Below I have thoroughly researched ways to help you save money on gas at the pump. Some of these ways may apply to you and some won’t depending on your location and/or situations. If I missed any ways to save money on gas, please leave a comment below so that others can benefit.
Pray and Ask God The Lord wants us to come to Him throughout our day. Even in the small ways, like saving money on gas, the Lord wants to help us. The Lord always provides. When you do save that extra money, don’t forget to praise Him!
Join Costco, Sam’s Club, or Bj’s If you don’t already have a warehouse membership I would consider purchasing one. Even if you don’t purchase many items in bulk, the savings alone in the lower gas prices will definitely make it worth it. In the metro Detroit area, I have saved at least 30 cents a gallon and even up to 50 cents a gallon!
This will vary from state to state, but not all states have a discounted warehouse. Based on your location you may have a choice between Costco, Sam’s Club, and Bj’s or none at all. If there aren’t any discounted warehouses in your area, skip to number three.
Each warehouse has at two levels of memberships. Costco’s cheapest membership is the Gold Star Membership at $60 per year. Their premium membership called Executive Membership is $120 per year. Sam’s Club basic is $45 per year and their Plus Membership is $100 per year. Bj’s Warehouse Inner Circle membership is $55 per year and their Perks Rewards is $110 per year. These prices are without sales tax.
Every person and family is different. So you it is up to you to choose which type of membership is best for you and your family. They are all a little different, but similar. A basic membership will allow you to shop at their warehouse and also use their gas stations.
I have heard of some people having two warehouse memberships because some products you can get at one warehouse you can’t get at another. Again this is personal preference. Currently, my husband and I have a BJ’s membership. But we will be getting a Sam’s Club membership next week. Next week, we will be traveling for a wedding and going to Arizona. While we use BJ’s gas station here, they don’t have a BJ’s yet in Arizona, but they do have a Costco and a Sam’s Club.
I’m opting for the Sam’s Club membership because of this current online deal. This deal is only available online until July, 31 2022 and you won’t be able to purchase this deal at their brick and mortar locations. Click here for the deal. When you sign up for up Sam’s Club basic membership of $45 you get $45 to spend. Some exclusions may apply.
Carry Cash These days you don’t even need a wallet to pay for things. Some people use their phone or watch to pay. But if you remember to carry cash, you can take advantage of lower gas prices. Some gas stations will give you a 10 cent discount if you pay in cash. You can get cash by visiting your bank, a local ATM, or purchasing something with your debit card at a store and just selecting cash back. But be careful when you get money at a local ATM because if it is not associated with your bank, you will likely have to pay a fee. If that is the case, then it may not be worth it to pay in cash at the pump.
Put Air in Your Tires While this might be small thing, it can make a big difference. If you have low air in your tires, it will take more energy to propel your car forward, and therefore you will use more gas. While some gas stations might have an air pump, be aware you might have to pay. The easiest and cheapest way to get free air in your tires (only if you are in Metro Detroit, Battle Creek, or Kalamazoo, MI) and for someone to do it for you is go to Uncle Ed’s Oil Shoppe. Just drive in, stay in your car, and tell them that you want air in your tires and your windshield wiper fluid topped off. Yes it is free, no purchase necessary. I have been doing this for over 10 years. I never pay for windshield wiper fluid. That is at least a $3 savings right there! If you don’t live in the area, any Belle Tire has a free air pump that you can use. They are available 24/7 and are at every location nationwide. If you don’t live by an Uncle Ed’s or a Belle Tire then you can check with your local oil shop or tire store to see if they offer this service for free.
Use GasBuddy GasBuddy is a free mobile app that tells you where local gas stations are located and their prices. The disclaimer here is that it may not be 100% accurate. It’s not always accurate because it relies upon users to update the gas price information. So if you do use the app, makes sure you update the prices so that others can take advantage of it. You can see that when you open the app the time of when the gas station was last updated is on the right side. If the price hasn’t been updated in a day, just know that the price might be higher. As you know, gas stations can change their prices anytime. You will also notice when you are in the app that there are ways to earn cashback on gas by shopping at other retailers. I never used this and from what I can tell, it doesn’t look as good as other options. I will share other options in the future that will be a better option for you to earn cashback by shopping with local retailers.
Avoid Gas Stations by Highways If you can, try to avoid gas stations by the highways. They tend to be more expensive because of the convenience of “easy on, easy off.” What I find frustrating is when I see signs as I get off the highway that say gas stations to the left and right. How do I know which gas station is the cheaper option and how far away it is? This is also where your GasBuddy app comes in that I previously mentioned. When you open the app, in the top right hand corner it says “map”. As you are driving, it gives you the locations of the gas stations on the map and their prices. If you click on the gas stations in the map mode, you can see when they were last updated. So if you have to get off, you can find that cheaper gas station, or as you are driving you can see if there is a cheaper option at the next exit.
Credit Card Rewards This will vary from person to person, but knowing which credit cards give you the best rewards will help you save at the pump. For example, certain credit cards will have cashback when you use them to pay for gas. It is very important that you know your credit card benefits for cashback so you know which credit card to use at the pump, especially if you don’t have cash on you. Some credit cards will have a quarterly rotation like our Discover It card. Through the months of April to June we can earn 5% cash back at the pump.
Timing is Everything If you can avoid it, try to fill up earlier in the week. Gas stations like to hike up their prices starting on Thursday to anticipate for people traveling on the weekend, especially with temperatures getting warmer. Also a good habit to practice is not to wait until you really need gas. Don’t wait until you are on E, but start looking when you are less than a quarter of a tank.
Gas Station Rewards If you find yourself going to the same brand gas station, it might be time to sign up with their rewards. Each brand has their own format and rules. Be sure to check out their websites and/or ask the cashier for more information. In some cases, you might have to download an app. To find the gas station rewards websites more efficiently type in your search engine the brand name and the words “gas rewards.”
Grocery Stores and Gas Rewards Some grocery stores partner with gas stations to help you save money. It is also a win-win partnership for them. For example Speedway partners with several chain grocery stores. See this link for more details: https://www.speedway.com/speedy-rewards/fuel-savings. In addition, if you are in the metro Detroit area and shop at Hollywood Market, you can also save at Speedway. If you spend a certain amount in a shopping trip, you can earn 5 to 20 cents per gallon off a purchase at Speedway. Other grocery stores like Kroger and Albertsons also have rewards where you can earn points to spend at local gas stations. Check with your local grocery store to find out if you can earn discounts at partnering gas stations.
Are you interested in learning other ways to save money? Please send your questions by email to thegracefulcatholicwoman@gmail.com. Your question might be featured in a future article!
This is so helpful! Such a great summary of an obviously well-researched topic. Hoping to put some of these to use – thanks Sarah!
Glad to hear I have helped you save money!
Perfect piece of work you have done, this site is really cool with wonderful information.
Kristy, thanks you for reading. Saving money is a passion of mine. Many more articles to come!