How to save money at the gas pump
Fuel can be one of the biggest everyday expenses, which means even tiny price jumps can squeeze your budget. No matter how often you drive, these tips can help you spend less at the pump.
1. Practice good driving habits to improve fuel efficiency
Canada’s Ministry of Natural Resources outlines numerous factors that affect fuel efficiency, and it can start by going back to the basics you learned in driving school. Simple habits like keeping your tires properly inflated, avoiding sudden braking, and cutting down on unnecessary idling all help improve fuel efficiency. Then, take things a step further: maintain a steady speed with cruise control (when conditions allow) so that your engine doesn't work harder than it needs to. Drive with the windows up at highway speeds to reduce drag, and use climate control moderately — excessive A/C use can increase fuel consumption up to 20%, especially in city driving.
2. Use loyalty programs and stack rewards to save at the pump
Many major gas stations in Canada offer loyalty programs, and while it's easy to think of them as offering minor perks, the savings can add up quickly when you stack the right offers.
Take Shell, for instance, and see how stacking perks can add up:
Linking any Tangerine credit card to your Shell Go+ account gives you instant savings of 3 cents per litre on all grades of Shell fuel1.
- With a linked Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard®*, you can save an additional 4 cents per litre when purchasing Shell V-Power® premium fuel, plus up to 3 cents per litre in Scene+ points value2. That’s a total of up to 10 cents per litre at Shell3.
- With a linked Money-Back World Mastercard®* or Money-Back Credit Card, you can earn up to 3 cents per litre in cash back with fuel selected as a 2% category. Plus, you can earn 1 cent per litre in Scene+ points value on all grades of Shell fuel, or 2 cents per litre in Scene+ points value on Shell V-Power® when you link your Scene+ Account to Shell Go+2. That’s a total of up to 8 cents per litre at Shell4.
No matter where you prefer to fill up, it's worth downloading the brand’s app to see what loyalty perks they offer.
3. Plan trips to minimize fuel consumption
Owning a car is undeniably convenient since you can drive whenever it suits you, but the fuel cost of those frequent trips can chip away at your budget. Some simple hacks to help naturally reduces the amount of fuel you burn can be:
Avoiding rush hour if possible and combining errands into a single outing. Consider grouping school drop‑off, grocery runs, and shopping excursions into one big loop instead of several separate trips starting at home. According to the Canadian Automobile Association, if you take several short trips, you expend energy each time you start up the engine cold. It can be more fuel-efficient to make all your stops on one long trip, if possible.
If you're heading out on a longer road trip, check apps or sites to help find the lower cost places to fill up along your route.
Read more: Five ways to save money when you travel
4. Be strategic about filling up
Some strategy around when you fill up can go a long way. Don't wait until your tank is nearly empty so that you're forced to stop at the nearest station, regardless of the price. In the worst-case scenario, you could run out of fuel entirely and end up paying for a tow.
5. Keep your car well-maintained for long-term efficiency
Many drivers focus on fuel prices, but proper maintenance helps your engine run efficiently, which can improve fuel economy by an average of 4%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and reduce long-term repair costs.
6. Consider your long-term plans
When fuel prices are high, it can be tempting to swear off driving altogether. That's not realistic for most people, but there are practical alternatives that can meaningfully cut your fuel costs.
If you're already thinking about upgrading your vehicle, this might be the moment to look at more fuel-efficient models, including hybrids or EVs. How much will that save you? Consumer Reports notes that the costs of owning an EV, and the savings from driving one, can vary widely depending on where you live.
Remember that even small changes — like driving less often or choosing a more efficient vehicle — can add up to meaningful savings over time.
Looking for a new credit card?
Our credit cards are designed with you in mind, offering flexible rewards, competitive earn rates and options with or without an annual fee.
®* World Elite and Mastercard are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.
1 Instant 3 cents per Litre Discount on Fuel Purchases (All Grades): Receive an instant 3 cents per litre discount on purchases of fuel (all grades) (“Fuel Purchases (All Grades)”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Tangerine credit card, linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per Tangerine credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per account. This discount is subject to the Tangerine Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.
2 Earn Scene+ points on all grades of fuel, car washes and eligible convenience store purchases at participating locations. Offer subject to change. Conditions and limits apply. See Sceneplus.ca/terms-and-conditions.
3 Get up to 10 cents per litre in value: Get up to 7 cents per litre in instant fuel discounts for a limited time plus earn up to 3 cents per litre in Scene+ rewards value with an eligible Tangerine payment card linked to a Shell Go+ Account:
• Instant 3 cents per Litre Discount on Fuel Purchases (All Grades): Receive an instant 3 cents per litre discount on purchases of fuel (all grades) (“Fuel Purchases (All Grades)”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Tangerine credit card, linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per Tangerine credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per account. This discount is subject to the Tangerine Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.
• Instant 4 cents per Litre Discount on Premium Fuel: Between March 6, 2026 and March 6, 2027 (“Promotional Period”), receive an instant 4 cents per litre discount on purchases of V-Power® gasoline, or V-Power® diesel (“Premium Fuel Purchases”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Tangerine credit card that earns Scene+ points linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per credit card account. This promotional offer, including the Promotional Period, may be changed, extended, or withdrawn at any time without notice. These promotional offer terms are in addition to the Tangerine Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.
• Earn up to 3 cents per Litre in Scene+ Rewards Value (Equivalent) on Fuel Purchases: Each time you use your linked Tangerine credit card that earns Scene+ points on Fuel Purchases (All Grades) at participating Shell locations in Canada, you will earn at least 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent. Plus, as a Scene+ Member you will also automatically earn 1 Scene+ point for each litre in Fuel Purchases (All Grades), and as a Shell Go+ member, automatically earn 1 additional Scene+ point for each litre in Premium Fuel Purchases, made with your linked Tangerine credit card. This means that for every litre in fuel purchased with your linked credit card, you can earn the equivalent of up to 3 cents of redeemable Scene+ Rewards value based on a redemption value of $10 for every 1,000 Scene+ points redeemed for fuel purchases at participating Shell Locations. Actual value may be lower depending on how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points. See the Scene+ Program Terms and Conditions available at sceneplus.ca/terms-and-conditions for full details including redemption options and additional terms.
Note: Value of 10 cents per litre assumes a Premium Fuel Purchase made with a Tangerine credit card that earns Scene+ points linked to a Shell Go+ Account. Actual value may be lower depending on payment card used and whether or not the card is linked, fuel grade purchased, and how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points.
4 Get up to 8 cents per litre in value: Tangerine Credit Cardholders with a Scene+ membership who link their Credit Card and their Scene+ account to a Shell Go+ Account can get up to 8 cents per litre in instant fuel discounts, Tangerine Money-Back Rewards, and Scene+ rewards value when they purchase fuel with their linked Tangerine Credit Card:
• Instant 3 cents per Litre Discount on Fuel Purchases (All Grades): Receive an instant 3 cents per litre discount on purchases of fuel (all grades) (“Fuel Purchases (All Grades)”) at participating Shell locations when you use any Tangerine Credit Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per Tangerine Credit Card Account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per Credit Card Account. This discount is subject to the Tangerine Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.
• Earn up to 3 cents per Litre in Cash Back Rewards: When you use your Tangerine Credit Card on Fuel Purchases (All Grades), if you have Gas selected as one of your 2% Money-Back categories you will earn 2% cashback on all eligible Net Purchases made at merchants classified as “Service Stations” by the payment network (which are subject to change), excluding fuel purchases that are not for retail or for automobiles. Assumes an average fuel price of at least $1.50/L. Net Purchases means purchases of goods and services charged to your Credit Card Account, less all returns, merchant credits and adjustments. Balance Transfers, Cash Advances, Cash-Like Transactions, interest charges, fees, and insurance premiums posted to your Credit Card Account are not eligible to earn Money-Back Rewards. This benefit is subject to the Tangerine Money-Back Rewards Program Terms and Conditions.
• Scene+ Members earn up to 2 cents per Litre in Scene+ Rewards Value: Scene+ Members earn 1 Scene+ point for each litre in Fuel Purchases (All Grades) when they present or make available their Scene+ account number or Scene+ membership card at the time of purchase. Plus, Scene+ Members who link their Scene+ account to the Shell Go+ app will automatically earn 2 Scene+ points for each litre of V-Power® gasoline or V-Power® diesel purchased (“Premium Fuel Purchases”). Scene+ Rewards value is based on an average redemption value of $10 for every 1000 Scene+ points redeemed on fuel purchases. Actual value may be lower depending on how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points. See the Scene+ Program Terms and Conditions available at sceneplus.ca/terms-and-conditions for full details including redemption options and additional terms.
Note: Highest value of 8 cents per litre assumes a Premium Fuel Purchase (minimum price of $1.50 per litre) made with a Tangerine Credit Card that has Gas selected as a 2% Money-Back Category and is linked to a Shell Go+ Account and who have a Scene+ account also linked to the Shell Go+ account. Actual value will be lower depending on whether or not the Credit Card is linked, selected 2% Money-Back Categories, fuel grade purchased, Scene+ membership status and how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points.
® Scene+ & Design and the Scene Icon are registered trademarks of Scene Plus IP Corporation, used under license.
