Saving Money on Gasoline

One way to reduce the cost of operating a business vehicle or to decrease fuel expenditures for a fleet is to shop for the best available prices. Gasoline prices at filling stations can vary widely so it pays to know which operators are offering the best deal.

There are web sites that will give you the lastest retail prices at filling stations near your business or home. At GasBuddy.com you can search prices by state, city and even zip code. In my zip code area, for example, the price of gasoline varied from $3.89 to $3.64 per gallon of regular unleaded. Believe it or not, COSCO was not the cheapest price listed.

Of course, it is important to be sure of the quality of gasoline. Some off brands may not provide sufficient octane or may not offer helpful additives. But researching prices can reduce your operating expenses and the internet is an easy way to find the best deals.

Speaking of COSCO, your local branch store may offer one of the lowest available prices. In our case, we use our COSCO issued AMEX card to get an additional 5% discount. At COSCO's current price and including the additional discount, I just paid $3.47 per gallon. With most local filling stations charging about $3.75, and our monthly consumption at 140 gallons, we are saving nearly $40 per month on fuel.