10 Ways to Save Money on Gas
Ten great ways to save money on gas and diesel. And these are not just for RVers. Feel free to connect with me on the social media links and share your gas money saving secrets!
1. Phone APPS
These two free phone APPs identify current gas prices near you to help save money on gas. Makes it easy to find cheapest gas close by. Regardless if you are using gas or diesel, both of these apps can be filtered to show the type of fuel you need.
Gas Buddy APP
Gas Buddy is a free APP that provides a list of gas stations and their addresses along with the the current price of gasoline. With a simple click, the prices can be viewed on a map. The APP also lists highest and lowest price of gas in your area, so you can get the best price and save money on gas. Each gas station has additional details and reviews listed.
Gas Guru APP
The default view on the Gas Guru APP – another free APP – is a map with all the gas prices indicated. Just click on the price you want for additional details such as the address. The best prices to save money on gas have a green star making it easy to find and see where it is located.
A complete list of free APPS I use as I live and travel full-time in my RV: FREE Camping, RV and Travel APPS
2. Fuel Rewards® at Shell
The Fuel Rewards® program at Shell is great for anyone who wants to save money on gas. It is completely free and simple to use. You always get at least five cents a gallon and occasionally up to 15 cents off a gallon. This is not a credit or charge card. Simply select Fuel Rewards at the pump, enter your alternate ID and you save five cents a gallon.
Here’s the link: Fuel Rewards® at Shell
3. Pilot RV Plus Charge Card
This is a charge card that helps you save money on gas. Your fuel purchases are charged to the card and each month the entire amount is deducted from your checking account. It must be linked to a checking account and must be paid in full each month.
Discounts of at least $.05 off lowest price of every gallon of gas and $.08 off cash price of diesel. There are also several other benefits for RVers such as Ten cents off each gallon of bulk propane and half off RV dumping fee at Pilot Flying J.
The diesel discount is reflected off the cash price. Here’s an example:
Posted Diesel Credit Price. . . . . $3.00/gal –
Cash Price . . . . . . . . . $2.94/gal
Member Discount . . . . . . . . . . $0.08/gal
Your Price . . . . . . . .. . . . . $2.86/gal
That’s a savings of $.14 per gallon off the credit price!
The big advantage for the Pilot RV Plus Charge Card is for RVers using the diesel truck lanes at Pilot and Flying J stations. This card works right at the pump for diesel and DEF, and avoids the extra trip in to the counter to turn on the pump. The same savings are also available on the car gas and diesel lanes.
Here’s the link: Pilot RV Charge Card
4. Kroger and Other Grocery Stores
Kroger and other grocery stores frequently have competitive gas prices and additional savings when loyalty program fuel rewards are used. Simply using your Kroger loyalty card at their gas pumps saves three cents per gallon. If you have accumuated additional points from grocery purchases, the savings can even be greater.
Here’s the link: Kroger
Being frugal does not mean being cheap! It means being economical and avoiding waste.
– Catherine Pulsifer, Author
5. State Gas Tax
The price of a gallon of gasoline is partially driven by the amount of state tax included in the price of each gallon. When driving through a state with higher taxes and more expensive gas, wait until the next state to get fuel.
States like Missouri, Mississippi, New Mexico and Arizona inlcude less state tax. Others such as Pennsylvania, California, Washington, and New York have substantially higher gas taxes. For example, in Missouri there is about 17 cents per gallon tax, while Pennsylvania taxes gas at about 59 cents per gallon. Avoiding the higher taxed states when traveling through multiple states can save money.
The Gas Buddy and Gas Guru APPS already mentioned in #1 can be used to look ahead if you are approaching a state line and deciding wether to get fuel before or after you cross into a new state.
6. Cash Price
Always check cash versus credit prices. Some gas stations advertise their cash price, and then charge an additional three to five cents or more per gallon to use a credit card. At these stations, use cash to get the best price and save money on gas.
7. Credit Card Cash Back
To save money on gas, make your purchase with a credit card that offers cash back. There are many credit card options that offer one to two per cent cash back on fuel purchases. It is an easy way to save two per cent on all the gas or diesel you purchase.
8. Driving Habits
Getting better gas mileage by monitoring your driving habits can indirectly help save money on gas. Driving less miles, combining trips, avoiding rapid accelerating, eliminating unnecessary trips and reducing highway speed can all impact gas mileage and make each dollar you spend go a little further.
9. Vehicle Maintenance
In the same way the driving habits can help save money on gas, maintaining your vehicle can also help improve gas mileage. Proper tire inflation, routine oil changes, and keeping your car properly tuned can all increase the efficiency of your vehicle and improve gas mileage.
10. Don’t Wait Until Empty
To save money on gas, fuel up when you are near gas stations with good prices. Don’t wait until your gas tank is empty, which could force you to simply pull into the most convenient station and pay a higher price per gallon.
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