I used to have a mental map of gas station prices. The Shell on Main Street is always five cents higher than the Costco on the highway, but the Costco line is twenty minutes long on weekends, so sometimes the Shell is worth it if you value your time. I was doing gas-price calculus in my head like a day trader. It was exhausting.

Then I downloaded GasBuddy. No, this is not a sponsored post — I genuinely just wish someone had told me about it years earlier.

GasBuddy and Alternatives

GasBuddy is the most comprehensive. Users report prices at stations in real time. You open the app, it shows a map of stations around you with prices, and you pick the cheapest one. The difference between the highest and lowest price in a 5-mile radius is often 30-50 cents per gallon. On a 15-gallon fill-up, that is $4.50-$7.50 saved — every single tank.

Google Maps also shows gas prices if you search “gas near me.” Waze does the same. But GasBuddy’s data is more current because it incentivizes users to report prices with a points system.

Other Ways to Save on Gas

• Warehouse clubs. Costco and Sam’s Club gas is consistently 15-30 cents cheaper than nearby stations. If you fill up 15 gallons twice a month, the annual membership pays for itself in gas savings alone. The lines are long during peak hours — go on weekday evenings or early mornings.
• Grocery store points. Kroger, Safeway, and other chains give fuel points for grocery purchases. 100 points typically equals 10 cents off per gallon. Stack points over a month and fill up for basically free.
• Pay with cash. Some stations still have a cash price that is 5-10 cents lower than credit. Look for the cash/credit split on the sign.
• Do not top off. Once the pump clicks off, stop. Overfilling can damage the vapor recovery system and you are paying for gas that might seep back out.