With gas at about $3.00, Costco has become more and more of a popular source. In a way, this doesn’t make a ton of sense, because whether gas is at $1 or $3/gallon at the normal stations, you’re going to be saving about the same amount per gallon at Costco, about $.10/gallon. Nevertheless, the lines get longer at Costco when gas spikes, as it did this weekend. I drove by to get gas myself, and with one look at these lines, I decided my time was worth more than to wait and save $.10 per gallon:

CosctoGasLine

But then I realized that I needed proof, and I needed to know what my effective wage would be (in gasoline savings) for sitting in line.

So I started in line around the bend, about two cars away from being in the main line area which you can see above, at about 12:04 on a Saturday afternoon, which I’m guessing is one of the more crazy times of the week. The line moved considerably faster than I expected.

I also chose to get in a line that led to the left side of the pump. If you’ve ever been to Costco, this is the faster less popular line since you can only drive in one way, and most people have their tank on the left. I guess some people don’t realize that the pumps are equipped to reach quite easily and safely to either side of your car. I estimate that you cut out about 1/3 of the wait time on that side.

CostcoGasLineLeft

So, here are the stats:

Started in line: 12:04/ Started Pumping: 12:14

Gas price at Costco: $2.95 9/10/ Nearest Competitor: $3.05 9/10

Savings per gallon: $.10

Honda Accord Gas Tank: +/- 15 gallons

Total Savings: $1.50

Effective wage (in savings): $1.50 divided by 10 min. in line = $.15 in savings per minute, or +/- $9 an hour.

So if you need about 15 gallons, and you value your time at about $9 an hour or less on a Saturday afternoon, then its worth it. I personally don’t think its worth it, and I did everything possible to speed up the line process. I’d rather go to Chevron (with Techron) and spend the extra 1.50, avoiding the stress of the line and getting on with my day. However, if you need 20 gallons, and you’re also filling up some cans in the back of your truck, it might be more worth it.