This week’s column is going to focus on how to save money on gas. Gas is one of those things pretty much everyone has to buy every week, so it just makes sense (or should I say cents?) to try and save money. Sure you could try to buy a car that uses less gas than your current one, but sometimes that’s just not possible. So let’s focus on some proven ways to save money on your next fill up at the gas station.
Keep your tires inflated to the proper psi. All tires have the recommended psi marked right on the wall of the tire so it’s easy to see. Keeping your tires inflated not only makes your vehicle more fuel efficient, but it also helps your tires wear more evenly so they’ll last longer. So if you don’t have one already, get yourself a good tire pressure gauge and keep it in your glovebox so you can check your tires’ psi.
Fill up on Monday. Gas stations have their lowest price of the week on Mondays usually. The highest priced day statistically is Saturday. Keep an eye on the price of gas at your favorite gas station to see how much the price changes throughout the week and stick to filling up on the cheapest day. Whatever you do, try not to fill up the day before a holiday weekend or on an actual holiday, as you’ll almost always pay more per gallon.
Don’t make a special trip to the gas station. Try to combine your errands so that you end up at the gas station when you’re already near it for a different reason. Whatever you do, don’t leave home to make a special trip to go fill up unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Use an app or join a rewards program at your gas station. There are several apps you can download to your phone to save on gas. Gas Buddy and Upside are probably the most popular. This frugal teacher prefers Upside because I get cash back each time I fill up that I can transfer without a fee right into my bank account. Both apps allow you to see the current price of gas at nearby stations, which is helpful. If you don’t like the idea of having to bother with an app, join the rewards program at your favorite gas station to save some money. Circle K is a popular gas station and their rewards program allows you to save money on each gallon of gas and it’s free to join, so win-win!
Pay with cash. We’ve all seen the price difference at gas stations of paying in cash vs. paying with a card flashing up on their sign. To save the most money on gas, join the rewards program at your favorite gas station and pay with cash to save even more.
Set your cruise control at the speed limit whenever possible. Setting the cruise control on your car and keeping a steady speed can really help improve the miles you get per gallon. Not speeding can improve it, too. So set your cruise at the speed limit and watch your miles per gallon go up.
I hope these tips help you save some money at the gas pump! Even if you only try one of these, you're bound to save a little bit of money, which makes this frugal teacher pretty happy. And speaking of saving money - how's the $5 savings challenge going?
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