Top 5 Tips to Save Money at the Pump

The average American spends about $1,400 on gas every year.

For some people, gas can be one of the biggest budget crashers. And sometimes the rising and falling prices of gas can be frustrating.

It’s unfortunate that gas is a necessity for everyday life. Trying to save money on it can also seem difficult.

But drivers can make some changes to save at the pump. After learning these 5 simple steps, no one has to ask how to save money on gas.

1. Avoid Premium Gas

The easiest step to take in saving money at the pump is avoiding premium gas. While premium gas has its perks, most cars do not need it.

If a car needs premium gas, the driver will see a warning on their gas cap to use it. Otherwise, gas buyers should stick with regular gas.

Some cars recommend using premium gas, but this is not necessary either. Hesitant drivers could try going down one level though.

Premium gas costs about 50 cents more than regular gas does. The average American driver uses 500 gallons of gas each year. This means premium gas buyers spend $250 more dollars on gas a year than regular gas buyers.

2. Find Cheap Gas

Long gone are the days of hoping to find cheap gas wherever a driver stops to fill up. Now there are apps that can help drivers find out what gas is best for them.

Using these apps, users can see what gas near them has the lowest prices. Here are a few people can check out:

Gas Buddy (Free) – Gas Buddy is a perfect app for travelers and locals. The app doesn’t stop with showing the best opportunities. It also has deals and giveaways to make sure people don’t pay too much on gas.Users who pay with gas buddy save 5 cents on every purchase. And on the first purchase, they’ll save 10 percent.
Gas Buddy will also tell users how much an entire trip will cost. After inputting the information, the app will calculate total costs and where to stop.

Waze (Free) – Waze is a navigation app that helps you avoid cops and traffic. Users can also input how much they spent on gas somewhere for other users to see.

Gas Guru (Free) – For a more straightforward app, users should consider GasGuru. GasGuru shows the cheapest gas and has a simple map to show where to go. And that’s it.

AAA (Free) – The AAA app has many features, but one allows users to find the cheapest gas. This one is helpful because it can also give roadside assistance.Users should be careful with the AAA app. It has a low rating on the Itunes store. But this could be a helpful addition for AAA members because it shows where members get deals.

3. Buy Gas At the Right Time

Buying gas at the right time of day can save drivers lots of money. Because of the heat, gas becomes less dense.

This means you can get more out of a pump when it is denser in the morning or night. During the cool of the day, gas will cost the same but will last longer.

Drivers should also avoid buying gas on the weekend. Gas prices go up at that time because more people travel then.

This means drivers should fill up during an early weekday morning. And if they’re planning a weekend getaway, they should consider buying gas a few days earlier.

4. Drive Less With Less Aggression

Driving faster may get people to their destinations quicker. But for people trying to save money on gas, they should avoid doing so.

Driving fast often means that drivers have to break more often. And if they don’t have to break more often, they at least have to break harder.

This is not good for a car’s fuel efficiency. Unexpected starting and stopping will waste a car’s gas.

In other words, it’s cheaper to go the speed limit and brake in a slow way. Plus, drivers won’t have to worry about a ticket.

Drivers should also consider using the cruise control more often. While aggressive drivers can’t do this, but money savers may find this more useful.

This is because using cruise control saves gas on a car. It knows when to slow down and speed up, and because the adjustments delay, the car will speed up at its speed.

This isn’t recommended for driving through heavy traffic. A driver will have to start and stop too often, and again, this could cause problems with fuel efficiency.

5. Take Care of Your Car

One of the best ways someone can save at the pump is by taking care of their car. This isn’t limited to buying good gas and fixing breaks.

Drivers can take care of their car by filing their tires on a regular basis. Tires with low pressure make the car harder to drive, and this leads to more spending on gas.

Turning off the AC is another option for saving gas. This tip is not as important as it seems unless you keep the windows up. With windows down, the car has more wind pulling it back, and you could even use more gas this way.

Drivers should also have a mechanic tune their engine on a regular basis. With a bad engine, the car may not be able to work as well.

Motor oil is also an important part of their car a driver should check. The right type of motor oil can make a car run easier and save on gas.

While taking care of a car helps gas, it also means that a car will last longer. There’s no doubt this is a great way to save money