Some people collect antique pottery. Some collect figurines. Others collect coins, stamps or model trains. Me? I collect posts on saving on gas. ;-)
Yep, here comes another one. But first, let's see where we've already been:
Fortunately, this article from Smart Money has a few gas-saving tips that are new to the list above. In particular, there are these:
- Getting gas close to home might not be your best bet. Write down where you go each day, including your commute and other regular trips. Gas prices vary by zone, so you'll generally pay more in affluent neighborhoods, downtown areas and near major roadways.
- There are numerous gas price web sites out there. Some, like GasBuddy.com and GasPriceWatch.com, rely on consumers to call in. Others, like AAA's Fuel Price Finder (see table below), get their information from credit-card transactions. Each site has advantages and disadvantages. Your best bet is to check each to determine which has the most thorough reports for your area. If the site relies on consumer call-ins, be sure to check how often the site's listings are updated.
- For most drivers, a savings of a few cents a gallon isn't worth driving to an out-of-the-way station, says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. But there are exceptions, such as people driving vehicles with large gas tanks (like motor homes and campers), and those towing large objects (like trailers or boats).
My thoughts on each of these:
1. I have three stations that I regularly drive by (on different routes to various events) that I use to get gas. I've done enough research to know that if they're not the lowest, they are always near the lowest, and that's good enough for me. My time is valuable too, and I'm not going to waste it (by keeping a gas price diary, doing extensive research, etc.) so I can save 3 cents a gallon.
2. I've never checked/used a gas price website. Anyone out there do so? What do you like/not like?
3. Tell me about it. I know people who will drive miles to save a couple cents a gallon. Come on, people, is it really worth it? And even while it may be worth it financially, you have to take into account the value of your time and the inconvenience for driving out of your way.
As I'm sure you can tell by my tone, I'm pretty fed up with this subject. I think I'll go back to writing about how expensive pets are instead. ;-)
I could never get into the gas price websites. I'd rather just drive by and find out.
The only time I'd consider going way out of my way for gas is if I could save 20 or 30 cents per gallon (which used to be the case when I was in CT near the Massachusetts border some 8 or 9 years ago).
There are a couple different gas stations that I go to regularly. I used to go to one station which always had the cheapest prices, but after being delayed 5 times in a row and the final time being harassed by an overworked manager, I swore off the place. It wasn't worth the hassle, especially since you could not just pay at the pump. I only went there once since I swore off it, when I had a diesel rental after moving to my house. They were the first place I found with a diesel pump, and I wasn't comfortable driving a vehicle 3 times larger than my ranger.
Posted by: Blaine Moore (Run to Win) | May 16, 2006 at 08:38 AM
The stations around me are always within a few cents of each other. There is a streetcorner with three stations on my way to work, I'll stop wherever is cheapest and use my Discover Platinum Gas Rebate card (5% back on gas) and I really don't care too much about price.
One thing that is always a concern for me, however: I live in Ohio and I work in Kentucky. The gas formulations are different between the two states (due to environmental laws) and I always get about 10% lower gas mileage on Kentucky gas. Because of this, I always try to time my fillups so that I'm getting gas in Ohio.
Posted by: GHoosdum | May 16, 2006 at 09:53 AM