Don’t you hate it when you’ve pulled into a gas station, parked, and about to open the door, only to notice that the gas station across the street has gas for 10 cents less per gallon? It’s happened to all of us at one point or another.
If you’re looking for ways to cut costs at the pump, download an app that helps you find cheap gas. If you can’t get free gas, even saving $5 at the pump each week can amount to $260 a year.
Gas is Getting More Expensive!
As prices of gas go up and down over the years, it makes sense to pay attention.
A report from News4Jax.com says it boils down to supply and demand. Gas stations need to sell their fuel before they can purchase new, cheaper gas, so the price can be high for weeks.
Regardless of why the price is high or low, getting to the pumps that are less expensive is a lot easier to find when you have an app to help you.
Whether you’re planning for a road trip or just want to save more money this year at the pump, the following apps can help you.
Top Apps to Help You Find Cheap Gas
Upside
Take a picture of your receipt, and get cash back.
GasBuddy
Save a few cents per gallon, along with finding the best low gas prices.
Waze
Set your preferred gas stations or gas type and sort by price or brand.
Here are some apps to save on gas to consider.
1. GasBuddy
GasBuddy is probably one of the more well-known apps to help save you gas. It’s a crowdsourced app, which means it gets a lot of its information from actual users.
GasBuddy has over 60 million users who use their app at the pump. The app is great because in addition to showing you where the best gas prices are, it actually saves you a few cents each gallon.
GasBuddy.com actually links your checking account to their app, and each time you fill up, you can use the app to save 5 cents per gallon, and 15 cents per gallon for your first fill-up only.
According to their site, you can save roughly $340 a year on gas by using their app.
In addition helping you find cheaper gas prices based on your location, GasBuddy also helps you find the closest locations, friendliest service, cleanest restrooms and more.
They offer real-time gas prices at more than 140,000 gas stations in the U.S., Canada and Australia.
Their website also has a number of handy tools for you to browse through, including a trip cost calculator for your next long road trip and handy gas price charts.
2. GetUpside
Upside is a money-saving app that helps you find the best deals on more than just gas. By using the app, you can save up to 25 cents per gallon on gas in DC, NY, MD, VA and FL.
It also has unique cash back offers and works a little differently than the other apps mentioned in this list. If you put in your phone number, the app texts you with an offer at a gas station near you.
When you fill up your tank with a credit card or debit card and then take a picture of your receipt, Upside will give you cash back via PayPal or a check.
It can help you save up to 35 percent at restaurants and 15 percent at grocery stores near your home.
3. Gas Guru
Similar to GasBuddy, Gas Guru shows you cheap gas prices from the Oil Price Information Service, which means their prices are up to date.
They even include the last price update, so you can determine whether the gas station is likely to still have that price.
Gas Guru, owned by Yellow Pages, helps you find the nearest pump with the best prices and then save it to your favorite locations so you can always go back to it when you return to that particular location.
This feature was the reason why people chose Gas Guru over GasBuddy on Slant.com. In a poll on their site, the community chose Gas Guru, but it didn’t win by much, making both of them good options to save money at the pump.
The app also lets you compare the price of gas near your house, work or other favorite locations to find the best prices, pretty nifty!
4. Waze
You’re thinking, “Waze can help me find cheap gas?” That’s right, the popular Google-owned crowdsourced navigation app can direct you to the cheapest gas station.
Similar to Gas Guru, Waze lets you set your preferred gas stations (and even gas type) and sort by price or brand.
Then, Waze to shows you the best route to get there. Waze is great for road trips because it shows you how many minutes each gas station is off your route and the price of gas at that particular location.
If you drive over to one of their partner gas stations, you can save up on “Waze-only” deals too.
5. AAA TripTik® Planner
AAA has a feature called TripTik® Planner, which is part of their app. It helps you plan a road trip, allows you to plot trips with up to 20 stops, shows you the best places to stop for gas and gives you an efficient route.
They have more than 85,000 gas stations in their database and also give you updated gas prices so you can easily pick and choose.
You don’t need to be a member to use TripTik® but in order to access the full app, you need to join.
6. Gas Prices by MapQuest
Mapquest has an app called Gas Prices by Mapquest that will show you where to find the cheapest gas and lets you select the type of fuel you want and then add it to your list of favorites.
The user-friendly app allows you to find the best prices for gas in your neighborhood, to and from your office and on road trips.
In addition to helping you find best prices for gas, the app comes with navigation features like making restaurant reservations, ordering food, voice-guided GPS, alternative routes in real-time traffic conditions and more.
7. GEICO Mobile
Car insurance company Geico has an app that helps you find the best gas prices in your area. You can find prices in real-time, and Geico uses gas prices provided by Oil Price Information Service.
You can find gas stations near you by going to their website, or by downloading their app and finding the feature for the gas price locator.
8. RoadAhead Highway Exit Finder
This app helps organize your driving world by your nearest exit, which can be helpful if you’re on a road trip, or even if you’re in the middle of your commute and don’t know what’s around you.
It searches for gas, food, lodging, to name a few and even categorizes it by ratings, prices, and distance by exit.
RoadAhead is handy for finding cheap prices for gas because it allows you to compare gas prices at the stations in the next exit in addition to the ones that are miles down the road.
It also optimizes your stops to include grocery stores, which is convenient if you want to search for both gas and grocery in one sitting.
The keyword is “ahead,” so the app only shows you what’s coming up, rather than what you’ve already passed (I’m looking at you, Google Maps!).
Tips That Help You Save on Fuel
Not only can finding cheap gas help you save money, you can also take action to make your car as fuel-efficient as possible.
1. Check Your Tire Pressure
Check your tire pressure every few months and definitely before you go on a long road trip. Luckily, many cars alert you if the pressure is not at a certain level.
Regardless, you should check it to make sure they’re not too flat. This affects fuel efficiency.
2. Don’t Use Your Car As a Storage
Reduce the amount of things you have in your trunk. The heavier your car is, the more gas you’re wasting.
If it’s summer and you still have those heavy snow chains in your trunk, you’re wasting gas, so take it out and lighten the load.
3. Be Mindful of Idling
Be careful about how much you’re idling. We’ve all been there. You’re sitting in your car, picking up a friend and idling outside her house for 10 mins.
Be aware of moments like these. Shut off your engine when you’re sitting around in your car, not moving.
Even if it’s winter and you’re trying to warm up your engine, be mindful of how long you’re doing this and don’t excessively idle.
4. Use Cruise Control on Long Trips
If your car has it, try using cruise control more often. After all, it’s a computer controlling your speed, rather than your foot.
Cruise control offers a steady speed that can save fuel because you’re not speeding up or slowing down constantly. A study by Edmunds revealed you can save 7 percent, by using cruise control on long trips.
5. Don’t Drive Aggressively
Driving fast and accelerating or stopping suddenly wastes fuel, so slow it down and be aware of how you’re maneuvering around town.
You can save roughly 15 to 30 percent on the highway and 10 to 40 percent in stop-and-go traffic, according to FuelEconomy.gov. Plus, no one likes the guy weaving in and out of traffic like their life depends on it.
6. Consider Switching to a Hybrid
If you find yourself being a little too obsessed with fuel efficiency, why not consider switching to an electric car or hybrid?
These days, a Prius gets 52 miles to the gallon, and according to Edmunds, will cost about $959 per year to fill up, if you drive 15,000 miles.
I drove a 2005 model Prius for years and really loved the gas mileage I was getting (and the money I was saving). The gas tank was only nine gallons, so each time I filled up, it only cost $30 or so.
This could save you even more money if you drive a lot, or if you drive as a side hustle.
Summary
Taking the time to find the best gas prices in your area can save you money and improve your financial wellness. These apps can help you make sure you score the gas best prices.
Better yet, take it to the next level by making your car as fuel-efficient as possible.
