There Really Is a Cheapest Day of the Week to Buy Gas — and a Few Days to Avoid!
If you want to get cheaper gas, you may need to buy it on a certain day of the week — but are the savings legitimate? Let's see what studies show.
Sept. 19 2022, Published 1:48 p.m. ET
If you want to get cheaper gas, you may want to buy it on a certain day of the week — but are the savings legitimate?
Some studies have shown certain days of the week tend to have cheaper costs at the pump, but does that carry over into a time where heightened fuel costs and global oil supply concerns have become commonplace?
GasBuddy says Mondays are the cheapest day of the week to buy gas.
Gas station finder app GasBuddy conducted a study this year to find out the cheapest day of the week to buy gas. According to their findings, drivers in 17 U.S. states can find the lowest average gas prices on Mondays.
During the time period studied, Fridays were also one of the cheapest days of the week to buy gas.
“This trend refutes 2019’s results, which placed Friday as one of the most expensive days of the week at the pump, and can perhaps be attributed to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the emerging prominence of work-from-home lifestyles,” wrote GasBuddy.
Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy also gave his advice, adding, “When it comes to saving money at the pump, Monday becomes more than the dreaded end of the weekend. GasBuddy analyzed gas price data and found that the first day of the work week offers the lowest average gas price in 17 states, making it yet again the best day to fill up. [...]"
"Though there is variation in daily gas prices across different states, the consensus is that filling up at the beginning or end of the work week, on Monday or Friday, is the best way to save money. Following Monday, Sunday is the cheapest day to fill up. But even if you can’t always time your fill-ups, the golden rule is to always shop around before filling up.”
Which days of the week are the most expensive for gas?
According to the study, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are the most expensive days to fill up at the pump. Thursday is particularly expensive. “Thursday topped the list as the most expensive day of the week by far in 28 states,” wrote GasBuddy.
GasBuddy’s data shows that there really is the cheapest day of the week to buy gas, but it may vary depending on what state you live in and how inflated gas prices are at the current moment.
There are other ways to save money at the gas pump.
Using gas finder apps like GasBuddy and AAA could help you find cheaper gas (you’d be amazed how much it varies in one area or across state lines if you live near a border).
You can also get discounted gas at the grocery store you frequent by using store points. Giant, Walmart, Kroger, and paid memberships like Costco and Sam’s Club may have benefits that work for you.
Finally, use rewards credit cards at the gas station to rack up cash back where you can.