topic Re: GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS in Community Chat

GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS

feline groovy — Tue, 10 May 2022 16:16:16 GMT

Some great advice.

(although some people won't take it since they love to complain)

'Be prepared for months of these high prices': How to save money as gas prices smash records

USA TODAY March 7, 2022

Got sticker shock at the gas pump? You're not alone.

The national average price for a regular gallon of gas topped an eye-popping $4 a gallon for the first time in more than a decade as fuel costs soar over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

According to data from popular fuel-saving app GasBuddy, the US national average set a new all-time record Monday: $4.104 a gallon, wiping out 2008's record of $4.103 a gallon.

In a sign of the times, the GasBuddy app, overwhelmed by traffic from bargain-hunting drivers, was inaccessible off and on Monday.

"The higher prices this time will likely stay around far longer," GasBuddy's head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan tweeted.

Americans will be paying stratospheric prices at the pump for the foreseeable future, according to Jack Gillis, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America.

“Consumers need to hunker down and be prepared for months of these high prices,” Gillis told USA TODAY.

Here are some easy tips on how to save money at the gas pump.

Find the cheapest gas near you with GasBuddy, AAA apps

Gas prices can vary as much as 10 cents to 15 cents a gallon even within a few blocks or miles. Use apps such as GasBuddy, Gas Guru and the AAA Mobile App to find the lowest gas prices wherever you are. You can also check Waze.

“There are clear price differences within most people’s driving range to find the least expensive gas in your neighborhood,” Gillis said.

Fill up at Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart and Kroger's

Wholesale club stores Costco and Sam’s Club and grocery stores such as Kroger’s offer discounted gas. Typically, you need to buy a membership or enroll in a discount program. Using the Walmart app, Walmart+ members get a 5 cents a gallon discount and access to member prices at Sam's Club.

Pay in cash at the pump

You can save 5 to 10 cents a gallon when you pay in cash. That can add up over time, averaging about $1 in savings each time you fill up a 12-gallon tank, according to GasBuddy. But beware of gas stations that charge a surcharge for using a credit card because they may charge higher prices.

Get points, cash back from credit cards

GasBuddy says most people prefer to pay with a credit card. Less than 6% of drivers pay with cash when they fill up their tanks, a GasBuddy study found. Gas cards and gas rewards credit cards provide much larger discounts than cash.

Check to see if your credit card has any deals on gas purchases. Some will give you double points or cash back. For example, you can get 3% cash back at gas stations with the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express. One of the best is the Sam's Club Mastercard will give you 5% cash back on gas, up to $6,000.

You can compare credit cards with the best gas perks at Bankrate. One caveat: credit cards that offer discounts for gas purchases might not be the best option if you don’t pay off the balance each month.

Sign up for gas loyalty programs

Sign up for loyalty programs and gas cards, GasBuddy recommends. Nearly all gas stations have a loyalty program. You can often link those rewards accounts to a gas card. 7-Eleven has a program that gives you a discount of 11 cents a gallon for the first seven fill-ups on all fuel grades.

Best time of day and week to buy gas

According to GasBuddy, the best day to save money at the pump is Monday which has the lowest average gas prices in most of the country. The most expensive days in most states? Thursday followed by Wednesday.

“Though there is variation in daily gas prices across different states, the consensus is that filling up at the beginning or end of the work week, on Monday or Friday, is the best way to save money. Following Monday, Sunday is the cheapest day to fill-up,” Gas Buddy's De Haan said.

GasBuddy estimates you can save $50 to $100 a year by filling up on the cheapest days of the week. You can check the GasBuddy site for the cheapest and most expensive days of the week for your state.

Theoretically you might save a little extra by filling your tank in the morning or evening. (Gasoline is denser when temperatures are cooler). But GasBuddy says the savings would probably be “marginal.”

Earn free gas cards

You can earn free gas gift cards by taking surveys for apps like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie, but be prepared to spend a good deal of time and to hand over a lot of personal information such as your age, job, income and shopping habits.

Improve fuel efficiency

“The way you drive can have a real impact on your fuel efficiency,” Gillis said. "It's amazing how so many of us still drive with one foot on the brake and one foot on the gas."

Yet that kind of behavior behind the wheel can reduce fuel efficiency by 30%, he said. We could save $1.42 a gallon at today’s gas prices if we just cut it out.

Don’t speed. Fuel economy peaks at around 50 mph on most cars. Reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%, according to AAA.

Also don’t brake hard or aggressively accelerate as all of those burn gas faster, GasBuddy says. Turn off your A/C and roll down the windows.

Keep up with vehicle maintenance and do routine inspections, AAA says. Make sure your tires are properly inflated.

Travel light: Take anything you don’t need out of your vehicle. For every 100 pounds you carry around, you lose 1% to 2% in fuel efficiency, or 8 cents a gallon, according to Gillis.

Fill your tank with regular, not premium

If regular gas is all that’s recommended for your vehicle, then that’s all you need, AAA says. Filling up on premium doesn’t improve your fuel economy and just costs you more money.

Drive less

Plan ahead. Map your route before you leave, AAA recommends. Take the most fuel-efficient route on Google Maps. Combine errands to avoid extra trips.

Avoid rush hour and anticipate road conditions.

Shut off your engine if you will be stopped for more than a minute. According to AAA, a car engine consumes one quarter to one-half gallon of fuel per hour when idling. A warm engine only takes about 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart.

When possible, car pool, ride a bike, or take public transportation.

Re: GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS

software — Tue, 10 May 2022 16:40:31 GMT

All good advice, I'd like to add a few.

If non ethanol gas is not too much more costly than regular, run it. You will get better gas mileage.

Try to always use a busy gas station. The underground tanks turn over more quickly, less problems with water in the gas or other problems.

And be careful swiping a card at the pump. Those skimmers are getting harder to detect.

About gas buddy, don't just run for the cheapest gas. Consider all the advice from above. Gas price is set based on market, if someone is selling gas cheap, be suspicious.

Re: GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS

kitcat51 — Tue, 10 May 2022 16:53:18 GMT

This was posted before with the same insult. NO people aren't complaining about the cost of gas just to complain, they know it raises the cost of all goods & services, it isn't just what they're paying at the pump. The hate for fossil fuels matters...pay attention to who you enable.

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ValuSkr — Tue, 10 May 2022 17:04:47 GMT

Funny, I haven't see gas stations around here (southeastern PA) charging different prices for cash and credit, though I know it's common in other areas.

Some supermarkets award loyalty points that can be converted to gas savings at their own pumps, or at specified third-party pumps. Savings can be substantial, for example, up to $1.50 per gallon on fill-ups. Some stores that do this: Giant, Stop & Shop, Tops. Maybe Acme too; they used to, I'm not sure if they still do.

My personal technique is to drive to Delaware - I live in PA near the DE border - where gas can be $0.20 - $0.25 cheaper due to lower gas taxes.

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phoenixbrd — Tue, 10 May 2022 17:06:20 GMT

Thanks @feline groovy ....any help to get us through our country's crisis is appreciated. We are using Gas Buddy and it is helpful. Once we went out of our way to go to a recommended gas station and the price was higher than the review stated...that can happen. But I would recommend Gas Buddy as it has overall saved us money.

Appreciate your helpful tips🌹

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SilleeMee — Tue, 10 May 2022 18:50:41 GMT

Tire pressure needs to be right. Plus, the kind of tires you drive on do make a difference in gas mileage.

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ROMARY — Tue, 10 May 2022 18:55:00 GMT

Stop running your car while texting in your driveway and/or parking lots.

Sometimes 1/2 hour, on mild days. No need for A/C or heater.

We see this all around every single day.

And in an 'eco friendly' area, too.

Some running engine cars that we see have eco minded stickers, too!

Oh, well. What can I say.......

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Desertdi — Tue, 10 May 2022 19:18:10 GMT

It's been going on since I had a license....so I'm "used to it". By the way, "premium" is $5.90 in Phoenix. (Yes, I knew what it used when I bought the car.)

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queendiva — Tue, 10 May 2022 20:52:34 GMT

Sticker shock this morning.

Filled up 7/8 of a tank @$4.79/ gallon for mid grade. First time I ever spent $70.00 on gas in my life. I remember not long ago spending half that amount on a fill. When I am travelling by Costco (last week) I buy regular for my car.

Next: beef cubes for my dog's dinner. Several months ago I paid $4.29- $4.79/lb. Today the same item was $7.29! He got a cheaper grade of beef and will be eating more chicken than beef for his raw diet. Fortunately I eat very little beef, chicken , pork and turkey., and usually a small amount as part of a soup or stew to stretch the food $.

In suspect QVC recently featured a 4-day fashion event because inventory is not moving. I know QVC's clothing prices are no longer in my budget after the aforementioned gas and food spends.

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wagirl — Tue, 10 May 2022 21:46:53 GMT

Can't tell you how glad I am that I got rid of my car!!! None of that nonsense for me but know I will be paying for the price of petrol products in other ways.

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bonnielu — Wed, 11 May 2022 21:39:48 GMT

We have a Weis Market in our area. I rack up points for shopping there and use those points for gas. We are allowed ten cents for every 100 dollars spent. Only 20 gallons allowed.Last time I had 800 points and got 80 cents per gallon off. The points do expire. And often I buy gift cards which provide anywhere between 200 and 400 points per a hundred dollar purchase. Wish I didn't have to do this. Only allowed one car so we take gas cans.

Re: GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS

ThinkingOutLoud — Wed, 11 May 2022 21:48:17 GMT

@bonnielu wrote:
We have a Weis Market in our area. I rack up points for shopping there and use those points for gas. We are allowed ten cents for every 100 dollars spent. Only 20 gallons allowed.Last time I had 800 points and got 80 cents per gallon off. The points do expire. And often I buy gift cards which provide anywhere between 200 and 400 points per a hundred dollar purchase. Wish I didn't have to do this. Only allowed one car so we take gas cans.

Ya - the fact that we need 'tips and hacks' and do as you describe because of stupid policies is nonsense. This country can be doing so much better!

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Duckncover — Thu, 19 May 2022 03:01:04 GMT

Some of the cheapest gas stations here are selling gas that is mostly ethanol. It is costing customers thousands in engine repair. Better to pay a few cents more rather than ruining your engine. The worst offenders are QT and Race-Trac stations here...you will notice a rough-running engine, shaking, and problems pretty quickly after filling up. A car dealer can test the gas in your engine and show the % of ethanol in it. We get ours at Costco where they have an attendant who regularly checks for skimmers on the pumps.

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Duckncover — Thu, 19 May 2022 03:04:31 GMT

I have found Gas Buddy to not be updated very quickly...the prices are higher than posted when I get to the station. Not worth driving out of my way to save a few cents a gallon. Gas Buddy is at the mercy of whoever decided to post the price of gas they see where they are. It can be helpful if it is updated regularly.

Re: GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS

beach-mom — Thu, 19 May 2022 03:24:24 GMT

Thanks for posting this list @feline groovy !

I drive a VW Diesel. Well I try not to drive it much these days. I have a 10-minute drive each way. I'm trying to consolidate errands and be more conscious about mileage than I ever was. Night meetings I take DH's car. And because of all of this we have gone back to Zoom.

My gas station is a popular one, and their prices are lower than most.

I do use and like Gas Buddy when I have to.

DD said someone told her today regular gas is supposed to reach $10.00 this fall. I hope that is just a rumor.

I heard someone on the news yesterday say he drives 75 miles one way to get to work. We've both been in that situation - a long time ago. I can't imagine having a commute like that now.

I really hope someone can help with a solution for this.

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elated — Thu, 19 May 2022 03:45:42 GMT

I heard that gas prices are going to rise to $6.00 a gallon this summer. Two-thirds of Americans are living pay check to pay check. It is costing $6,000 more per year to live. This is very troubling.

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ID2 — Thu, 19 May 2022 10:32:08 GMT

Didn't we all know this would happen?

Re: GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS

Snoopp — Fri, 20 May 2022 10:43:12 GMT

@Duckncover wrote:
I have found Gas Buddy to not be updated very quickly...the prices are higher than posted when I get to the station. Not worth driving out of my way to save a few cents a gallon. Gas Buddy is at the mercy of whoever decided to post the price of gas they see where they are. It can be helpful if it is updated regularly.

I'm not surprised they can't keep up. The prices are changed daily now. I am paying well over $5 and expect I will be paying $6 sooner than later.

Re: GAS INCREASE

MorningLover — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 13:04:02 GMT

Gas prices just took another big step in the wrong direction.

US gas prices hit a new record high as more states pay $5 or more per gallon.

The national average for regular gasoline climbed by five cents on Wednesday to afresh record or $4.67 a gallon, according to AAA. That leaves gas prices up by 48 cents in the past month alone.

Seven states now average $5 or higher, with Illinois becoming the latest to join that unpopular club, according to AAA. New York and Arizona are just pennies away from the $5 threshold. The average in California now stands at $6.19 a gallon.

No states have an average of $4.15 or lower, with Georgia coming in at the lowest at $4.16.

Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, expects the national average to hit $4.75 in the next 10 days. As oil prices, the biggest component of pump prices, continue to move higher.

Gas prices in Menlo Park, Calif., on May 25.

CBS News: Here are the service stations in California charging at least $7.25 as of May 31, according to GasBuddy:

Chevron at 901 N. Alameda St. in Los Angeles: $8.05 a gallon
Mobil at 8489 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles: $7.49 a gallon
Shell at 900 North Hill Street in Los Angeles: $7.45 a gallon
Shell at 453 Main St. in Bridgeport: $7.39 a gallon
Chevron at 51557 US-395 in Lee Vining: $7.39 a gallon
Chevron at 47047 CA-1 in Big Sur: $7.37 a gallon
Valero at 377 Main St. in Bridgeport: $7.35 a gallon
Shell at 125 Sharon Park Dr. in Menlo Park: $7.29 a gallon
Mobil at 22 Vista Point Drive in Lee Vining: $7.29 a gallon
Mobil at 4349 Laurel Canyon Blvd. in Studio City: $7.29 a gallon
Shell at 51424 US-395 in Lee Vining: $7.29 a gallon

Re: GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS

qualitygal — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 13:17:21 GMT

My son said today, yesterday it went up 30 cents in one shot. Wish I could comment.

topic Re: *GAS INCREASE* TIPS & HACKS in Community Chat

*GAS INCREASE* TIPS & HACKS

'Be prepared for months of these high prices': How to save money as gas prices smash records

Find the cheapest gas near you with GasBuddy, AAA apps

Fill up at Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart and Kroger's

Pay in cash at the pump

Get points, cash back from credit cards

Sign up for gas loyalty programs

Best time of day and week to buy gas

Earn free gas cards

Improve fuel efficiency

Fill your tank with regular, not premium

Drive less

Re: *GAS INCREASE* TIPS & HACKS

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Gas prices just took another big step in the wrong direction.

US gas prices hit a new record high as more states pay $5 or more per gallon.

Re: *GAS INCREASE* TIPS & HACKS

topic Re: GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS in Community Chat

GAS INCREASE TIPS & HACKS

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