ATLANTA — Gas prices are holding steady in metro Atlanta after a 30-cent-a-gallon jump earlier this week, and drivers all over the state are searching for the cheapest ways to fill up.
It’s not just where you buy your gasoline but when, and experts said that the best time to fill your tank is early in the week. For metro Atlanta, Monday is a day to find the cheapest gas, according to a study by GasBuddy, with Saturday being the hardest day to save money.
Outside of Atlanta, Tuesday is the best day to fill up, with Sunday being the day you’re least likely to find a bargain. Andy Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates said stations adjust their prices according to demand.
“The retailers are pretty savvy and know the consumer behavior,” Lipow said. “Tuesday is generally a low demand day, and they’re willing to cut their prices to entice those customers to fill up and go inside the convenience store.”
A sampling of current prices based on reports from GasBuddy shows a wide variety of prices, from the station on Windy Hill Road in Marietta selling gas for $2.49 a gallon to the $3.89 a gallon gas at a station on Peachtree Road in Buckhead.
Both GasBuddy and AAA have apps to help you find the cheapest gasoline. Typically, the cheapest gas is located in the suburbs.
“Generally speaking, the closer the service station is to the city center, the more expensive gasoline is going to be because they’re paying for higher costs whether it's real estate, taxes, or labor,” said Lipow.
The station on Windy Hill Road, selling gasoline for 54 cents below the state average, has a large car wash operation.
“Service stations with a lot of amenities might tend to sell their gasoline at a slightly lower price because they want the customer to use the car wash or go inside the convenience store and buy candy, beer, and milk,” Lipow said.
There are stations with reward plans that offer discounts to regular customers.