{"id":3910,"date":"2025-12-19T20:37:23","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T20:37:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/2025\/12\/19\/consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-new-year-bankrate\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T20:37:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T20:37:23","slug":"consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-new-year-bankrate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/2025\/12\/19\/consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-new-year-bankrate\/","title":{"rendered":"Consumers Catch a Break at the Pump Ahead of the New Year | Bankrate"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

At a moment when prices are rising everywhere, one major household expense is offering relief ahead of the holidays: gasoline.<\/p>\n

National retail pump prices recently slipped below $3 per gallon, the lowest level in four years, AAA data shows. Motorists could see gas prices slide by another 15 cents over the next few months, according to the Energy Information Administration\u2019s (EIA) forecast.<\/p>\n

Some of the drop is due to cheaper crude oil prices, which has been declining most of the year and trading around $55 a barrel as of mid-December. Gas prices are also typically lower in the winter due to weaker demand and cheaper-to-produce winter blend gasoline, but experts say prices have also been trending down over the past year.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aWhen the cost of living and the cost of just about everything else is going up, this is a welcome change for consumers,\u201d OPIS Chief Oil Analyst Denton Cinquegrana said. \u201cI would treat it as a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The drop in gas prices couldn\u2019t have come at a better time for U.S. consumers. Many households are trying to stay financially afloat amid a cooling job market, persistent inflation and rising credit card balances heading into the holiday season. This year, 89% of holiday travelers plan to take road trips, according to AAA, making relief at the pump especially meaningful.<\/p>\n

How much do a few cents per gallon actually add up to? Bankrate\u2019s analysis of government petroleum data finds that drivers nationwide are expected to spend an estimated $1,634 on gas in 2025. That\u2019s down from $1,739 in 2024, or a savings of more than $105 per motorist.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Matt McClain, a petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, said \u200agas prices are now lower in a majority of the states compared to last year, and the new multi-year lows equate to weekly savings of nearly $400 million for drivers nationwide compared to this time last year. <\/p>\n

Will gas prices get cheaper in 2026?<\/h2>\n

Gasoline prices are expected to get even cheaper in the new year. The EIA forecasts a gallon of regular unleaded gas will average out to $3 nationally in 2026, which is about 11 cents from 2025 and 31 cents from 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aWe\u2019re in a good spot for consumers as it comes to oil prices,\u201d Cinquegrana said. \u201cThings look cheap. They look like they\u2019re going to probably stay cheap in in 2026, barring something happening. There\u2019s potential for that [cheaper prices] to carry into 2027 as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The national average for regular gas has stayed below the $3 mark since hitting $2.99 on December 2, according to AAA data. As a record number of travelers prepare to hit the road this month, they\u2019ll pay 12 cents less for a gallon of regular gas than they did last holiday season, McClain said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor \u200athe vast majority, it does have a direct and faster impact every time you pull up to the pump,\u201d he said. \u201cGas is continually falling in the favor of the consumer. You fill up enough times, and it will add up very quickly over the course of several months.\u201d<\/p>\n

It will take time for lower gas prices to work their way through shipping costs, airfares and other fuel-dependent transportation expenses, according to McClain.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything you see on a store shelf, everything you order from brands that are out there where you get stuff delivered in a day or two to your home, all of that requires fuel to get it from point A to point B,\u201d McClain said. <\/p>\n

How to save at the pump during the holidays<\/h2>\n

Whether gas is expensive or relatively cheap where you live, there are savvy ways to cut what you pay at the pump \u2013 especially ahead of the holidays. Here are five tips to help keep fuel costs in check on your holiday road trips.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re planning a road trip ahead of time:<\/td>\nDon\u2019t stop at the first gas station you see. Free apps like GasBuddy, Gas Guru and AAA can help you find the cheapest gas nearby and compare prices by location, fuel grade and distance \u2013 especially useful during long road trips. Another handy tool for road trips is the AAA Gas Cost Calculator, which estimates fuel costs for your vehicle\u2019s make and model.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If you like loyalty programs:<\/td>\nIf you regularly fill up at the same gas station or grocery store, consider signing up for its rewards program. Many major chains offer small discounts per gallon that can add up over time.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If you typically carry cash:<\/td>\nSome gas stations charge less if you pay with cash instead of a card. The discount is often just a few cents per gallon, but it can lead to noticeable savings on long trips or frequent fill-ups.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If you have a cash back credit card:<\/td>\nA cash back credit card won\u2019t lower the posted price, but it can still save you money. Several credit cards offer up to 3% back on gas purchases, which can equate to hundreds of dollars back in your pocket if you\u2019re using the card responsibly.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If you live in an urban area:<\/td>\nCutting back on driving is one of the easiest ways to save on gas. Use public transportation when it\u2019s available, and bundle errands together to minimize unnecessary trips.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n

Did you find this page helpful? <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Help us improve our content<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At a moment when prices are rising everywhere, one major household expense is offering relief ahead of the holidays: gasoline. National retail pump prices recently slipped below $3 per gallon, the lowest level in four years, AAA data shows. Motorists could see gas prices slide by another 15 cents over the next few months, according<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3911,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026.jpg",1280,720,false],"thumbnail":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026-768x432.jpg",640,360,true],"large":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026-1024x576.jpg",640,360,true],"1536x1536":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026.jpg",1280,720,false],"2048x2048":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026.jpg",1280,720,false],"morenews-featured":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"morenews-large":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026-825x575.jpg",825,575,true],"morenews-medium":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026-590x410.jpg",590,410,true],"crawlomatic_preview_image":["http:\/\/ft365.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3910-Consumers-catch-a-break-at-the-pump-ahead-of-the-holidays-and-2026-260x146.jpg",260,146,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"henry","author_link":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/author\/henry\/"},"category_info":"Latest News<\/a>","tag_info":"Latest News","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3910\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}