As prices drop, here's how you can find the cheapest gas in Utica

H. Rose Schneider, Observer-Dispatch
·5 min read

Drivers may have a little less pain at the pump as gas prices start to drop.

As of Tuesday morning, the average cost of a gallon of regular gas in Utica was $4.29 — 10 cents less than the average a week ago, according to data from AAA. Prices are still over a dollar higher than a year ago, but the auto club said the dip is bucking seasonal trends.

"Usually this time of year, with warmer weather and longer days, we'd see an uptick in gasoline demand as more people hit the road," AAA regional director of public/government affairs Patti Artessa said in a statement. "But demand was down slightly last week, likely due in part to higher pump prices."

New York State's overall average gas price was down 8 cents from a week ago to $4.36 a gallon, according to AAA. Nationwide, the average also dropped 8 cents to $4.24.

Pain in the pump: National average hits an all-time high

How does Utica compare?

Here's how Utica's prices compare to other Upstate areas:

  • Syracuse: $4.32

  • Watertown: $4.34

  • Binghamton: $4.34

  • Rochester: $4.38

  • Ithaca: $4.33

  • Buffalo: $4.37

  • Albany: $4.29

By county, Oneida County had an average of $4.30 a gallon, slightly higher than Herkimer County's average price of $4.26, but lower than the Madison County average of $4.37 and the Lewis County average of $4.35.

How to find the cheapest gas prices in Utica

Gas prices can vary as much as 10 cents to 15 cents a gallon even within a few blocks or miles.

Apps such as GasBuddy, Gas Guru, the AAA Mobile App and even Waze can be used to locate the lowest gas prices based on your location.

Tips to save money on gas

  • Fill up at Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart and Kroger: Wholesale club stores Costco and Sam’s Club and grocery stores such as Kroger offer discounted gas. Typically, you need to buy a membership or enroll in a discount program. Using the Walmart app, Walmart+ members get a 5 cents a gallon discount and access to member prices at Sam's Club.

  • Pay in cash at the pump: You can save 5 to 10 cents a gallon when you pay in cash. That can add up over time, averaging about $1 in savings each time you fill up a 12-gallon tank, according to GasBuddy. But beware of gas stations that charge a surcharge for using a credit card, because they may charge higher prices.

  • Get points, cash back from credit cards: GasBuddy says most people prefer to pay with a credit card. Less than 6% of drivers pay with cash when they fill up their tanks, a GasBuddy study found. Gas cards and gas reward credit cards provide much larger discounts than cash. Check to see if your credit card has any deals on gas purchases. Some will give you double points or cash back. For example, you can get 3% cash back at gas stations with the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express. One of the best is the Sam's Club Mastercard, which will give you 5% cash back on gas, up to $6,000.

  • Sign up for gas loyalty programs: Sign up for loyalty programs and gas cards, GasBuddy recommends. Nearly all gas stations have a loyalty program. You can often link those rewards accounts to a gas card. 7-Eleven has a program that gives you a discount of 11 cents a gallon for the first seven fill-ups on all fuel grades.

  • Best time of day and week to buy gas: According to GasBuddy, the best day to save money at the pump is Monday, which has the lowest average gas prices in most of the country. The most expensive days in most states? Thursday, followed by Wednesday. GasBuddy estimates you can save $50 to $100 a year by filling up on the cheapest days of the week. You can check the GasBuddy site (gasbuddy.com) for the cheapest and most expensive days of the week for your state.

  • Earn free gas cards: You can earn free gas gift cards by taking surveys for apps like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie, but be prepared to spend a good deal of time and to hand over a lot of personal information such as your age, job, income and shopping habits.

  • Improve fuel efficiency: Don’t speed. Fuel economy peaks at around 50 mph on most cars. Reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%, according to AAA. Also, don’t brake hard or aggressively accelerate as both of those burn gas faster, GasBuddy says. Turn off your A/C and roll down the windows. Keep up with vehicle maintenance and do routine inspections, AAA says. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. And, travel light. Take anything you don’t need out of your vehicle. For every 100 pounds you carry around, you lose 1% to 2% in fuel efficiency, or 8 cents a gallon, according to Gillis.

  • Fill your tank with regular, not premium: If regular gas is all that’s recommended for your vehicle, then that’s all you need, AAA says. Filling up on premium doesn’t improve your fuel economy and just costs you more money.

  • Drive less: Plan ahead. Map your route before you leave, AAA recommends. Take the most fuel-efficient route on Google Maps. Combine errands to avoid extra trips. Avoid rush hour and anticipate road conditions. Shut off your engine if you will be stopped for more than a minute. According to AAA, a car engine consumes one quarter to one-half gallon of fuel per hour when idling. A warm engine only takes about 10 seconds' worth of fuel to restart.

Includes reporting by USA Today Network New York State Team editor Sarah Taddeo; Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reporter Victoria Freile; and USA Today reporters Jessica Guynn and Kelly Tyko

H. Rose Schneider covers public safety, breaking and trending news for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Rose at hschneider@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Here's how you can find the cheapest gas prices in Utica NY