across the country have some form of a rewards program that offers discounted gas. The program is either accessed through a credit card tied to the chain or a simple gas station rewards program. If you opt for a credit card, you should consider using the card exclusively for gas purchases and settling the full balance every month to maximize your rewards without escalating your debts.
Here are some examples of popular fuel rewards across the nation:

  • Casey’s Fuel Saver Reward Program: A popular fuel rewards program is Casey gas stations’ Fuel Saver Reward Program, which provides customers with a direct discount on the cost of gasoline per gallon based on their recent qualifying purchases at specific grocery stores.
  • Kroger Fuel Points: Kroger Fuel Program is one of the best fuel rewards programs there is. This rewards program gives you two fuel points for purchasing gift cards and a single fuel point for every dollar you spend on groceries. These fuel points can be redeemed for discounted gasoline at Kroger gas stations and Shell stations in some states. Typically, 100 Kroger fuel points will shave 10 cents off a gallon of gas. Some of the Kroger-affiliated chains include Fred Meyers, King Soopers, The Little Clinic, Home Chef, QFC, and Vitacost.
  • Shell Fuel Rewards: Another excellent gas deal is the Shell Fuel Rewards. You can link your credit card to your Shell Fuel Rewards to get 10 cents per gallon for every $50 you spend at any of the participating restaurants.

Bottom Line

If you follow all the gas-saving tips outlined in this post, you may experience a significant improvement in the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. On top of that, make sure to ingrain sound driving habits to continue experiencing fuel efficiency in the long term.

SS

Slickdeals Staff

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