HOUSTON — U.S. oil surged to $130 a barrel overnight on the possibility the U.S. could bar imports from Russia due to the conflict with Ukraine, according to a report from the Associated Press.
According to AAA, drivers in the Houston area are paying an average of $3.76 per gallon of gas on Monday, with it being slightly cheaper in the surrounding communities.
That is just above the state average at $3.72 and well below the national average of $4.06, according to AAA.
Experts say the day of the week affects gas prices and filling up on certain days could potentially save you some money as prices continue to increase. Gas Buddy analyzed data on the best day to save on gas.
In Texas, Thursday is the worst day to buy gas. You will likely see the highest prices. So do not fill up if you can wait. There is a better day to get gas.
“We found out that in most states, the cheapest time of the week to fill up is early in the week,” said Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at Gas Buddy. “Most states it was Monday. Some of them it was Sunday, some Tuesday, and most states it was most expensive to fill up later in the week towards the weekend.”
He said gas prices may rise a bit at the end of the week because the energy markets are closed during the weekend.
“There is a key government report that comes out Wednesday that could drive prices up afterward and those changes could already start to be taking place on Thursday and towards the weekend,” De Haan said.
That is true for Texas, too. The best day to fill up to save money on gas in Texas is Sunday. You will still want to shop around, though.
Get a gas price app like Gas Buddy or AAA also has one. Both are free. That will help you find the best price in your area or if you are on the road.
Consumer reporter Tiffany Craig will take a closer look at local gas prices on KHOU 11 News at 4:30 p.m.