Clever tricks for fueling up to save millions of dollars as fuel prices rise

On November 20, several media outlets reported that gasoline prices on the global market tend to rise following the increasing trend of last weekend’s trading session. In Vietnam, the current prices of various types of gasoline and oil on November 20 are based on the prices of the operating session on the afternoon of November 13.

Currently, we mainly travel by personal cars that use gasoline. So refueling happens a few times a month and the amount of money is not small. Apply the following tips to make refueling more beneficial and cost-effective.

Talk about the number of liters when refueling, not “filling up the tank”

There are several reasons why you should not fill up the tank with gasoline, as follows: First, you should refuel according to your travel needs. When filling up the tank, the disadvantages are that the gasoline will evaporate during use, consume fuel, and the heavier tank will consume more fuel than a lighter tank. So if you refuel once every half month, it’s better to divide it into 2 times. Second, filling up the tank will make you lose out, receive fewer liters. The reason is that “With the automatic cut-off mechanism when the fuel is near, the nozzle will shut off automatically to prevent overflow. This is not a trick to cheat, it’s for safety, as it can suck the gasoline back into the hose to prevent the tank from overflowing, while the fuel dispenser is still running. This means that in reality, you pay for a tank of full gasoline but don’t receive the full amount. This is not a fraudulent gas station, but it’s the consumer who doesn’t understand the safety principle of the fuel tank and the gas dispenser. Therefore, it’s better to say how many liters you want to refuel instead of saying “filling up the tank.”

Refuel when the tank is still half full, don’t wait until it’s empty

If you wait until the tank is empty before refueling, when the gasoline flows down, it will encounter higher pressure, causing the gasoline to expand in volume, so it quickly increases in capacity, making you suffer more. When the gasoline is only half of the tank, the distance from the nozzle to the new gasoline decreases and the pressure inside the tank is not as much as when the gasoline is empty.

Refuel in the morning or evening, avoid noon especially on sunny days

Gasoline also expands in volume with temperature, that is the natural mechanism of this fuel. So if you refuel in the morning or in the evening, the gasoline volume has not expanded due to temperature, so you will receive the corresponding volume for the amount of money. But if you refuel in the midday sun, the gasoline will expand, so in reality, you will receive less gasoline than in the morning. This is not cheating, but it’s the natural mechanism.

Avoid refueling when the fuel truck is pumping

You should not refuel when the fuel truck is pumping gasoline into the station’s tank because at this time, the increased pressure in the station’s fuel tank will cause the gasoline to expand, so you will suffer in terms of volume. Moreover, when the fuel truck is operating, you should also avoid it because you will inhale more gasoline fumes and it will be noisier.

Observe which gas station taxis go to

Taxi drivers travel a lot and consume a lot of gasoline, therefore, they know how to find reliable gas stations. You should buy gasoline from gas stations that many taxi drivers or truck drivers go to because they are experienced in choosing reliable gas stations.

If you see two employees working together, be careful, as you may be fooled

Gas station fraud has been a controversial issue in the media. Many people’s experiences show that if 2 people work together: 1 person pumps and another person operates the meter, there is up to a 95% chance of gas station fraud. Employees may claim that they need 2 people to work quickly due to a large number of customers, but in reality, they may be cheating customers. So be cautious in this situation.

Request the employee to reset the meter to “0” before pumping to avoid losses

Since you are a customer, you have the right to do so because there are many customers, or because you are standing far from the pump, many employees usually leave the meter at previous levels and continue to sell gasoline to you. This leads to more errors, causing customers to suffer more.

Look at the meter on the pump when the employee is refueling

To avoid fraud at the gas station, you should take this action to make the gas station employee more careful. It also helps you detect errors made by the gas station employee.

Compare between purchases to see which gas stations are trustworthy

Usually, you travel on a fixed route, so comparing refueling occasions will help you identify problematic gas stations to avoid.

Be cautious where you park your car, especially on sunny days

Leaving your car outside in the sun is both hot and dangerous, and it also causes gasoline to evaporate. Therefore, you should avoid evaporation by tightening the gas cap and parking your car in a shaded area. This way, you also save a significant amount of gasoline.

Don’t say “fill up for 50,000,” say “refuel 2 liters”

Refueling with the amount of money of 50,000, 30,000, 100,000 may be more convenient, but it can cause you more losses. Because this method can lead to fraudulent behavior, due to the phenomenon of “jumping money” that sometimes customers don’t notice. You should refuel with 1 liter, 1 liter, 3 liters.

For those who travel a lot on the road, the cost of fueling their vehicles every month is not small, especially for cars. So saving on gasoline is not only saving the family’s finances but also preventing fraud and saving for society as a whole. Considering the current trend of gasoline prices and its uncertainties, it’s advisable to save, especially when the economy is also difficult.