Given that Memorial Day is one of the busiest days of the year when it comes to traveling, Americans are looking for ways to save money on fuel expenses. Even with fuel prices so high, a good majority of Americans are planning to travel anyway. And you can’t blame them either. The pandemic had shut down travel for the better part of two years. And now people are desperate to travel and explore again. It’s also a sign that the economy is growing and that people are willing to spend money.
This Memorial Day is going to be the most expensive one in terms of fuel prices. The previous highest the country has ever seen was back in 2014 when a gallon of gas cost $3.66.
So, if you’re looking for ways to save money on gas, here are a few tips that can help you cut down your fuel expenses when you travel this Memorial Day.
Shop at grocery stores with reward programs
Consumers who are experts at saving money while shopping say that one of the best ways to cut down expenses is to shop at grocery stores and warehouse club stores that also offer fuel reward programs. When you shop at these stores, you get rewards points that you can then convert into cash or gas points to pay for your next fill-up. You may not get a whole lot of points on your next shopping trip, but you can accumulate your points over time and save up enough to get a whole free tank of gas.
Fill up at gas stations that offer reward programs
Just like many grocery stores, many gas stations have their own reward programs as well. if you’re loyal to a particular brand of gas, check with them to see if they have a loyalty program. These brand loyalty programs usually allow you to earn cashback or reward points on every fuel purchase you make at their gas stations. In a few months, you can accumulate enough points to save hundreds of dollars in gas money.
Pay using cash
Very often, you’ll see a particular rate advertised at a gas station. But when you fill up your car’s tank, you may be charged a slightly higher rate. This is because the advertised rate is only for customers who pay using cash. So, the next time you want to get some gas, keep cash ready. This is one of the best ways to get gas at a cheaper price.
Use the Internet to locate the cheapest gas stations
Gas prices normally fluctuate every day. And every gas station will usually charge its own rate per gallon. Before you step out to buy gas from your nearest station, check the Internet to find out the rates at all the gas pumps within a few miles from where you stay. This will help you find out precisely where the station with the cheapest price is. All it will take is a few minutes of your time to help you save a lot of money on fuel expenses, especially this Memorial Day.
Drive slower, brake less often
Your fuel expenses have as much to do with the way you drive as it does with the cost of fuel. It makes no sense if you’re looking to save money on gas only to rev your car to the maximum and burn fuel quickly. Try driving about ten to fifteen miles slower than you usually do. This will help improve your mileage and thereby reduce your gas costs as well. Driving slower also means you will hit the brakes less often. Since the continuous acceleration and deceleration are reduced, your fuel economy will increase.
Make it a point to get rid of excess weight in your car. for example, if there are boxes of books lying in your trunk, or you have gardening tools that have been in your trunk for months, it’s time to take them out and keep them elsewhere. Extra unwanted weight reduces your car’s fuel efficiency. Also, if you keep your car idling for more than 10 seconds at a traffic signal or otherwise, you can save fuel by turning it off and back on if the stop is going to be for more than 10 seconds.
Here are some extra tips we have on how you can max your shopping strategy on Memorial Day and how to protect yourself from travel scams.
