Four Easy Ways to Save Money at the Gas Pump

Gas prices are a constant headache as they fluctuate up and down from week to week. Unless you have a crystal ball to know when they’ll go down again, you could end up overpaying for fuel. Luckily, there are some things you can do to fill your car on the cheap without draining your wallet.

Turn to These Helpful Apps

The easiest bit of relief comes directly from several must-apps on your smartphone. Download these apps now to monitor gas prices in your area and save precious cents per gallon at the pump.

• GasBuddy for iPhone and Android offers an easy-to-read list view of the gas stations in your town or city, along with their latest prices. The listings are updated regularly, based on real-time user information, so you always have the most relevant data at your fingertips.
• If you don’t want to mess with a dedicated gas monitoring app, you can also find prices directly in the Google Maps app. Simply open Google Maps on Android or iPhone, tap the “gas” tab along the top rotating menu bar, and the latest information will pop up on the screen.
• Another popular navigation app, Waze for iPhone and Android, includes price listings that show up when you select “Gas” after tapping the search bar.

Enroll in a Loyalty Program

You might not be able to control the price at the pump, but you can certainly get some money back with a loyalty program. Many gas station chains offer rewards that take cents off the gallon and/or give you additional perks, like money off of soft drinks and more.

• The Shell Fuel Rewards Program offers $0.10 off per gallon for your first fill-up, $0.20 off the second trip, and $0.30 off of the third visit. After that, you’ll earn $0.03-$0.10 per gallon, depending on your membership status, which is based on how many times you visit in a three-month period.
• Exxon Mobile Rewards offers multiple ways to save, starting at $0.06 per gallon for premium gas, $0.03 for other gas, and $0.02 off per dollar on in-store purchases. Get additional rewards by stacking other products, like an Exxon debit card, AARP membership status, and frequent filler status, totaling up to $0.20 per gallon in savings.
• The Inner Circle Rewards Program by Circle K includes $0.25 off per gallon on your first 5 fill-ups. After that, you’ll either earn $0.03 off or $0.05 off per gallon, based on the amount you spend on fuel per year. As an added perk, you get access to 44oz Polar Pop soft drinks for $0.79 each, at select stores.
• QuikTrip’s QT Pay offers an undisclosed amount of savings on gas, plus 5% off in-store purchases for foods and other items. You can also stack discounts for additional savings.

Warehouse Club Discounts

Major warehouse club stores, like Costco and Sam’s, aren’t just grocery shopping hubs. They also have their own gas stations with prices that are usually lower than the folks down the street. While these gas discounts require a membership fee to the club, you can save quite a bit of money on fuel in the long run if you drive a lot. Plus, you get access to bulk items and cheap concessions inside.

Find Additional Savings

Sometimes, even after you take advantage of all the rewards and discounts available, gas might still be higher than you’d like. In these cases, remember that you can save money elsewhere on food and everyday items to free up funds for your next fill-up.

Check DealSeek for the top 50 deals currently on our radar. These change regularly, so make sure you come back often. The more you visit, the more you can save over time.