LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The national average price for a gallon of gas has eclipsed $4 for the first time since 2022, and drivers in Las Vegas are still feeling pain at the pump.
As Channel 13's Northwest Las Vegas Neighborhood Reporter, I wanted to see what that means for drivers like you in the Northwest Valley.
WATCH| Guy Tannenbaum talks to a local in the northwest about rising gas prices
"I mean I'm not liking it — I can tell you that much — but given the course of the past couple years, it's always been up and down," Northwest Las Vegas local Jake Brechlin told me.
Gas prices are the talk of the town right now — it's no different in the Northwest Valley, and there might be a reason why.
GasBuddy has an average gas price heat map on their website, which you can zoom in for a closer look at average prices across the Las Vegas valley — it shows drivers in the Northwest are facing some of the highest prices in our area, nearly a dollar more than the national average right now.
In fact, AAA says our average prices here in Nevada and Clark County are sitting at nearly $5 per gallon as of Tuesday: $4.93 and $4.98, respectively.
For a closer look, I checked the GasBuddy app — which shows prices at local gas stations — to find the cheapest places to fill up in the Northwest, just like so many of you do every single day.
I found a Sinclair station at Cheyenne and Fort Apache with a cash price of $4.49 a gallon, nearly 50 cents cheaper than our average price in Las Vegas and statewide here in Nevada.
That's where I met Jake — I talked to him about how he's navigating all this pain at the pump right now, and how he found one of the cheapest prices in his area.
"Luckily, this place is right by my house, so I usually go here," Jake told me. "If not, then I'll usually go to Costco because they have decent gas prices, but even they have gone up recently."
He's right! Those big box membership stores like Costco or Sam's Club usually offer significant discounts — for example, the Sam's Club in Centennial Center is showing $4.31 per gallon on GasBuddy — but because they're so cheap compared to our average price, you should brace for long lines there right now.
If you're not lucky enough to live around the corner from a cheap gas station like Jake is, though, then he suggests using apps to find the lowest price you can.
"Use Google Maps, use GasBuddy, try and find somewhere close to you," Jake told me. "If you have a Costco around you, that's usually one of the better places to go."
AAA has more tips, too, like avoiding speeding — which they say can increase your fuel economy by up to 14% — choosing the cheapest kind of gas your car needs, checking your tire pressure, avoiding idling in your car too long and more can all help improve your car's fuel efficiency and save you money.
When it comes to saving money these days, Northwest Las Vegas locals like Jake tell me they'll do anything they can.
"I'm always trying to save money, you know, especially with the cost of groceries and seemingly everything else in life," Jake said. "I've got friends and family down in Henderson — I'm not fond of traveling down there all the time, because then I'm burning up the gas, and that's more money going in the tank and not in my bank account!"
If there's something going on in the Northwest Valley that you think we should know about — good, bad or otherwise — we want to hear from you! You can reach out to me directly via email: Guy.Tannenbaum@KTNV.com.
