Use Google Gas to Find Cheap Gas in Your Area

Google Gas is another function Google has added to their maps. Now you can find directions and gas prices, all on one map. Google Gas uses current prices from Gasbuddy.com, which has an extensive database of gas stations. To find gas prices using Google Gas, you have to go to Google Maps. However you do it, go to Google Maps. Then, click the 'My Maps' tab in the upper right of the map section. There is an option to check 'Gas Prices from Gasbuddy.com'. Check it, type in your zip code, and some tabs pop up with gas stations in your area. Selecting one of the tabs will show you the name of the gas station, their current regular gas price, and any services they offer. You can get directions to and from the gas station and search nearby.

After typing in my home address, I searched the zip code, 60914, which is Bourbonnais, Illinois, about 40 miles south of Chicago. Google Gas popped up 14 gas stations near me, which included gas stations in nearby Kankakee and Bradley, Illinois. The gas prices were all within a few cents of each other. I also used the zip code of Herscher, Illinois (15 miles from Bourbonnais), which is a smaller rural town and received information for 12 gas stations within a radius of about 20 miles. Prices were not that significantly different.

Other websites you can find gas prices:

Gaspricewatch.com uses maps powered by Google, but have less reliability. After zooming into your location, you will find one of three icons on the map representing local gas stations. The prices are not updated as often as Gasbuddy or Google Gas, but Gaspricewatch may have some gas stations not listed on other gas price watching sites.

Fuelmeup.com has over 82,000 gas stations listed on their site and is updated 3 times daily. You can search by city, zip code, or state, like Google Gas. Besides gas prices, they will post news videos about the gas prices and usually provides you with little tidbits of information here and there.

Automotive.com offers a gas price finding service which operates in the same manner as the other sites. Type in your zip code and it will pull up the local gas prices and flag the lowest price stations. You can download a widget for your desktop that runs in real time as Automotive.com updates.

MSN Autos uses a number of methods to get the nationwide pricing. They use their own mapping technology (users of Google Gas will enjoy) to showcase the gas prices after you type in your zip code. In order to receive the most current gas prices, they rely on credit card transactions through their partner, OPIS, survey data, and user input.