With the average gas price now over $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022, everyone is feeling pain at the pump. But for lawn care and outdoor services providers, it’s a one-two punch. They’re using discounts and better route optimization to save on gas — things you can do too.
How big of an impact are the rising gas prices having on outdoor services providers? We asked our LawnStarter and Lawn Love pros, more than 26,000 independent contractors facing this pain at the pump when they fill up their trucks and buy fuel for their lawn care equipment.
“I went from $30 to $40 a tank to $65 right now for my truck,” says lawn and pool care pro Carlos Garza, who owns NC Dip and Clip in San Antonio.
Gas Cards Save on Every Fillup
One of Garza’s secrets? “I use Sam’s Club and Circle K gas cards for discounts.”
John Heckard, a lawn care pro in Oklahoma City, uses the Fuel Forward app to save 15 cents a gallon all the time, and “special days like holidays are even more – sometimes 30 or even 40 cents discounts.”
Chelsea Morris, owner of High-Class Grass in Virginia Beach, says, “I use every discount I come across. I use my points to get 10-15 cents off per gallon via an app called Upside that has great discounts and deals for cash back.”
Buy Now, Save Later
Thinking ahead has paid off for Justin Stultz, owner of Wildflower Lawn Care in Hutto, Texas. “I bought about 20 gallons of gas for my equipment about a month and a half ago, and that has saved me a few bucks, I’m sure.
“It’s going to be rough if this gets out of hand,” he adds. “I’ve been hearing talk of $200 a barrel on the news. I think that comes out to over $7 a gallon. Definitely getting battery equipment then.”
The national average gas price on April 1, 2026, was $4.06, according to AAA. In spring 2022, that average gas price topped $4, setting a record. That average gas price climbed to $5.016 in June 2022 before it started falling.
Switch from Gas to Electric Mowers, Trimmers
How else are lawn care, landscaping, and pool service pros coping with rising gas prices? They’ve switched from gas-powered to electric tools, or they’re considering doing so. One lawn care pro has even switched from a gas-powered truck to an EV truck to get from job to job.
“I already use electric mowers and that saves me a bunch in gas and maintenance, with the tradeoff being battery quantity/reliability,” Garza says.
Stultz says, “I’m really considering getting electric trimmers and a blower. Honda’s battery-powered electric push mower might be hitting my trailer bed before too long.”
Lawn care pro Arely Elrod, owner of JALER LLC in Parrish, Florida, says, “The biggest expense we used to have was fuel for the truck,” but he’s had EV (electric vehicle) truck for about two years.
Route Optimization: More Jobs, Fewer Miles Traveled
“We have been piling our jobs on less days,” Elrod says. “We used to try to stay around 15 jobs max each day. We are easily doing over 20 now to save on cost.
“Route optimization is key for saving time and money,” he adds.
Clustering jobs saves time and gas. Route optimization tools, built into LawnStarter’s pro app (and similar services’ apps), help lawn care pros to get more work done using less fuel. Shorter trips from job to job cut down on fill-ups.
Upsell Higher-Paying Outdoor Service Jobs
Offering different, higher-paying jobs is a way Garza is trying to make up for rising gas costs. “I am trying to upsell higher-return options like weed control and lawn treatments and other major hardscaping jobs to offset the increased price for gas.”
Garza knows how to do a whole lot more than just lawn mowing. He is featured in our pro training videos showing other lawn care pros how they can trim bushes, weed flower beds, clean gutters, clean up leaves, and do yard cleanups in spring and fall.
How Everyone Can Save on Gas Prices Now
Record gas prices will goose the cost of groceries, airline tickets, and all sorts of consumer products at small businesses and big-box stores. Short day trips likely will replace long summer road trips or fly-away vacations with the family.
How can all of us – lawn care pros and everyone else – save on gas prices now?
Fleet cards: Small businesses can save at every trip to the pump, and bigger small businesses save even more. There are a host of fleet card options, so check with your preferred gas station. Here are two examples of the possible savings.
- QuikTrip fleet cards: Save up to 5 cents per gallon with Fleetmaster and Fleetmaster Plus cards. (Introductory bonus: Sign up now and save 20 cents a gallon for the first 90 days.)
- Meijer Fleet Card: Save up to 5 cents per gallon at Meijer gas stations in the Midwest.
Warehouse club gas prices: Saving 5 or 10 cents a gallon quickly will cover your annual membership fee at Sam’s Club, Costco, and BJ’s.
Supermarket fuel perks: Your everyday spending at the supermarket adds up to cents off per gallon at select gas stations. Check with your favorite grocery if it’s not listed below.
- Albertsons and Safeway store rewards will save you 10 cents a gallon.
- A Meijer credit card will save you 10 cents a gallon at Meijer gas stations.
- With Kroger’s Fuel Points program, you earn 1 fuel point for every dollar you spend.
Gas Station/Convenience Store Savings at the Pump Include:
- 7-Eleven: Fuel your rewards with 7Rewards (25 cents off per gallon for first 3 fills, 7 cents off per gallon for next 7 fills, and the ability to price lock gas in your area for 4 days.
- QT Pay at the Pump: This is what I use to save 10 cents a gallon by paying at the pump (with QT taking payment from my checking account instead of with a credit card, which avoids credit card swipe fees for QT).
- Shell Fuel Rewards: Save 5 cents a gallon at Shell stations.
Switch to battery-powered or electric mowers, trimmers, and blowers: Look for sales online ahead of Father’s Day, Prime Day, Black Friday, and spring. Check manufacturer websites, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, and other store websites.
And if you’re a lawn care pro or homeowner in California, check for county or city incentives to help lower the cost of making the switch to eco-friendly lawn care equipment. (Your city or county may have similar gas-to-electric lawn care equipment incentives.)
Bonus savings? Some shopping portals affiliated with credit cards or airlines will save you an extra 5%-10% on lawn care equipment.
Plan/group your shopping trips: Get all you can in one trip out and group your stops close together to save on gas. LawnStarter’s app does this for pros, but you can do this too if you plan ahead.
For me, this means hitting the post office in the same plaza as my gym. Even better if I can walk to the post office and gym and back.
Cross state lines: If you live in a city bordering another state (like St. Louis, which is my hometown) gas prices may be lower on the other side of the river or state line. Make the trip to save, but you may have to wait as it’s likely many others had the same great idea.
GasBuddy gas price app: Knowing where low gas prices are in your city or region can help you to save, but, as a LawnStarter pro told me 4 years ago, prices change throughout the day so low prices may be gone in a flash. You don’t want to drive all over town chasing the lowest gas price.
Walk/Bicycle/Mass Transit: Leave your car in the driveway or parking garage and use your feet or pedal your way to the CVS or Walgreens. Or take a bus, subway, or train to get to work or watch your favorite team play. You’ll see more walking – everything is in bloom, and you’ll likely be surrounded by like-minded fans to and from the game.
Look for local or national commuter benefits apps that will reward you for leaving your car in the driveway or garage.
If you have a fuel savings tip you’d like to share, email [email protected]. If you want to help your LawnStarter or Lawn Love pro with higher fuel costs, you can tip him or her for a job well done. Tips are doubled for our Platinum pros.
Main Image: A lawn care truck and gas cans illustrate rising fuel costs. Image Credit: Jeff Herman with text overlay
