Ways to save money at the gas pump and get more miles from your tank

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) — U.S. gas prices are climbing as oil topped $90 a barrel amid the conflict in Iran.

That means you could start feeling pain at the pump pretty quickly.

AAA says the average for a gallon of regular in Missouri is $2.94 and $3.40 in Illinois.

But there are several ways to save money on gas and get the most mileage per gallon.

Gas prices can vary widely from gas station to gas station. So the first thing you want to do is download a free app to help you find the lowest prices along your route. These include GasBuddy, Waze, and Upside, among others.

GasBuddy showed us the lowest price today near our location was $2.99 at a QuikTrip.

Some gas stations have loyalty programs that can save you money per gallon, such as Shell and Exxon.

Also, wholesale clubs, including Costco and Sam’s Club, offer lower prices on gas.

Next, make sure you have the proper air pressure in your tires. The U.S. Department of Energy says proper inflation improves gas mileage by 2% to 3%. On a $3.00 gallon, that could save you up to $0.09 per gallon.

And remove the junk in your trunk. Every 100 pounds of weight reduces gas mileage 1%. That’s costing you $0.03 a gallon.

Other ways to get more out of your gas tank include using cruise control on long drives, and using the auto-stop and start feature on your engine. The Society of Automotive Engineers says that can improve you gas mileage by 7% to 26%.

And just plain slow down. The DOE says slowing down from 60 miles per hour to 50 will improve your gas mileage by 12%. That’s $0.36 a gallon.

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