As you may have noticed, gas prices are on an uptick. Unfortunately, higher prices aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
Climbing spring temperatures in many parts of the country are cause for celebration, but they come with an unfortunate increase in what you pay at the pump. Gas prices are currently hovering around $3.60 on average.
Several states deviated significantly from this average, however: Montana and Texas averaged $3.27 and $3.47, respectively, while California and Hawaii drivers pay higher prices — at $4.17 and $4.28, respectively.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Gasoline prices are expected to remain around the $3.57 mark through September, a one-cent decrease from last year's average for the same time period.
If you're hoping to save some money on gas this summer, there is something you can do beyond carpooling to work and walking more.
Crowd-sourced data from market tracking site GasBuddy reveals that you can get better deals on gasoline by buying on particular days of the week — but which day is best varies from state to state. To get these numbers, the site analyzed four years of data from 120,000 gas stations across the U.S.
For 35 states and Washington, D.C., Friday, Saturday, and Sunday offered the best deals on fuel. GasBuddy senior analyst Patrick DeHaan believes this is because energy-futures trading only happens Monday through Friday, and as a result, stations can offer low prices on weekends because they know what it will cost to restock on Monday.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
However, drivers in the other states should plan on filling up during the week — on Mondays in particular, if you live in Indiana, Iowa, or Kentucky. Residents of Kansas, North Dakota, and Utah should stop by the gas station during the middle of the week (Tuesday through Thursday), and those who live in New Jersey should fill up on either Thursday or Sunday.
DeHaan attributes pricing in these states to "local quirks," like stations that don't get prices set for them until word comes from the corporate office Monday mornings.
Check out the full list of when to buy gas in your state here.
