The Best Time To Buy Gas – And Other Gas-Buying Tips

Anyone who owns a car knows that the cost of fuel is on the rise.

The majority of car owners probably don’t know this, but there is a best time of day and week to get the best prices on fuel.

The best time is generally in the morning, because between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., gas station managers and owners get around to checking out their competition’s prices. If a competing gas station raises their price, so will others.

Similarly, Wednesday is generally the cheapest day to buy gas. Closer to the weekends, gas prices often jump up to take advantage of all the travellers who need to fill up.

Now that you know the best times to buy fuel, here are some gas-saving tips courtesy of Time Magazine:

• Avoid gasoline with ethanol, whenever possible, because ethanol stores less energy than pure gasoline.
• Use the cheapest unleaded fuel that will allow your car to run well.
• Make sure your tires have the right amount of air in them.
• Avoid idling for more than a minute, even if that means turning off your engine while you wait for a traffic light to turn green.
• Coast as much as possible and avoid sudden starts and stops.
• Don’t weigh your car down with things you don’t need, especially rooftop carriers, which can cut your mileage by as much as 15%. In a test conducted by Consumer Reports, a rooftop carrier lowered the gas mileage of a Toyota Camry traveling at 65 mph from 35 miles per gallon to 29.
• If you are below 60 mph, turn off A/C and roll down your windows to save fuel. If you are driving 60 mph or faster, roll up your windows to reduce drag.