Skip to main content.   Is the Deal Worth the Drive?  Savings
Experiment: Driving for Cheap Goods Good deals can be found in
plenty of places, but could the cost of going the extra mile
outweigh your savings? Here, our experts break things down to
dollars and sense.  The average price of a gallon of gas right
now is $3.97. If your car gets approximately 23 miles per
gallon, that means you're getting about 6 miles for every dollar
you spend on gas.  Let's say your local supermarket, which is
just .5 miles away, sells detergent for $5. Then you find a deal
for the same product priced at $4.50, but the discount retailer
is 12 miles away. It will cost you an extra two dollars to get
there, which negates the 50 cents you're saving on the
detergent. You're spending actually spending more than you're
saving.  Beyond the cost of gas, you're also using up extra
time, putting more wear on your tires, and using up oil life.
Sure, the effects may be small, but if you're often driving out
of your way for deals, they can a