As the U.S. and Iran conflict rages on, oil prices are going up thanks to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. It means gas for your car is getting even more expensive, with the prices already creeping up.
The New York Times reported that gas prices have gone up every day for 11 straight days since Iran began retaliatory strikes against Israel and American allies in the Middle East.
Globally, war can be blamed for rising gas prices. In 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, gas prices hit an all-time high of $5.01 per gallon. According to AAA's fuel price tracker, this week the national average gas price hit $3.58 per gallon, which is $0.40 higher than the previous week and nearly a $1 more than February.
Paying more at the pump is inevitable, but there are still ways that you can try and find the cheapest gas near you. Here's how to use Google Maps to save money on gas.
How to use Google Maps to find cheap gas
It's a fairly straightforward process, but the information is in different places depending on if you're using the mobile app or browser version.
Here's how it goes on your phone.
1. Open Google Maps
Find the Google Maps app on your phone or tablet. Or if go to the browser page on your computer. You might see some gas stations listed, especially ones you frequently visit, but prices won't show yet.
2. Search 'Gas'
Navigate to the search bar and type in the word 'gas.' Any stations in your immediate vicinity should populate. Alternatively, there might be a tab underneath the search bar for "Gas," as well as ones for Restaurants, Coffee, and other locations.
3. Look at the gas icons for pricing
You should see prices for regular gas next to the station icons that populate the map.
For example, I searched near my office in Los Angeles, and the cheapest gas is $4.40/gallon at a place called Speedway Express, which I admit, I've always thought was a fake gas station. Still, it has gas at nearly a dollar less than the nearby Shell, Chevron and 76 stations.
The highest price I could find was $6.75/gallon at an Exxon station in Beverly Hills.
Some stations, like Shell, do offer gas savings programs, but even that may not knock off enough to beat Speedway.
3b. On Desktop
On desktop, the station icons will pop up, but you won't see prices next to them. Instead, you'll need to look at the list of locations on the left side of your screen.
You can see bolded pricing at the bottom of each location information panel next to an orange-y fuel pump icon.
How to use Google Maps to plan a more fuel-efficient route
Since 2022, Google has offered the ability to change your route based on different criteria. One of the available options is "eco-friendly" represented by a little green leaf icon.
The eco-friendly option is on by default, but you should leave it there because it will choose a more fuel-efficient path to help you save gas. Yes, sometimes the route is longer, but it means you'll stop less. Sometimes these routes are also more time-efficient, but you can swap to faster routes as needed.
Do you have any good strategies for finding cheap gas near you? Let us know in the comments.
