This is always a popular post: As Bay Area gas prices continue to rise, why not use the web to find the cheap stuff?
The San Francisco Business Times reported the following on Jan 11:
Gas prices rose 6 cents a gallon in the Bay Area in a month, even though demand “is dropping like the New Year’s celebratory ball in Times Square,” according to AAA Northern California.
On Jan. 11, drivers paid an average of $3.41 per gallon in the Bay Area, compared with $3.35 in California as a whole and $3.09 nationally.
Nationally, prices are up 11 cents since Dec. 14, when AAA made its last report. In California they’re up 9 cents.
San Francisco drivers pay about $3.43 per gallon (up 7 cents), while those in Oakland pay $3.40 (up 6 cents).
So if you're trying to stretch your gas dollars -- and who isn't? -- sites like GasBuddy.com, Automotive.com, and others let you search for the cheapest prices by city or even by zip code. Try these from GasBuddy:
Right now, I'm seeing the least expensive gas in San Francisco is at the Arco at Geneva Ave & Naples St. The cheapest gas in the whole state is at the Tower on Auburn Blvd & Orange Grove Ave in Sacramento. Keep in mind, all of these prices are reported by users of the web site.
I suppose in order to take full advantage of the service, you'd have to do a little math. Like, how far out of your way can you drive to a cheaper gas station without eating up all the savings through traveling extra miles?