Heading into Memorial Day weekend — the unofficial start of summer — New Jersey gas prices will be at their highest level in four years, thanks to the Iran conflict. But we’ve got six tips to save you money as you fill up the tank for the long weekend.
As of Wednesday, May 20, the average cost of a gallon of gas in New Jersey was $4.52, up from $3.94 a month ago and $3.02 last year, according to the travel club AAA. 
The U.S. war with Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow body of water through which 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas passes through. 
High gas prices could persist well into 2027 from the conflict and the strait’s closure, according to the federal Energy Information Administration. 
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An estimated 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles for Memorial Day weekend, which is a slight bump from the 44.8 million Americans last year, AAA said. Many travelers have pulled back their vacation plans, or are scaling back other plans yet to be made for the summer. 
“Americans are going to pay billions more to get where they’re going this summer,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at the gas station price tracker website GasBuddy.com. 
“Refinery dynamics, the approaching Atlantic hurricane season, OPEC production, and declining global inventories add further upward pressure,” he continued. 
So how can you save on gas when filling up at the pump this Memorial Day weekend?
We broke down these six tips:
Paying for gas with cash can typically save you between five to 10 cents a gallon, said Mark Hamrick, a senior economist at Bankrate. 
“For someone filling up a 15-gallon tank, that adds up to roughly $1.50 to $2.25 in savings per fill-up,” added Chip Lupo, an analyst at the personal finance website WalletHub. 
But there are problems like not knowing ahead of time how much it might cost to fill up if paying cash, leaving patrons to have to withdraw from a nearby ATM and potentially incur fees on that end. 
Club warehouses like Sam’s Club, BJ’s and Costco typically sell “anywhere from 15 to 30 cents below market value,” said Mark Schieldrop, spokesperson for AAA Northeast. 
“The wholesale clubs move much more volume so they are happy to operate on much tighter margins. Sometimes they’ll even sell at a loss,” he wrote in an email. 
Gas stations close to a club warehouse are also cheaper, Schieldrop said, as they “are forced to lower prices to compete.” 
Visits for gas at Sam’s Club, Costco and BJ’s have spiked since the start of the war, according to Placer.ai, a data analytics firm that assesses foot traffic at malls, stores and retail outlets across the U.S. 
Cards like the Citi Custom Cash and Sam’s Club Mastercard both offer 5% cash back on gas purchases. AAA has a similar rewards program with its Visa card.
“Premium gas rewards cards easily beat cash discounts right now, provided the cardholder qualifies for the full rewards rate, stays within spending caps, and pays the balance in full,” Hamrick of Bankrate said. 
A 5% to 6% cash back on a $52.50 gas purchase would mean $2.60 to $3.15 in savings, Lupo said. 
With fewer people carrying cash, they may instead seek out discounts with card rewards programs, AAA’s Schieldrop said. 
Gas stations close to highway exits are notoriously more expensive, Schieldrop said, because “they know they got those travelers who just want to pull off the highway and fill up.” 
Wealthy, affluent towns also tend to have higher prices. “So if you’re going to a posh destination, maybe fill up a couple towns over,” he said. 
Gas stations near airports and resorts also have higher prices, as “people returning rental cars often fill up close to there,” he said.
GasBuddy.com aggregates the cheapest gas stations in a particular geographic area, be it town, county or an entire state.
On Wednesday, May 20, the cheapest gas was $3.38 a gallon at a gas station on 381 Morris Ave. in Elizabeth. The cheapest gas in Bergen County was $4.25 a gallon at a Delta at 169 East Midland Ave. in Paramus. 
Schieldrop said there are some best practices to follow with your car to make it use less gas when possible.
For example, do not overpack on your trip, and check your tire pressure when getting gas, as “underinflated tires will affect your fuel economy,” he said. 
Modern cars more efficiently drive with the AC on and the windows closed, because “lowered windows can cause significant drag and reduce your fuel economy,” he added. 
Remote-starting, idling and drive-through restaurants are also notorious for wasting gas, Schieldrop said. “Start the car and just drive. The interior will get to the temperature you want quickly enough.” 
Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record. 
Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100, Facebook and Instagram

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