A year ago, the national average for regular gas was $3.18 per gallon. As of September 2026, it's $4.48. That extra dollar-plus adds up to hundreds of dollars a year for the average driver, and prices aren't done moving.
Where you live changes everything. Texas is currently the cheapest state for regular at roughly $3.96 per gallon, while California drivers are paying $6.19, a spread driven largely by state taxes and the state's unique clean-fuel blend requirements. Knowing that spread matters, because the tools that help you save money on gas work differently depending on your market.
There are four distinct ways to cut your fuel bill, and you can stack all of them on a single fill-up.
Find the Cheapest Gas Near Me Before You Pull In
Using gas price finder apps is the fastest starting point. Prices vary by station and update throughout the day, so checking before you pull in can make a real difference.
GasBuddy shows crowdsourced prices at nearby stations in real time. Its Pay with GasBuddy+ card saves up to 33 cents per gallon depending on how you stack it.
Waze surfaces nearby gas prices while giving turn-by-turn directions, crowd-updated so it stays accurate in populated areas.
Google Maps pulls current prices when you search "gas stations near me" and tap a pin, with no separate app download required.
Cash Back After the Purchase
A price-comparison app tells you where to go. A cash-back app adds money back after you get there.
Upside lets you claim an offer before a purchase, pay as usual with any debit or credit card, and receive cash back once the transaction processes. The balance doesn't expire, and the app runs at thousands of stations nationally.
One thing worth knowing: if a purchase has already been processed by an affiliate cash-back program like GasBuddy, Upside won't apply cash back to that same transaction. Pick one or the other per fill-up, not both.
Warehouse Club Gas Prices
This is where the biggest per-gallon savings tend to live. Warehouse clubs typically price gas several cents to over 25 cents below local averages, and the gap widens when pump prices spike elsewhere. At those rates, a driver filling up 50 times a year can recover a membership fee through fuel alone.
What to Know Before Joining
Costco membership starts at $65/year; Sam's Club at $60; BJ's at $60
Only Costco sells Top Tier certified fuel among the three, the same detergent-additive standard used by Shell, Chevron, and BP. The "cheap gas equals bad gas" assumption doesn't hold at the warehouse pump
Location matters. If your nearest club is 12 miles out of the way, the math may not work in your favor
Gas Rewards Credit Cards
A credit card that earns category rewards on gas can layer on top of everything above. Two options with verified current rates:
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
The card earns 6% back on a chosen category for the first year, including gas and EV charging stations, on up to $2,500 in combined choice-category and grocery/wholesale-club purchases per quarter. After the first-year bonus period, that rate drops to 3%. Preferred Rewards members can push that rate higher. Gas is the default category at signup.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
The card earns 5% back on gas purchased at Costco and 4% on other eligible gas and EV charging, on a combined $7,000 spend per year across those categories, then 1% after that. Requires a Costco membership, with no annual card fee beyond the membership itself.
Always verify current terms directly with the issuer before applying, as rates and eligibility change.
Best Day to Buy Gas
Timing your fill-up costs nothing. In most states, Sunday tends to be the most affordable day to fill up, while Wednesday through Friday tend to be pricier. Buying on the cheapest day instead of the most expensive one saves drivers 4 to 9 cents per gallon in many markets, and occasionally more after a price spike.
Sunday isn't universal, though. Alaska, Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wyoming are exceptions. Check the state-by-state breakdown for your specific market.
Some states also see sharper swings. In Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Texas, Florida, and parts of the West Coast, a price-cycling pattern means sharp resets on a specific day followed by a slow decline. Waiting five to seven days after a spike can save significantly more per gallon in these markets.
A Note on Premium Fuel
Before paying 80 cents more per gallon for premium, check the fuel door sticker or owner's manual on any used car you're buying or already own. Premium fuel provides no benefit in engines designed for regular, and the data backs that up. If the manufacturer says "recommended" rather than "required," regular is fine.
The Full Cost of Owning a Car
Fuel is one line in a longer budget that includes insurance, maintenance, financing, and depreciation. A vehicle that gets 35 mpg instead of 22 mpg saves more over time than any combination of apps and cards. When comparing used cars, run the fuel cost side by side with the purchase price.
The four mechanisms — gas price finder apps, a cash-back app, a warehouse membership, and a gas rewards credit card — can all be stacked on a single fill-up. That's where the real savings compound. They work best when supporting a vehicle that already gets decent mileage.
