Saving Money at the Pump...NOW

Jodi Jill Ouch!

I just pulled away from the pump. Purchased a full tank and the wallet is crying for mercy. Everyone I know and those I don’t, have been upset about the continuing rise of gas prices. It is causing a financial hardship for those who barely make ends meet and taking a huge bite out of the profits.

Lately, I have been hearing about those websites to check out to see what gas prices are in the neighborhood and I applaud them for taking note. However, if you are like me, Internet access isn’t available in my car and never close by when my tank is on empty. Worse yet, I have driven from Denver to Los Angeles twice in the last month and even after referencing the website, making planned stops at certain stations I found the price was already different and usually not the cheapest in the area.

Yet, to keep my gas guzzler from bankrupting the piggy bank I came up with a few ways to get the lowest price while tooling around even without the internet. Remember these tips next time you find yourself searching for the lowest price per gallon.

1. When traveling across the country, stick to truck stops in cities. After driving highways I-40, I-25, and I-70 I began to see a serious trend on gas prices. These pit stops were worried about losing customers and offered decent prices on their fuel. In Kingman, AZ the truck stops were actually a dime less than the mom and pop places. And watch for specials. The signs on top of the pumps had free food with a minimum gallon purchase. Not a bad deal for filling up anyway.

2. Remember the warehouses. In Los Angeles gas is pushing $2.70 a gallon. Not pretty to say the least. Yet, a quick trip to CostCo or Sam’s Warehouse brings this gallon price down twenty five to thirty cents. It is a dime less than fuel stations on the street in Denver too. A membership costs, but you can use it at any store across the United States and most of us have these memberships for purchasing supplies.

3. Grocery stores aren’t just for food anymore. Albertson’s, Kroger, Ralph’s and even Safeway have pumps in front of their stores at many locations. Pick up a preferred customer card and you have three to five cents off per gallon. In the Denver area the King Soopers stores (part of Krogers) have teamed up with Jug and Loaf Convenience Stores to offer a nickel off a gallon. Usually there isn’t anything more than an index sign on the pump about the offer. Look for the signs or ask the cashier.

4. Ask for a discount. At a fuel station I was at in Las Vegas last week, I asked for a discount and got nothing...Except a recommendation to go down the street eight blocks for a twenty cent difference per gallon. Nobody likes the rising prices, not even the cashiers.

And above all, if you think it is too high, don’t fill up. It may take ten more minutes, but you will save a lot of money in the long run. Hopefully station owners will get the idea the prices are too high and this rush to raise the price will subside. In the meantime, we got to take care of our pocketbooks.

Copyright © 2005 Jodi Jill

About Jodi: Jodi Jill is a self-proclaimed tightwad, professional speaker and published author who wants every penny to stretch as far as possible. You can find out about her book series 'Tours For Free' highlighting places families can go for free at http://www.toursforfree.com or http://www.jodijill.com. Contact her at Jodi@toursforfree.com