5 Ways to Save...

Money on Gas

Stephanie Nelson, CouponMom.com

1.  Drive less - Limit your driving by carpooling and combining errands.  Set up school carpooling in your neighborhood and extend it to after school activities.  Carpool to work, the gas used per person is immediately cut in half, and you can take advantage of the carpool lanes.   Combine trips, plan your errands so that you do them all on one day, rather than making multiple trips, and create an efficient route that gets things done quickly.

2.  Get the Best Price on Gas -  Make sure you are paying a competitive price for the gas you buy.  Use websites to find the cheapest prices near you, like www.GasBuddy.com, but don't drive out of your way for the best price, it doesn't make sense to spend a gallon of gas driving out of your way to save pennies.  Remember, gas stations visible from the interstate usually have higher prices as do prime locations (like the mall.)  Location and competition are factors that determine local price fluctuations, so look for places with lots of competition.

3. Consider shopping at stores that have their own gas stations and reward programs - stores like Costco, Sam’s Club or Kroger.  Not every store or every location will have something like this, but many do. Whether it’s a supermarket chain or one of the discount clubs, there may be an opportunity to look for gas stations with grocery store agreements. I get up to 20 cents off each gallon of gas (at a station with low prices to begin with) when I buy groceries at a certain grocery store.

4.  Take care of your car - A properly maintained vehicle will run more efficiently and give you better gas mileage and that saves money!  Top off the air in the tires every few weeks to the car manufacturer’s recommended pressure and use the correct grade of motor oil.  Turn off the lights, if your car has daylight enabled automatic lights, turn them off  during daylight hours.

5. Fill up efficiently - Fill the tank full. The more money you try to save by adding $10 today and $20 tomorrow will be wasted since you have to travel to the station. Check your manufacturer’s recommendations and get the lowest grade octane gas recommended. It’s cheaper, saving you more at the pump. 

 Stephanie Nelson is the Coupon Mom. With more than 6 million members, Coupon Mom gives members access to thousands of printable coupons for groceries, restaurants and more. As the nation’s top expert in couponing across the country, Stephanie has been on every major national television talk show and taught millions how to save money for the past 11 years. She has been called ‘”the rock star of the recession” by the Washington Post and her book, The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half, is a New York Times best seller.