Tip For Finding Best Gas Price in Your Area
Saving money on gas is a subject almost beaten to death over the last year or so. Saving $1.00 to $4.00 on each gas tank fill up is not much -- the largest savings in gas prices comes in the long run. Finding the station with the best gas prices is the best way to assist your wallet. So which gas price comparison site is the best?
In a recent comparison of these types of sites, including GasBuddy.com, AAA's Fuel Price Finder, GasPriceWatch, and MSN's Gas Prices, there was one clear winner! Drum roll please...
Winner: MSN's Gas Prices
So what makes MSN so great? First, they use the Oil Price Information system which contains more data in almost real time compared to volunteer "spotter" based sites like GasBuddy.com. Second the gas prices at MSN were listed in order from least to most expensive, were the most expansive (in personal tests), and included an interactive map, as well.
A very close second would be AAA's Fuel Price Finder (enter zip code, on the next page look under "Automotive"). This site provides the almost the same functionality as the MSN's Gas Prices, however it is supposed to be for members only. However, when performing a search for writing this piece, we were never prompted for a member number.
So what do you use to find cheap gas prices? Or does it not matter?
Source: L.A. Times (subs. req.)
Comments
In addition to seeking out lower gas prices, a small change in your driving style can go a long way towards increas... your gas mileage and thus decreasing what you pay for gas. The best strategy would be to do both in conjunction with each other.
What do I use? My knowledge of the route across the state line to Indiana. The gap has narrowed some in the last year or so, but the most expensive station I've ever seen on the Indiana side has always been at least 40c/gal cheaper than the cheapest station I could readily find on the Illinois side. Pre-Katrina, 75-80c/gal was a typical differential. Now the typical number is more like 60c/gal. But still well worth it.
I've gotten a better sense of where the good deals (as opposed to the merely OK deals) are, as I've done exploring, but none of those sites has ever been very useful to me, since I don't know any zip codes on the other side of the line...only my own...and all the stations they give me "near" my own apartment (some of them more than an hour's drive away, so it's a bit ironic to call it "near") have the same high prices I'd pay anywhere around here.