For most of us, there’s no getting around the fact that part of our monthly budget needs to take into account the cost of gas. Unless you live near just about everything you need or have reliable public transportation nearby, gas is something you’re going to need to spend money on and often a lot of it. But there are a number of ways you can also save too.
First, just drive like a sane person and you’ll not only avoid other problems, you’ll save a lot on gas. That’s because people who don’t accelerate quickly or slam on their breaks constantly get better mileage than those who act like each day on the road is the Indy 500. Plus, you stand a much better chance of saving on things like brake pads and potential accidents.
Another idea involves gift cards dedicated solely to purchasing gas. Just about every major gas station has some version available. A lot of people wind up with these cards, but don’t actually need them. So they put them on websites and sell them at a discount. Some websites have actually been started and focus only one this minor industry. This means you could easily end up with a gift card good for $100 worth of gas, but only pay $90 for it. The owner of the gift card gets $90 they otherwise wouldn’t have and you get $10 in free gas. That could really add up over the years.
You can also save on gas if you just spend some time scheduling when you fill up better. For the most part, gas is cheapest before 10 a.m. on Wednesdays and Thursday. This is because gas prices usually go up on Thursday in an effort to cash in on weekend travels. Most gas stations tend to make this transition at 10 a.m.
Although this advice is fairly easy to follow, it can have a real impact on your budget. Plus, you don’t have to sacrifice any necessary driving you have to do.
Source:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/cateyhill/2012/07/02/10-savvy-ways-to-save-on-gas/
