Using Gas Buddy to Save Money on Gas

Crude oil prices may have dropped this week but that doesn't mean that gas prices will stop their recent surge. Now, more than ever, you should be looking at ways to find lower-priced fuel options. Can GasBuddy really help you save money?

The GasBuddy website has been around for 11 years now. It brings together 243 individual sites across the United States that are fueled (sorry, couldn't resist that joke) by local people who report real-time prices where they live. All you need to do is to choose your state, find your local website and you'll get a ready-made list of fuel prices. You then pick the cheapest.

You don't need to join the site to use it, but this may be worth it—it gives away weekly prizes to members (such as gas cards worth $250) and you can earn points just by participating (e.g. by reporting prices back into the community). These can then be exchanged for vouchers to boost your chances of winning a prize.

One of the biggest advantages of GasBuddy is that you can now get the information you need on the go via mobile apps. You aren't always going to be able to plan ahead at home and use your computer to check where the lowest gas prices are, after all. This could be really handy when you are on the road.


Apps are available to download free for iPhones, Android and Windows phones. If you don't have one of these devices but do have Internet access on your cell, you can use the GasBuddy mobile site at GasBuddy.com.