How Much Could You Save?
The average US driver puts on 15,000 miles/year in a vehicle that gets 28 mpg — using about 536 gallons annually. At $4.87/gal, that's $2,610/year just on gas. Cutting fuel use by 15–20% through the tips below saves $390–$520/year — even before finding cheaper prices.
12 Ways to Spend Less at the Pump
GasBuddy shows real-time crowdsourced prices at stations near you. Prices within a 5-mile radius can vary by 20–40¢/gal. The GasBuddy Pay card saves an additional 5–25¢/gal at participating stations with no annual fee.
Gas prices historically rise Thursday–Saturday ahead of weekend travel demand. GasBuddy data shows Monday and Tuesday are the cheapest days of the week in most markets. Avoid filling up on Friday or Saturday.
Costco and Sam's Club gas stations consistently price 10–40¢/gal below market. If you drive more than 10,000 miles/year, membership pays for itself through gas savings alone — often within 2–3 months during high-price periods.
Cards like the Costco Anywhere Visa (4% on gas), Shell Fuel Rewards Mastercard, and PenFed Platinum Rewards card offer 3–5% cash back on gas purchases. At $2,600/year in gas, that's $78–$130 back annually.
The DOE estimates underinflated tires reduce gas mileage by 0.2% per PSI below optimal. Most cars lose 3–5 PSI over winter. Check monthly with a $5 gauge — takes 5 minutes and can improve your mpg by 0.5–3%.
Fuel efficiency drops sharply above 60 mph. Driving 70 instead of 80 mph improves efficiency by 10–15%. Cruise control on the highway prevents wasteful speed fluctuations. On a 15,000-mile/year commute, this is one of the highest-ROI changes you can make.
Jackrabbit starts and hard stops burn significantly more fuel than smooth acceleration. EPA testing shows aggressive city driving uses 15–30% more fuel than calm driving over the same route. Anticipating stops and coasting cuts fuel use dramatically.
Kroger, Safeway, Giant, and many regional chains offer fuel points — typically 1 point per dollar spent on groceries, redeemable for 10¢/gal per 100 points. Some promotions offer double/triple points. Link your loyalty card and consolidate grocery shopping.
Premium gas is 25–60¢/gal more than regular. Unless your owner's manual says "required" (not "recommended"), regular 87 octane is fine. Many cars that "recommend" premium see minimal performance loss on regular. Check your manual — most need only regular.
Cold engines use more fuel. Multiple short trips from a cold start use far more gas than one longer trip covering the same destinations. Plan errands in a logical loop and complete them in one outing. This is especially impactful in stop-and-go city driving.
Every 100 lbs of extra weight reduces fuel economy by about 1%. Empty roof cargo boxes add drag and can reduce highway mpg by 5–10%. If you're not using a roof rack or cargo carrier, remove it when not in use.
Watch our live national average tracker and price forecast. If crude oil drops significantly (as it has post-ceasefire), wholesale prices fall first — retail follows 1–2 weeks later. Running your tank a little lower when prices are falling means you fill up at the lower price.
Track Prices Before You Fill Up
The simplest way to spend less on gas is to know what prices are doing before you pull into a station. Check the live national average, see your state's current price, and read our 2026 forecast to understand where prices are headed.