MW Smart ways to save money on gas right now
By Weston Blasi
Plus: You won't believe how expensive tickets are for this summer's World Cup games
Worried about gas prices? Use these tips to save at the pump.
Welcome back to Don't Short Yourself, where each week we offer practical money moves to help you make smarter decisions with your hard-earned cash.
Subscribe to Don't Short Yourself for free.
Today we're talking about something that's been on just about everybody's mind lately: gas prices. Oil has surpassed $100 a barrel several times since the start of the conflict in Iran - with one Wall Street firm even worried about $200 a barrel - and gasoline prices have flirted with $4 a gallon across America. Read on for some smart ways to save money when filling up.
- Weston Blasi
MONEY IDEA OF THE WEEK: Smart ways to save on gas right now
The war in Iran is now in its fourth week. The military action by the U.S. and Israel against Iran - and Iran's retaliation - has led to a slowdown in shipping oil out of the region, sending the price of crude oil higher.
The conflict has led to a spike in gas prices in the U.S. and has caused me - like many others - to rethink my gas consumption.
Sure, I live in an area - just outside of New York City - where I can use public transportation, and I have tried to carpool with friends whenever possible. But there are times when you just can't get out of driving, like my recent six-hour road trip to Cooperstown, N.Y. And of course, many people must drive every day, and they're really being hurt by higher gas prices.
But all hope is not lost when it comes to saving on gas, according to experts. Consider a few tried-and-true methods - and some novel ones - to ease the pain at the pump.
Use a comparison-pricing app like GasBuddy
There are numerous apps that will show you where you can find the cheapest gas near you - GasBuddy and Gas Guru are among the most popular. And the price differential can be huge. My editor says gas is almost $1 more per gallon in a town just five miles from where he lives. But be smart about it: Don't drive an hour out of your way if the savings amount to just a few cents a gallon.
Fill up at a warehouse club like Costco
Join a warehouse club and fill up there. This may be the easiest and most cost-effective solution. At Costco, for example, gas is about 20 cents cheaper per gallon than at a traditional gas station. Yes, you have to pay for a membership - at Costco, that starts at $65 a year - but remember that you can save on countless other items there, as well.
It's also worth keeping in mind ways to double or even triple these savings. For example, you could go to Costco for its cheaper gas and save even more using the Costco-affiliated Visa card, which offers 5% cash back on Costco fuel. This is called stacking rewards.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, says saving money on gas comes down to three things: the price you pay at the pump, how you pay at the pump and how you drive. And the savviest Americans take advantage of all three.
"If you're not stacking all these methods, you're leaving money behind," De Haan said.
Use a credit card that offers extra savings on gas
Many credit-card companies give anywhere from 3% to 5% cash-back rewards for spending on gas. Some branded gas credit cards, like the BP Rewards Visa, the Exxon Mobil Smart Card+ and the Shell Fuel Rewards Card, may offer discounts at the pump and perks like cash back at convenience stores. The savings or discounts can add up over time, assuming you pay off your balance each month.
You can also sign up for loyalty programs. Brands like BP and Exxon offer discounts such as 10 cents off a gallon on your first fill-up and up to 5 cents off each gallon after that. Enrolling is usually as easy as punching in your name, phone number and email address, and it's usually free.
Try this gift-card strategy to save up to $1 per gallon
This strategy, popularized on social media, is a bit complicated, but the savings can be significant: Buy gift cards or prepaid cards for stores where you already shop, then use them later - and earn points to save on gas. Kroger, for example, often runs "points events" where you can earn 4 times points on all in-store purchases, including gift cards. During these periods, online shoppers have admitted to buying up lots of gift cards at Kroger (for stores they will eventually shop at) to earn 4 times fuel points at Kroger. Consumers then redeem their points at Kroger fill-up stations (100 points equals 10 cents off per gallon). Buying $250 in gift cards at 4 times points equals 1,000 points - and $1 off per gallon. While this can be a nice savings hack, note that you'll have to tie up a lot of money in gift cards to maximize your savings.
Join Don't Short Yourself Live to ask MarketWatch's Beth Pinsker your Roth IRA questions on Wednesday, March 25, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
JOIN THE DON'T SHORT YOURSELF LIVE Q&A
Curious about Roth IRAs? If you've got questions about contributing to a Roth account - or maybe even switching to a Roth 401(k) before the 2025 tax deadline - then we're here to help. Join Don't Short Yourself Live tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time to ask MarketWatch's Beth Pinsker and "Your Retirement Sketchbook" author Jamie Hopkins your Roth questions in real time.
KEY MONEY READS
Speaking of pain at the pump, here's the exact oil price that would tip the U.S. into a recession if the Iran conflict continues.
These states are following in Georgia's footsteps and considering a gas-tax holiday. Here's how much drivers could save.
Meanwhile, shoppers could see these popular grocery products get more expensive the longer supply chains are disrupted.
TSA wait times are frustrating fliers - and this Friday looks to be a make-or-break day for American travelers.
Fliers beware: It looks like flights will keep getting more expensive and harder to find, even after this week. Here's what you need to know.
BY THE NUMBERS: This year's World Cup is the most expensive ever - by a factor of 10
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, being played at sites across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, is already setting ticket-price records. FIFA has changed the way it sells and categorizes tickets, which makes clear comparisons with past tournaments tricky - but in every category, for every game, costs are the highest ever.
The cheapest ticket to the U.S. men's national team opening match on June 12 is over $1,500. By comparison, tickets to that team's 1994 match against Switzerland (the last time the U.S. hosted) were roughly $25 to $75.
The cheapest tickets for the final in New Jersey this year went on sale at $6,730 but jumped to $8,000 on the secondary market. The lowest entry price for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar was $604 for international fans.
Prices have gotten so high that even lawmakers are concerned.
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California, joined by almost 70 fellow Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, recently urged FIFA to lower ticket costs and ditch dynamic pricing, a ticket model under which prices change in real time based on demand.
But if all these prices sound too high (how could they not?), you should know that football fans can stream every game on the Fox One app for $20 a month. The 39-day tournament will require a two-month subscription, but a total of $40 to watch every match is a steal compared with shelling out over a grand for just one.
YOUR MONEY TIPS
Since Don't Short Yourself launched, we've been asking you to send us your favorite money tips. And you've delivered! Here are are some smart ones from reader Dan Williams:
Buying in bulk
"We created a list of household and food items that store well. When there is a 25% discount or greater, we buy a significant amount. For food, that will be driven by shelf life and our normal consumption rate. For nonfood, shelf life is the driver, and there are a few items I have [several] years' supply of. [And] 25% is a decent return on investments, if you want to look at it that way.
"Another helpful tip: We use CamelCamelCamel to track household items we regularly buy on Amazon (pool chemicals, etc.). We set alerts for the lowest price the item was sold for, and when a notification email comes [that the item has hit that price], we stock up. I've already got chlorine stocked for the summer at Amazon's lowest price (which, understandably, usually comes in the winter)."
Send us your favorite way to save money - or make your money work for you - and we'll share it with our readers. Reach us at dontshortyourself@marketwatch.com.
-Weston Blasi
This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 24, 2026 09:43 ET (13:43 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Comments