Six ways to save money on gas

If you feel like high prices for your everyday essentials are taking a toll on your savings, you’re not alone. Only around half (47%) of Americans say they have sufficient liquidity or access to funds to cover a $1,000 emergency expense, according to a new survey from Bankrate.

If you’re looking for ways to trim your spending bill, gas — which can be especially costly if you commute via car or have a profession involving driving — is a good place to start. 

Gas isn’t usually a cost you can cut, but it is one you can save on if you follow a few steps. Here are six ways to save on gas, according to experts. 

1. Shop around 

When it comes to gas stations and brands, loyalty can cost you.  

“Without a doubt, the number one thing that folks can do to have the biggest effect is to shop around,” says Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “There’s not really a golden rule when it comes to how to fill your tank up, but I think if there was to be one, it’s to always check in advance.” 

If you don’t have the context for what you’re paying, you don’t know if it’s a good deal or not — and gas prices can vary significantly whether you’re on the road for 50 miles or you're just going to your job 10 or 15 miles away, he says. 

With apps like GasBuddy, you can look at gas price maps before you hit the road to see which stations on your route offer the lowest prices. GasBuddy and AAA both offer trip cost calculators in which you can plug in your starting point, destination and your vehicle information to determine ahead of time how much gas will cost you. You can also check gas prices on Google Maps and Waze.

De Haan recommends being brand agnostic, since the brands with the lowest prices will vary. He also points out that the longer you spend on the road, the more propensity there may be to overpay. But once you’ve made checking prices part of your routine, it should only take about 20 seconds, he adds. 

2. Use loyalty programs strategically  

Despite wanting to shop around, there are plenty of free loyalty programs that can help you save if you use them smartly. Exxon Mobil says that with its rewards program you earn at least three cents per gallon in points on gas and two cents per dollar in points on snacks, drinks, car washes and more. Shell’s Fuel Rewards advertises that you can earn up to 10 cents per gallon, and Circle K’s rewards program offers 25 cents per gallon on your first five fuel ups and three cents per gallon every day after that. 

So depending on where you live and usually pump gas, you may want to consider joining one of these programs. De Haan says to just make sure you don’t neglect shopping around, and that the rewards program is actually offering you a low price: “Some people just sign up for loyalty programs and they get their price reduced by five to 30 cents a gallon and then they forget about it, and then they become creatures of habit.” 

3. Watch your speed  

The way you drive can also impact your gas bill. 

“So many of us are in a hurry and we’re not as fuel efficient as we should be,” De Haan says. “As soon as the light turns green, people stomp on the gas. A lot of us forget that how much gas you need is really a side effect of the way you drive.” 

Fuel economy — or how far your car can travel on a specific amount of gas — peaks at around 50 miles per hour on most cars, then drops off as speeds increase, says Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for AAA. Reducing highway speeds by five to 10 miles per hour can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%, she adds. 

Slow down, don’t quickly accelerate to full speed and use your car’s technology like cruise control. 

“A lot of the technology that’s built into modern cars today can help you become more fuel efficient,” De Haan says. 

4. Turn your engine off

It can be tempting to leave your car on when you’re stopped temporarily, but you might be able to save a bit on gas if you avoid excess idling. 

A car engine consumes a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour when idling, but a warm engine only takes around 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart, Diaz says. Where safe to do so, shut off your engine if you will be stopped for more than a minute, she recommends. 

5. Stick to regular gas if recommended 

When you’re at the gas pump, premium gas doesn’t necessarily mean better gas. Diaz says that choosing premium gas when your car doesn’t require it will cost you money and doesn’t improve fuel economy.

If regular gas is what’s recommended for your car, go with that. 

Speaking of actually pumping gas, you’ll also want to be aware that gas stations often put a pre-authorization hold when you swipe your card to pay, which will then be unavailable in your spending balance. For example, if you fill up for $30, you might have a $100 hold on your account. Once the sale is finalized, that charge will be replaced with your actual price, and the hold will be released but be aware the hold can freeze some much-needed funds for several days. However, an exception is if you use Current (debit or credit), you’ll never see a gas hold on your account because we don’t apply them. The pending charge on your account is only the amount you purchased and you have full access to the rest of your money right away. 

6. Plan your trip

If you don’t plan ahead, you may find yourself pulling over for gas and other items more than you need to. Diaz suggests mapping out your route ahead of time to avoid unnecessary stops. AAA has a free travel tool called TripTik Travel Planner that lets you identify gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, hotels, campgrounds, restaurants and attractions along your route. That can help you to stay on track and avoid unnecessary detours.

Bring plenty of water and snacks to hold you over so you can avoid spending extra cash on fast food, Diaz adds.