Whether you’re commuting daily, running errands, or planning a road trip, gas costs can eat up a surprising chunk of your monthly budget. With fluctuating fuel prices and increased demand, building a reliable gas budget is more important than ever. Fortunately, with the right tools—and a few smart savings strategies—you can estimate, track, and reduce your monthly fuel expenses.

Here’s how to budget for gas costs without guesswork.

1. Estimate Your Monthly Fuel Needs

Start by calculating your typical driving habits:

• Miles driven per week × 4 = monthly mileage
• Monthly mileage ÷ your vehicle’s average MPG = gallons used per month
• Gallons per month × average gas price = estimated monthly fuel cost

For example, if you drive 1,000 miles a month and your car gets 25 MPG, you’ll need 40 gallons. At $3.50 per gallon, that’s about $140/month.

Not sure about your MPG? Your car’s manual gives an estimate, but actual numbers will vary with driving conditions and habits.

2. Use Apps to Track and Plan

Digital tools make fuel budgeting and tracking easy. Two of the most popular options are:

• Fuelly: Tracks your actual MPG and fuel purchases over time. Just enter odometer readings and gallons filled to get a clear view of fuel efficiency and costs.
• MileIQ: Automatically logs drives and mileage, especially helpful for commuters or those who use their car for business. It can also categorize trips as personal or work-related to help with deductions or reimbursements.

Using these apps helps you stay realistic about your consumption and alert to spikes in fuel usage that may signal maintenance issues.

3. Account for Grocery-Linked Fuel Rewards

Many grocery chains offer fuel discounts through loyalty programs. For example, Safeway and Albertsons allow you to earn fuel points for every dollar spent on groceries, which you can then redeem at Chevron or Texaco stations. Kroger offers a similar fuel points program that applies at Kroger Fuel Centers and participating Shell locations.

This makes grocery spending a direct contributor to gas savings—and that’s where cashback apps come into play.

4. Use Ibotta and Fluz to Offset Costs

You can further lower your combined grocery and gas budget by using cashback apps like:

• Ibotta: Activate offers before shopping and earn cashback on qualifying grocery items. These rebates can be cashed out via bank deposit or gift cards—use the extra cash to help cover fuel.
• Fluz: Buy gift cards for gas stations or grocery stores through Fluz to earn instant cashback. For example, you can shop discounted Shell gift cards or save money on Safeway before filling up or buying groceries.

These apps don’t just reduce one cost—they stretch your budget across both categories, helping you stay under your monthly fuel ceiling.

5. Set Your Monthly Fuel Budget

Once you know your estimated fuel needs and have identified ways to cut costs:

• Allocate a fixed monthly amount for gas, based on your average plus a buffer (e.g., $140 + $20 cushion = $160/month).
• Track your spending weekly to avoid surprises.
• Redeem Ibotta or Fluz earnings toward future fuel purchases, effectively reducing next month’s cost.

Final Thoughts

Gas budgeting isn’t just about reacting to pump prices—it’s about building a system that works long-term. By estimating your fuel usage, using tracking apps like Fuelly or MileIQ, and integrating tools like Ibotta and Fluz, you can stay ahead of your expenses and keep fuel costs in check.