By Arlenys Tabare
More than a month after the start of the war in Iran, energy prices have become more expensive, which has led to the cost of fuel in the United States increasing to $4 per gallonone of the highest prices since 2022.
For Americans, the increase in gasoline immediately represents an adjustment to their budgets, not only modifying their daily expenses, but also their savings, so having a more affordable alternative with which you can save a few cents at the pump is necessary for the average household in the country, especially those with low incomes.
Some retail chains like Costco include discounts on gasoline for selected stations in their memberships, but is it worth being part of the membership club just for fuel?
Although the average gasoline is currently $4 per gallon, in some states prices are above $5 per gallon. In this case, to use Costco pumps you need to be a member and a basic membership at the retailer has a fee of $65 annually; Members can save 10 to 20 cents per gallon.
For Patrick De Haan, an oil analyst at GasBuddy, Costco is one of the retailers with the lowest gasoline prices. The expert advises that those looking to save should use applications such as GasBuddy, Google Maps and Waze to find the gas stations with the lowest prices near the area where they live.
According to Costco’s website, The retailer has approximately 580 gas stations throughout the countryso others consider that it will not always be a good option to refuel at Costco if you have to travel long distances to do so.
On the other hand, The company also has a card called “Costco Any place Visa”, with which holders can obtain reimbursements of up to 5% for the purchase of gasoline at the retailer’s pumps and 4% reimbursement for gasoline purchased at other stations.
In recent weeks, Costco has seen an increase in gasoline sales; While many customers report long lines at the pump, according to CFO Gary Millerchi, “when prices are higher, that tends to cause members to maybe make the extra effort to get to the station because of the added value they see there,” he said.
Keep reading:
- Inflation in the US rises to 3.3% in March due to record rise in energy not seen since 2005
- Will gasoline prices fall due to the ceasefire in Iran? This is what the specialists say
- What are the most affordable basic products despite the increase in food prices
