Know your fuel cost per mile
Divide the price per gallon by your miles per gallon. At $6.20 a gallon and 6.5 miles per gallon, fuel costs about 95 cents a mile. Cut the price by 15 cents and that drops to about 93 cents. Over 120,000 miles a year, the difference is close to $2,800.
Those are example numbers. Use your price and fuel economy to see where you stand.
Plan fuel stops around price
Prices can vary a lot between stops on the same highway. Planning where to fill, rather than filling when the gauge runs low, is one of the simplest ways to pay less.
Read the discount fine print
- Is the discount taken off at the pump, or paid back later?
- Which locations honor it, and does it change by location?
- Are there card, transaction or monthly fees?
- Does it apply inside the store as well as at the pump?
Keep records for IFTA and taxes
If you run across state lines you file IFTA returns that need fuel purchases by state. Keep every receipt, or use a payment method that records the state, gallons and price for you.