Save money on gas with a membership to Costco, Sam’s Club and more

Remember when gas used to be about a buck a gallon? That's a thing of the past. Gas prices are set to rise to $4 a gallon through November, with the average for 2022 expected to be about $3.99. While there are many ways to save on gas, warehouse club memberships feel like the best kept secret to saving money at the pump. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up the best club memberships that can help you save on gas (and so much more) this year. 

Short of staying home, taking public transit from now on or saving up for a new fuel-efficient Tesla, you might be wondering what you can do to pinch pennies and save on gas. With prices already reaching record highs, according to GasBuddy, members-only fuel stations let you fill up without putting a dent in your wallet. While pricing is still above average, club memberships from Sam's Club, Costco, Walmart+ and Kroger will let you access cheaper gas prices and offer plenty of other perks as well.

If you're looking for ways to save money on gas beyond keeping your tires filled with air and skipping the premium gas when possible, we found that signing up for a wholesale membership can get you discounted gas and so much more. Check out the best deals on club memberships below.

Sam's Club

Sam's Club has fuel stations across the country with discounted rates on regular, premium and diesel gas, accessible only when you show your membership card. The annual fee for a membership is $45 and that affords access to the warehouse deals as well. Better still, right now, Sam's Club has a promotion offering a $45 e-gift card when you sign up for an annual membership that you can use in the warehouse—that essentially means the first year is free. As a Sam's Club member you can save $0.05 per gallon at the pump (actual discount will depend on your location and the specific station). For ultimate convenience, pay for your gas and other purchases at Sam's Club using Amex, Visa, Discover and MasterCard.

Meanwhile, with a membership, you also get access to all Sam's Club has to offer, including pantry staples, toiletries, prescriptions and other household essentials. Other benefits include free shipping on select items, free curbside pick-up, 100% merchandise satisfaction guarantee with free replacements and returns and free tire repairs for any tire that meets USTMA (U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association) guidelines, regardless of where they were purchased. Try it out for a year and you can cancel at any time prior to the renewal, either by phone, live chat online or visiting any Member Services Desk. 

Costco

One of the perks of a Costco membership is access to their gas stations—plus you’ll get member-only savings on tons of items, including bulk orders. As one of the consistently cheapest places for gas, the membership might be worth it just for the gas alone! Memberships start at $60 a year for two cards per household with access to all Costco locations around the world. (Taking a road trip to Canada? You can refuel there as well!) The self-serve stations, which include both regular and diesel fuel, are located next to the warehouses and offer Kirkland Signature gas. As a member, you'll get access to other perks that Costco has to offer including groceries, clothing, toys, tools and, of course, those beloved samples.

Upgrade to the Executive membership, which is twice the price at $120 a year, to get 2% back on all qualifying purchases up to a maximum of $1,000 a year. Depending on how much you spend annually on groceries and other items, this can easily cover the extra $60 for the premium membership. Keep in mind that gas does not count towards the 2% (nor does cigarettes or tobacco-related products, Costco Shop Cards, postage stamps, prescriptions, food court items or alcoholic beverages), but there's more than enough to purchase at Costco to add up to significant cashback savings. Plus, the Executive membership includes savings booked on vacations through Costco Travel. 

Walmart+

Did you know that Walmart has a membership tier called Walmart+? For $12.95 a month or $98 annually (even less than Amazon Prime!), you get, among the many other perks, savings on gas. And right now, you can enjoy a 30-day trial to check it out. Members get a discount of $0.05 per gallon at not only Walmart gas stations, but also Murphy Express and Sam's Club locations. That might not sound like a lot, but with gas prices soaring, it adds up. If your car fills up at 15 gallons, for example, you'll save $0.75 each time you fill up. If you get gas weekly, that's about $40 in savings a year. 

Other benefits of a Walmart+ membership include free unlimited delivery (including same-day on some items), early access deals and mobile scan-and-go shopping in stores. Walmart offers great prices on groceries, toiletries, fresh meats and produce, pantry staples, electronics, clothing and more. 

Kroger

Kroger doesn't have a membership, per se, but shopping there does have perks when it comes to gas. The retailer has a Fuel Points program when you use its Shoppers Card. Signing up will allow you to earn 100 Fuel Points for every dollar spent on most groceries, which can be redeemed for $0.10 off per gallon at Kroger’s fuel centers and participating Shell gas stations in your area. Signing up for a Shoppers card is free: just create an account by entering your name, email address and desired password or sign in using your existing Google credentials. You can then register an existing card you already received using the Plus Card number on the back, or 10-digit Alt ID number, or get a digital one to use on a mobile device. 

In addition to the point-per-dollar deal, there are always special bonus Fuel Point promotions where you can save even more. The program excludes purchases like alcohol, tobacco, money orders, postage stamps and promotional tickets but most items you can buy at Kroger, from pantry staples to fresh fruits and veggies, will earn you fuel points that quickly add up. 

You will even earn 20 Fuel Points for all non-federally funded prescriptions and a Fuel Point per dollar for anything paid out-of-pocket for federally funded prescriptions. If you have a 90-day prescription, that means you'll get 75 Fuel Points each time you refill. 

Additionally, while most shops exclude gift cards from loyalty programs, you will earn two Fuel Points for every $1 spent on these cards, which include Kroger’s family of stores gift cards, Green Dot prepaid reloadable products, MoneyPaks and preloaded gift cards from American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

Consider that a $200 grocery bill full of qualifying items will earn you 200 Fuel Points that can be redeemed for $0.10 per gallon off your next two tanks (you can only redeem 100 points at a time for up to 35 gallons of unleaded, mid-grade, premium, diesel or E85 gas). To redeem, scan your Shoppers card or enter your alt-id and follow the instructions at the pump. 

Keep in mind that the Fuel Points expire one month after they are earned, so you must redeem on a month-to-month basis. Considering most of us fill up multiple times per month, sometimes even per week, you'll be able to make good use of the points. You can check your Fuel Points balance at any time on your receipt, the website or the mobile app.

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.