July 4th travel: Here's how to save on rising gas prices

·Reporter

July 2, 2021 at 12:59 PM·3 min read

Motorists should brace for the highest pump prices in seven years this July 4th weekend, with some drivers paying more than $4 a gallon to fill up.

“Road trippers will pay the most to fill up for the holiday since 2014,” said Jeanette McGee, AAA spokesperson.

The upcoming holiday weekend is poised to be the busiest travel weekend so far of this summer with more than 47.7 million travelers expected to road trip or take flight. Of that, 91% plan to drive to their destinations, according to AAA.

Not only will motorists contend with traffic congestion but also high pump prices. The national average stands at $3.126 per gallon as of Friday morning.

California carries the mantle for the country’s most expensive gas at an average of $4.279 a gallon, according to Friday’s data from GasBuddy. (Photo: Getty) (Alexander Spatari via Getty Images)

California carries the mantle for the country’s most expensive gas at an average of $4.279 a gallon, according to Friday’s data from GasBuddy. The Golden State’s sky-high gas prices spell trouble for the throngs of visitors and residents expected to drive to its many attractions.

The nearly 400-mile journey from Los Angeles to San Francisco is the No. 1 most popular road trip for the July 4th weekend based on rental car bookings, according to Hopper. The 120-mile route separating Los Angeles from San Diego is Hopper’s fifth most popular destination based on hotel bookings less than 250 miles away. The state’s theme park capital of Anaheim also ranked No. 2 on AAA’s most popular destinations list for the holiday weekend.

Nationwide traffic will “increase about 15% over normal,” said Bob Pishue, INRIX’s transportation analyst, in a press release. But the country’s most trafficked roads can be skirted if you know when to leave and what corridors to avoid. Pishue’s advice is to “avoid traveling on Thursday and Friday afternoon, along with Monday mid-day.”

Ways to maximize your gas tank

If you own more than one car or are renting a car, AAA says to use the most fuel-efficient vehicle for long hauls. (Photo: Getty) (MCCAIG via Getty Images)

To make the most of your full tank, AAA shared its tips for economizing fuel.

Take your foot off of the gas and observe the speed limit. Drag and wind resistance cripple fuel reserves when speeds exceed 50 mph.
Repeated hard braking and acceleration drain a gas tank, so avoid it when possible.
Extended idling, either while in traffic or warming up the engine, wastes fuel. AAA suggests shutting off the engine to save fuel if your vehicle will be stopped for longer than a minute.
Engage cruise control when appropriate to save fuel by maintaining a consistent speed.
If you own more than one car or are renting a car, opt for the most fuel-efficient model for long hauls.
Blasting the air conditioning might seem like a necessity to cool off in some climates, but open windows are friendlier to your gas tank.

Stephanie is a reporter for Yahoo Money and Cashay, a new personal finance website. Follow her on Twitter @SJAsymkos.

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit.

Yahoo Finance
Starbucks founder opine on its issues, as pressure mounts on current management
Howard Schultz has weighed in on Starbucks recent troubles, but there are no leadership changes in the works.
Politico
This month is make-or-break for ballot measures
What happens now in the courts, legislature and grocery parking lots will shape what comes before voters in November.
Associated Press
Thailand's prime minister wants to outlaw cannabis, 2 years after it was decriminalized
The prime minister of Thailand, the first country in Asia to legalize cannabis two years ago, said Wednesday that he wants to outlaw the drug again amid concerns that the lack of regulation had made it available to children and increased crimes. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin wrote on the social media platform X that he asked the Health Ministry to amend its list of narcotics to again include cannabis, and issue new rules to allow its use for medical purposes only. Srettha also ordered local authorities to suppress criminal activities linked to the illegal drug trade and demanded to see progress within 90 days.
Reuters
EU Commission eyeing exemptions for 'forever chemicals' ban, Welt reports
The European Commission is planning to allow for wide-ranging exemptions from a proposed ban on substances known as PFAS, or "forever chemicals", to protect key industries, German newspaper Welt reported on Wednesday. Citing a letter by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the EVP European parliamentary group, Welt reported that the commission would propose exemptions for the chemicals' use in the bloc's digital and environmental transformation as well as for the EU's drive to achieve "strategic autonomy". The European Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.In February last year, the EU started to consider a ban of the widely used but potentially harmful substances, in what could become the bloc's most extensive piece of regulation of the chemical industry.
Associated Press
FTX says most customers will get all money back, less that 2 years after catastrophic collapse
FTX says that nearly all of its customers will receive the money back that they are owed, two years after the cryptocurrency exchange imploded, and some will get more than that. FTX said in a court filing late Tuesday that it owes about $11.2 billion to its creditors. The filing said that after paying claims in full, the plan provides for supplemental interest payments to creditors, to the extent that funds still remain.
Reuters
Maltese central bank governor, deputy PM face fraud charges
Malta's attorney general has filed charges of fraud and misappropriation of funds against Central Bank of Malta Governor Edward Scicluna and Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, court documents show. More serious corruption charges have also been levelled against former prime minister Joseph Muscat, his chief of staff and a former health minister - all in connection with a hospital privatisation scandal dating back to 2015. The charges follow a four-year inquiry instigated by the opposition Nationalist Party over a deal which handed management of three state hospitals to a previously unknown group, which had no experience in the medical sector.
Reuters
SpaceX's unit Starlink secures Indonesia operating permit
The satellite unit of Elon Musk's SpaceX has secured a permit to operate in Indonesia, the communications minister told Reuters on Wednesday. Starlink had obtained a permit to operate as an internet service provider for retail consumers and had been given the go-ahead to provide networks, having received a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) permit, minister Budi Arie Setiadi said in an interview. Indonesia is the third country in Southeast Asia where Starlink will operate.
AFP
Hong Kong demands online platforms remove banned protest song
Hong Kong demanded Wednesday a protest song popular during pro-democracy demonstrations be removed from the internet after a court banned it, judging it was a "weapon" to incite violent protests in 2019."It had been used as an impetus to propel the violent protests plaguing Hong Kong since 2019.
CNN
Congress holds antisemitism hearing focused on K-12 schools in liberal cities
Lawmakers on Wednesday will grill the leaders of three school districts in liberal cities about alleged antisemitic incidents, marking the first such Congressional hearing to focus on K-12 schools.
Associated Press
Edmunds: Trade or sell your car? What's best might surprise you
According to a recent Edmunds used vehicle report, demand for used cars is dropping and so are their values as the new-car market rebounds from pandemic-induced shortages. This is especially true for 1- and 2-year-old vehicles. Selling your vehicle privately will likely yield a higher sales price than trading in at a dealership.
CNN
Dozens of George Washington University protesters arrested, including for assault on police
The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, arrested dozens of people, including for assault on police, after a skirmish between officers and a group that law enforcement had cleared from an encampment on campus Wednesday, a police source told CNN.
AFP
Ukraine warns of outages after 'massive' attack on power plants
Ukraine on Wednesday warned of possible power shutdowns across the country after a "massive" wave of Russian missiles and drones targeted the country's battered energy system.Russia launched 55 missiles and 21 attack drones at Ukraine overnight, the air force said on Telegram, adding it intercepted 39 missiles and 20 drones.
Yahoo Finance
Stock market today: US futures slip amid earnings rush, Fed teeters
While techs have mainly delivered on high earnings expectations, the focus is now on whether other sectors can match up.
Reuters
Intel flags revenue hit as U.S. revokes certain export licenses to Chinese customer
Intel did not disclose the name of the Chinese customer in its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Reuters had reported on Tuesday the U.S. has revoked licenses that allowed companies, including Intel and Qualcomm, to ship chips used for laptops and handsets to sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies. Intel said it still expects revenue for the second quarter to remain in the range of $12.5 billion to $13.5 billion, but below the midpoint.
CNN
London’s famous Garrick Club votes to allow women, nearly 200 years after it was founded
A London members club formed in 1831 has voted to let women join for the first time, after coming under scrutiny for its exclusionary policy in recent weeks.
Associated Press
UK Prime Minister Sunak suffers further blow as another Conservative lawmaker defects to Labour
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was accused Wednesday of leading a “chaotic” government as another one of his Conservative lawmakers defected to the main opposition Labour Party ahead of a looming general election. In a stunning move just ahead of weekly prime minister's questions, Natalie Elphicke crossed the floor of the House of Commons to join the ranks of Keir Starmer's Labour Party, which appears to be heading for power after 14 years. “We need to move on from the broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic government," said Elphicke, who represents the constituency of Dover, which is at the front-line of migrant crossings from France.
Associated Press
European Medicines Agency pulls authorization for AstraZeneca's COVID shot, at company's request
The pharma giant AstraZeneca has requested that the European authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine be pulled, according to the EU medicines regulator. In an update on the European Medicines Agency's website Wednesday, the regulator said that the approval for AstraZeneca's Vaxzevria had been withdrawn “at the request of the marketing authorization holder.” AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine was first given the nod by the EMA in January 2021.
CNN
7,000 years ago, humans hunkered underground in lava tube caves with sheep, goats and art
People in the Arabian desert once occupied natural underground tunnels thousands of years ago that were made of cooled lava, archaeologists have discovered.
CNN
In Wisconsin, Biden to tout economic achievements amid persistent concerns on inflation
When President Joe Biden visits Wisconsin on Wednesday, he’ll attempt to draw a direct line between his signature legislative achievements and shovels in the ground — and a direct contrast with Donald Trump — as he seeks to win over voters unhappy with the overall economy.
CNN
Trump goes face-to-face with testimony he’s denied for years
“The People Call Stormy Daniels.”

Ways to maximize your gas tank

Latest Stories