🌟 Editor's Note
Welcome to another issue of Financial Freedom Insights. This newsletter is full of financial tips, insights, financial news, announcements, a special treat for those who make it to the bottom, and more!
🤖 AI Note
NONE of this newsletter was written using AI. It was written by humans for humans.
Table of Contents
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Financial Freedom Starts Here
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💸 Your 10 Second Financial Freedom Tip of the Week
If you are married, or in a relationship, you should be talking about finances frequently (such as once a week). Not talking about your finances can lead to friction which can grow over time. By frequently communicating you can make sure you are on the same page and that any issues are nipped in the bud before they become big issues.
📰 In the News
Number of Super Prime & Subprime Consumers increases
Are we in a K shaped economy? It is hard to say but experts are pointing to this as evidence that we might be - article here
Spirit Airlines is no more
If Spirit Airlines was your go to budget airline, you will now have to look elsewhere for cheaper flights - article here
📈 Financial Freedom Insight
13 Ways to Make a Tank of Gas Go Further… Or You Could Just Buy an EV
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Financial Freedom Insight: Table of Contents
1. Shop Around
2. Don’t Drive Fast
3. Drive Smoothly
4. Skip Premium Gas Unless It’s “Required”
5. Buy High-Quality Gas
6. Remove Your Roof Rack
7. Turn off the AC
8. Don’t Go Below Half a Tank
9. Put Air In Your Tires If the Pressure Is Low
10. Join a Fuel Rewards Program
11. Fill Up on Sundays
12. Pay With Cash
13. Limit Your Mileage
Should You Buy an Electric Vehicle (EV)?
At the end of April 2026, AAA reported that the national average gas price rose by 27 cents in one week. Oil prices are surging, and gas prices are the highest they have been in four years. The current average price of a gallon of gas as of May 6, 2026, was $4.54,[1] and the price is not expected to go down significantly any time soon.
Short of buying an electric vehicle (EV), what can you do to economize and make a gallon of gas go further … literally? Here are 13 ways to conserve your gas consumption, and we’ll also look at the pros and cons of buying an EV.
1. Shop Around
It’s not worth driving 30 miles to save a few pennies on a tank of gas, but if you are traveling somewhere, it might be worth checking online to find cheap gas prices on the way or at your destination. Try GasBuddy, an app that lists local gas prices.
Gas stations located away from major highways and city centers tend to have lower prices. Gas stations near airports are notoriously expensive because they take advantage of people who need to fill up rental cars before returning them.
2. Don’t Drive Fast
According to Consumer Reports, driving faster can eat up your fuel. Consumer Reports measured the gas mileage of a Nissan Altima and Toyota RAV4 while driving at 55, 65, and 75 mph. When the speed went from 65 mph to 55 mph, fuel economy increased by 6 mpg in the Altima and 8 mpg in the RAV4. Driving at 75 mph rather than 65 mph cost 7 mpg in the Altima and 6 mpg in the RAV4. The overall conclusion was that speeding up from 55 to 75 mph has the same gas-guzzling effect as moving from a compact car to a large SUV.[2]
3. Drive Smoothly
Perhaps if there is one good thing to result from surging gas prices it is that we might all become better drivers. If you drive without sudden acceleration and braking, you can preserve fuel. Consumer Reports found that sudden and frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced an older Toyota Camry’s mileage by 2 to 3 mpg.[3] Not only that, but your engine, brakes, transmission, tires, and passengers will thank you.
4. Skip Premium Gas Unless It’s “Required”
You might not have to use premium gas, which can cost 30 to 90 cents more per gallon than regular. Some cars do need higher octane premium gas, but others do not gain enough efficiency or performance to justify the extra expense. How do you know? Check your fuel filler door and see if it says premium gas is “required” or just “recommended.” If the latter, you can skip using premium. If no economy gas is available, midgrade or premium will work in a regular gasoline car, but it will cost you more.
5. Buy High-Quality Gas
While you might not need to buy premium gas, buying gas from a quality brand is better for your car’s engine. Better brands are Chevron, Costco, Exxon, Mobil, and Shell. Low-quality gas can leave engine deposits while better quality gas actually cleans away those deposits. This won’t save you money on gas, but it will help your engine last longer.
6. Remove Your Roof Rack
Did you know that if you are driving on the highway, 50% of engine power is used to fight aerodynamic drag? A test conducted by Consumer Reports found that putting a couple of mountain bikes on your car’s roof had the biggest impact on fuel use. A Nissan Altima lost 13 mpg, going from 46 mpg to 33 mpg. The RAV4 lost 7 mpg, dropping to 32 mpg from 39 mpg.[4] An empty roof rack can create similar problems, so remove extra racks from your car when you don’t need them.
7. Turn off the AC
If you turn off your AC, you can save 1 to 5 mpg, according to Consumer Reports.[5][ This might be a good option if it is not too hot, but safety could be an issue if you find yourself uncomfortable in the heat or sleepy. So, use your judgement here.
8. Don’t Go Below Half a Tank
There are two good reasons not to dip below half a tank of gas. In the winter, it’s bad for your engine if you are low on gas because condensation that freezes can cause mechanical stress. The other reason is to avoid finding yourself low on gas when you are stuck in congestion or in an area where gas is expensive. If you have at least half a tank at all times, you have some flexibility over where you buy gas and the price that you pay.
9. Put Air in Your Tires if the Pressure Is Low
Tires lose about 1 psi a month. Check your tire pressure regularly because having less than the recommended pressure affects fuel economy and tire performance. Your doorjamb sticker should tell you what pressure to keep your tires at.
10. Join a Fuel Rewards Program
If you regularly shop at a local grocery store that offers fuel rewards, that’s a good way to save money on gas. However, it’s not worth making special trips to a grocery store on the other end of town because you’ll use up more fuel getting there. Also, look at the rules regarding how much you have to spend versus how much you save.
11. Fill Up on Sundays
Gas Buddy did a study to find out when was the best day of the week to buy gas. It depends on what state you live in, but generally, Sunday is the day when gas is likely to be cheapest. Wednesday through Friday tend to be more expensive. Prices often rise gradually through the week and ease off at the weekend.[6]
12. Pay With Cash
Some gas stations offer a discount if you pay with cash, sometimes of around 5 to 15 cents per gallon. There is an added advantage in paying cash, which is that you won’t fall prey to skimmers that fraudsters insert into gas pump credit card readers.
13. Limit Your Mileage
You have to drive to and from work and to the grocery store. But you can also combine errands so that you drive fewer miles and possibly carpool to work. If you can ride a bicycle, you’ll help the environment and your health.
Should You Buy an Electric Vehicle (EV)?
Driving an EV would solve the problem of having to buy expensive gas, but what are the disadvantages of going electric? The table below is a quick rundown of the pros and cons of buying an EV based on information from Motortrend.[7]
Pros of EVs | Cons of EVs |
More Torque/Acceleration Electric batteries deliver juice faster than regular vehicles. With internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, torque is channeled through the transmission.
| Charging Headaches Charging an EV is not as convenient as filling up an ICE tank at the gas station. If you have home EV charging, you can charge your car each night. However, if you have to rely on public charging you’ll have to plan around travel times, location of charging stations, and other people waiting to charge. |
Quieter Ride Much of road fatigue is due to noise and vibration. EVs have less noise so drivers experience less tiredness on long trips. | High Prices and Faster Depreciation EVs do tend to cost more than the equivalent gas-powered vehicle. For example, at present, the 2026 Chevy Blazer EV starts at $45,000,* while the gas-powered 2026 Chevy Blazer starts at $34,000.** Also, on average, the value of EVs depreciate faster than ICE vehicles. Tax credits to offset the cost are no longer available.
|
Less Maintenance While EVs don’t need oil changes, a new fan belt, or radiator, they do need new tires, bakes, battery coolant, and transmission fluid. Overall, however, maintenance can be less for EVs. | Less Choice There are fewer EV models to choose from. The most popular brands for EVs are Tesla, GM, Ford, and Toyota in 2025, but all told, those brands, excluding Tesla, only offer 20 different models. |
Cool Features Some EVs often come with cutting-edge features. Some Tesla’s have a Summon feature and can autonomously park themselves and pick you up. Some EVs can even power your home with its battery.[8] | Towing Eats Up Electricity Towing using an EV could require a lot of charging. MotorTrend did some towing testing with three sizes of campers. When towing the smallest trailer, the towing range for the F-150 Lightning was just 115 miles. The F-150s range fell to 100 miles with the middleweight camper and dropped to 90 miles with the largest trailer. |
*Price as of May 2026 from Chevrolet.
**Price as of May 2026 from Chevrolet.
Whether an EV is right for you depends on whether you have access to home charging, whether you do a lot of long-distance driving, and how suitable the vehicle is for your lifestyle.
EV adoption slowed when the EV purchase tax credit expired in 2025. However, forecasters agree that long-term adoption will continue, just at a slower, more market-driven pace.[9] Manufacturing is becoming cheaper so that might bring the price down. And now that gas is becoming so expensive, buying an EV might make sense economically.
In the meantime, shop around for the best gas prices, limit your car’s usage, and drive sensibly.
Sources
[1] AAA. “Fuel Prices.” https://gasprices.aaa.com/. Accessed May 8, 2026.
[2] Jeff S. Bartlett. May 6, 2026, “10 Tips to Get the Most Out of a Tank of Gas.” Consumer Reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/fuel-economy-efficiency/10-tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-tank-of-gas-a2642110189/. Accessed May 8, 2026.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] GasBuddy. February 18, 2026. “GasBuddy Reveals the Best Day of the Week to Buy Gas in 2026.” https://www.gasbuddy.com/go/best-day-gas-2026. Accessed May 8, 2026.
[7] Doug Newcombe. March 2, 2026. “The Pros and Cons of Electric Vehicles: What Every EV-Curious Buyer Should Know.” MotorTrend. https://www.motortrend.com/features/electric-vehicles-pros-cons-buying-guide. Accessed May 8, 2026.
[8] Nehal Malik. October 2026. “Elon Musk Says Tesla FSD Will Soon Let Your Car Park Itself and Pick You Up” Tesla North. https://teslanorth.com/2025/10/11/elon-musk-says-tesla-fsd-will-soon-let-your-car-park-itself-and-pick-you-up/. Accessed May 8, 2026.
[9] Rajat Shrestha et al. “For the US EV Market, a More Turbulent Road Lies Ahead.” World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/insights/us-state-of-electric-vehicles. Accessed May 8, 2026.
📙 Nathan Haas’s Scripture of the Week
Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Thanks for reading!
Haas Trade Financial Freedom Insights
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