Gas prices plunging — National average down 53 cents in two months

(December 20, 2018) BOSTON — GasBuddy has found that in the weeks leading up to the holidays, average gas prices have seen one of their largest seasonal declines with the national average price of gasoline down 53 cents per gallon over the last two months with Christmas gas prices now lower than their year-ago level. GasBuddy projects the national average to drop to $2.35 per gallon by Christmas Day.

“The plunge at the pump has brought over $205 million of daily savings on gasoline versus two months ago to motorists nationwide. The timing couldn’t be better for those who’ve been busy out shopping for holiday gifts, with motorists saving $10-$20 per fill up versus just two months ago, ” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

“Oil prices have buckled under pressure, at least somewhat related to economic concerns, with the national average now under year-ago levels. Over the course of Christmas week, the savings multiplied will mean motorists won’t be leaving nearly $1.5 billion behind at the pump. What’s more is that no state has been left behind — everyone is seeing substantial savings.”

In addition to falling gas prices, the free Pay with GasBuddy program recently celebrated surpassing $4.5 million it has saved motorists directly with its 5 cent per gallon discount available at over 100,000 gas stations nationwide. Motorists that want to join in on the savings available can visit pay.gasbuddy.com to sign up.

GasBuddy offers several tips to motorists on the road this holiday season:

    • Watch Out for State Lines. Because of differing state taxes, in some extreme cases, drivers can spend an extra $25 when refueling the tank if on the wrong side of the line according to a GasBuddy study.

    • Shop around for the biggest savings. With gas prices continuing to decline, some gas stations are passing along the savings faster than others, so spending a few moments looking at gas prices around you can lead to saving a few more dollars on your fill-up.

    • In a Hurry? Speeding, aggressive driving and hard braking are things many of us may be guilty of according to a recent GasBuddy study, and it costs you a fury if you’re in a hurry — upwards of $10 per tank, adding up to $477 per year on average.

GasBuddy’s Drives feature can help reduce motorists’ yearly fuel bill by providing an assessment of their driving habits during their trip in an effort to improve fuel efficiency, mapping out when and where a poor driving habit occurred.