Comments on: Gas: buy cheap or buy nearby?

By: Diane

Diane — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:43:11 +0000

We now buy gas with our credit card which also pays us 5% in cash rewards at gas stations. So we factor that in when we consider where to buy our gas. Arco, which doesn’t accept credit cards, is generally lower than the other stations in our area but NOT when that 5% is figured in.

By: Bargain Babe » Reader comment of the week

Bargain Babe » Reader comment of the week — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:57:23 +0000

[...] fabulous comment comes from a reader named l_devere, who wisely pointed out that the value in driving far for cheap gas applies to other purchases. This same thinking applies to grocery shopping and no one thinks to [...]

By: Aniruddha

Aniruddha — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:48:55 +0000

@Ellie: Those prices are from Upstate NY and that too from the first week of June

By: Ellie

Ellie — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:46:49 +0000

I’m curious about where your guest blogger got those gas prices… probably not in CA, which has among the highest prices in the country! I try to restrict my weekly/monthly driving to absolute necessities, and always keep my eyes open for competing gas prices. I usually buy my gas at Costco, which is very close to where I live, and I’ve rarely seen gas prices in L.A. cheaper, or even at least competitive.

By: Weekly Mashup – Back to the Normal Life | My Life ROI, Getting the Best Return On Life

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:08:58 +0000

[...] Let�s Be Curious guest posted @ Bargain Babe – Gas: buy cheap or buy nearby? [...]

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:23:02 +0000

I agree that if you are far away from the absolute
cheapest gas price then you are actually wasting
gas just to get cheaper gas and probably not
getting a deal. But when I need to get gas enough to
make it to my appointment or school class on time
and have forgotten to put gas in last night, I sometimes
just go to the nearest station A. because I am on empty
and can’t even get to another station or B. I don’t
have time to go somewhere else. So if I am at
an expensive gas station I only put in what I need to
get where I am going and back. When I have the time
I will go to my station of choice for the lower price
and fill it up or as much as I can given whatever
is in my immediate budget. I would never willingly
fill up at a higher priced station. And hey I use Arco all the time. It’s usually the least expensive.

By: l devere

l devere — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:53:38 +0000

This same thinking applies to grocery shopping and no one thinks to mention this (hint, hint BB). Just to start the car adds $$ to the cost of errands (I was told years ago it was ~$2.00/start). Does anyone truly save by buying meat at one store and dairy at another 3 miles away, and TP at a third, all because they’re “on sale”? The cost of your time, plus the wear and tear on your vehicle must ALWAYS be weighed when bargain hunting. Unless quality differs significantly, most of the time it is not worth it.

By: maggie

maggie — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:06:43 +0000

I am so mad I pay costco a yearly fee for cheap gas…i paid 2.7999 a gal. this morning!

By: bargainbabe

bargainbabe — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:51:59 +0000

Kathie, I like your approach. And I remember from my Jersey days that every station is full service. I believe Oregon is the same way (keeps folks employed!)

By: Kathie

Kathie — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:08:56 +0000

If you take the same route to work (or whatever you do all the time) chances are you pass by at least 6 gas stations on a daily basis. You should know which one consistently has the best price, so you just patronize that station. The off-brands are often cheaper, since gas is gas, why spend more at an Exxon or Gulf? As a bonus in New Jersey all stations are full service “Jersey Girls don’t pump their own gas”

By: Aniruddha

Aniruddha — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:15:10 +0000

@Maggie: $2.63 is an sub-urban Upstate NY gas price!

By: Maggie

Maggie — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:11:50 +0000

$2.63?! I went to my “cheap” gas station (on Abbot Kinney & Washington) last weekend and it was $2.83! $2.63 sounds like a bargain (unless it’s an Arco, in which case I don’t go to those…)!

By: Frugal Urbanite

Frugal Urbanite — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:43:35 +0000

I always fill up the tank, so I don’t think I can use the EM approach at all.

When I calculate items that save me less than a dollar (around here, the prices don’t fluctuate more than $0.05 in town), I also consider my time as a major consideration. Driving 5 miles out of my way in traffic on a stop light laden road can cost me 15-30 minutes depending on the time of day. That’s a pretty high opportunity cost for such a small chunk of change.

If I’m already going towards or past the cheaper gas station, I will stop. Otherwise I stick to my usual stop and make up the price difference elsewhere in my budget.