Best way to save on gas (in my mind)

[Ima saver]

At least the price of oil went down today. My dh only wants me to buy BP/Amoco. He insists that it the best gas.

[Mathew Green]

Here's a simple method that works for me: Under normal circumstances, when my gas gauge gets below a certain level I buy $20 of gas. That means I buy fewer gallons on days when the price is up and more gallons when the price is down, so on average I pay less than the average price for my gas (if you see what I mean).

I also keep an eye on the advertised gas prices at the four stations I pass on my way to work. When prices are especially low I stop on the way home and fill my tank all the way up, but when they are especially high I put off buying gas and reduce my purchase to $10 in anticipation of prices dropping a few cents within a week or so.

My gas tank only holds 14 gallons and I drive less than 200 miles a week, so the dollar amounts quoted above will need to be adjusted to fit individual circumstances, but the basic principle remains the same: Spending the same number of dollars each time will get you fewer gallons when the price is high, more when it's low, resulting in a lower overall average price.

[Ima saver]

The prices seem to be going down this week. It will be the first time I have paid under $3 a gallon in a long time. I drive slowly and watch my acceleration! My mother's car use to have a light that came on when you were wasting gas.

[cklballs]

I attempt to go to do my chores within the same locations of the city. If I want to do something or shop and I have an appointment on that side of town that week, I'll wait to get it done. It saves time and money. I also ask my husband to do it if he's on that sound of town.

[twinsmommy]

I am saving almost 25% on my gas right now. I work next to a Costco which always has the cheapest gas in the area. I stop several times a week for gas and use my BofA 'keep the change' debit card. I buy $4.01 in gas each time.

$5.00 is debited from my checking account (.99 is transferred to savings 'keep the change promotion')
BofA matches my .99 cents in my savings account

I just paid $3.02 for $4.01 in gas. Plus the $1.98 (my keep the change and the bank's match) are in my savings account which adds up during the month.

This will only work for me during the next two months because the promotional match is the first 3 months only. Then the match drops to 5%.

[cklballs]

Thanks for the info. Can anyone get the Bofa card or discount?

[mom-from-missouri]

I find myself starting the vehicle, then telling my kids to sit down and buckle up-sometimes it takes over a minute. I am sure that idle engine gas consumption adds up. I am now trying to get them to buckle up before I start the engine.
This morning I paid $2.26 a gallon for reg. diesel has also gone down-its $2.48.

[Ima saver]

I heard if a car idles over 30 seconds, you are wasting gas. When i go to the drive thru at my bank, I turn the car engine off and sit there.

[geojen]

Originally Posted by quiznut1

Does no one like to save on their gas? I'm sorry, I'm just surprised with gas shooting up a couple days ago that this subject isn't more talked about. Not that I'm trying to promote my own subject, but I have some reason to believe it carries importance. Has anyone else ever done what I mentioned above?

My husband and I just starting doing it. Luckily for us, there are tons of Speedways around where we live. We were planning on buying the 50 dollar gift card because right now, they are also offering 1000 bonus points , so there you go. Even more incentive.

[geojen]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

At least the price of oil went down today. My dh only wants me to buy BP/Amoco. He insists that it the best gas.

According to an article in this month's consumer reports, the only difference between brands of gas is a minute amount of additives they put in to differeniate between companies. It makes no practical difference to consumers.

Another helpful tip from CR this month: When gas prices are low, chain companies like BP or marathon will probably have lower prices because they can discount more deeply (they own the supply) but when gas prices are high, independents not tied to a company can shop around for the lowest rate, and therefore will probably have the lowest prices.

[Koppur]

Just have to share...I went to fill up today and gas was down to $2.54 a gallon!!!!!! Whoo-hoo! That's the cheapest I've seen it around here (MA) in at least a year!

[abowers]

Here in NJ gas is down to $2.41 for regular at Sunoco/$2.43 at Shell & Mobil. I filled up at something like $2.55 last week!

[cklballs]

Gas in north Alabama, around $2.19

[Ima saver]

It is down to $2.32 here in N. ga.

[tabbycat31]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

I know I save at least $1 a day if I stay home. I also only drive under the speed limit cause that saves on gas.

That would absolutely not work in NY. If you don't go 10 MPH over the speed limit here, good luck. And in the surrounding states (CT, NJ), if I go 65 MPH on a highway, I'm getting evil glares, brights flashed, honks, one finger salutes, etc. The drivers here are way too agressive.

[mom-from-missouri]

I paid $1.94 a gallon this morning for regular. Deisel is $3.26 a gallon.

[cklballs]

Wow!! $1.94? What state is that in?

[cklballs]

Oops!! Missouri.

[mom-from-missouri]

Today it is down to $1.93. I get our fuel at Platte Clay Electric (our electric coop). You can either feed the pump $5 bills, or, if you are a customer, they give you a card you can insert into the pump and your fuel bill comes on your electric bill. I use my card. If I use my card, I get an extra 3 cents off per gallon, and, at the end of the year, when they give out the rebates, the fuel is added in. so we get more of a rebate back.
I guess the bad side would be that if you did not pay, your electric is shut off....

[greedy4chips]

I heard that all companies put gas into the pipelines by the gulf that feeds our supply in Wisconsin for example. Say BP Amaco puts in 1 million gallons, they take out 1 million at the storage location here. It isn't the gas they actually produced. It would be too costly for each company to keep their gas seperate from other companies.

Once it reaches the storage location they can add whatever additives they choose, which creates the difference at the pump.