Soaring Gas Prices

Get More Bang for Your Gas Buck

From CNN:

Gasoline isn’t cheap these days, but there ARE ways to cut costs. Here are a few ways to get more bang for your gas buck.

• Find the cheapest gas stations in your area. In most cities, you can save 30 or 40 cents a gallon if you know where to look. So, check out the prices at GasPriceWatch.com. Here’s a good rule of thumb: Gas stations in upscale areas and near highways generally charge more because the land is more valuable, so their overhead is higher, and the costs are passed on to consumers. Also, stations near state borders tend to slash prices – as a kind of “welcome to our state” sign.
• The TYPE of gas station makes a difference. Service stations with auto repair shops or car washes usually charge more for gas. They don’t need to be as competitive, since the other services are more profitable and bring in gas customers anyway. Gas stations at big box stores, like Costco or Sam’s Club, are a good bet if prices are going down. Why? Because they sell so much gas that the price is reflected at their pumps more quickly. Even if you don’t have a big box store membership, you can still save. Because nearby gas stations often lower their prices to compete with the big box stores.
• Buy gas on Wednesday mornings. Gas prices usually move up for the weekend. So, the lowest point is early Wednesday. In fact, always buy gas EARLY in the morning. Gasoline pumps charge by volume – not density. Since gas is denser when it’s cool, you’ll get more bang for your buck if you fill your tank during the coolest part of the day.
• Watch your driving style. Studies show that gentle acceleration, and using cruise control on highways can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 35%. Which means, you could save 50 cents every time you don’t stomp on the accelerator.
• Buy the lowest-grade gas possible. High-performance cars, like Porsches or Ferraris, need high-octane gasoline for top fuel efficiency, but unless your car manufacturer requires premium gasoline, your car will run just fine on lower-priced regular.