WotW: Gas prices… yuck!

Summer is here… and summer gas prices are baring their fangs.

Whether you are looking to find the least expensive place to fuel up or just trying to budget for your summer travels, the interwebs can help! (I’m telling you, there are just getting to be fewer and fewer things the interwebs can’t help with. Someday, the interwebs will actually drive your car to the gas station and fill it up for you. I hope that day is a long way off, though, because I’ve seen I, Robot.)

For finding the cheapest fuel in town, try…

• GasBuddy (and its mobile app)
• MapQuest Gas Prices
• GasPriceWatch

With each app, enter your zip code to see the lowest local gas prices. Since each of these apps rely on local reporting, one (or one I haven’t even listed) may be more accurate for your area than another. Personally, I don’t use any of these apps because driving across town to save 6 cents per gallon and therefore expending more time and fuel just to save the $1 total to fill up my gas tank… just isn’t my style. 🙂

For planning and budgeting your summer trips, try…
AAA’s Fuel Cost Calculator calculates the cost based on the average regional price of gas and your travel between major cities.

MapQuest’s Trip Calculator is just a nice little tool that does the math for you, but it won’t calculate the mileage for you or the price of gas. 🙂

Go-Gas maps your trip anywhere in the world and tells you the cost of your trip, based on the MPG and local gas price you enter.

Gas Buddy’s Trip Calculator is my favorite of the bunch. Enter your starting point and destination and Gas Buddy will give you directions and tell you the least expensive gas stations along the way, plus your total trip cost based on either the EPA estimates for your vehicle or MPG information your provide. And don’t forget that gloomy hovering black cloud representing your carbon footprint 🙂

Happy travels! Where are you headed this summer?

Lu (or Lorene if you prefer) is the mom of one squirmy boy and the wife of a singing and dancing elementary teacher. She is the proud author of this weekly Wednesdays on the Web (WotW) segment here on Housewife Eclectic and spends the other days of the week blogging about crafts and whatever else comes up at just Lu.