Rewards at the pump
Posted on June 4th, 2008 – 1:30 PMBy Kara McGuire
I joined the Speedy Rewards gas loyalty program because they have a deal on gallons of milk.
I was so oblivious to gas prices until recently (hey, a girl can only care about so much when it comes to saving money), that it failed to dawn on me that I bet a gas station rewards program had perks at the pump in addition to the dairy case.
It was only recently that I began using the coupons for Holiday Stations that print out after spending money for groceries at Cub Foods. Why would I walk all the way inside instead of pay at the pump to save a few pennies, I figured.
Then when I’m at Costco, which is less often these days, I fill up there. The warehouse clubs typically have gas that’s a few cents cheaper than nearby stations.
How do you save money on gas? Are you a fan of one particular rewards program over another? Share your strategies.
10 Responses to "Rewards at the pump"
There’s an interesting article in the WSJ today about fuel saving gadgets (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121253615580242807.html)
Short answer: Don’t waste your money, they don’t really work. The smart money is on changing your driving habits.
We have started to use the cub coupons at holiday. You can use up to 3 at a time (up to 12 gallons of gas). Our average bill at cub is $100, so we can save up to 30 cents a gallon. It may be only $3.60, but hey, its something…
I think the real answers are things people don’t want to hear: shorten your commute by living close to work…and don’t complain about gas prices if you drive a car that gets 15mpg or less.
I would not want another card in the wallet. Costco works for us.
I just learned a new way to double-up on Cub/Holiday coupons. I purchased a $300 gift card (to get a free $30 added through a promotion encouraging people to use their economic stimulus checks at Cub). At the service counter, I received a 30-cents-off Holiday coupon when I bought the gift card. Then, when I used the card to buy $120 in groceries, I got another 12-cents-off Holiday coupon.
Not only that, but I paid for the gift card with a credit card that gives me an airline mile for every dollar spent. Win-win-win.
I will now use Cub gift cards to buy all my groceries.
Check out American Express Business Credit Card. 5% off on Gasoline and among other things 5% off Cellphone bills. I for one like almost getting a gallon of gas free when I fill up on a empty tank! For example a $50 fill will garner you back $2.50 alone! AMEX is accepted at almost every gas station (save Walmart’s) and will start paying for itself with little hassle immediately!
See
http://www.mymoneyblog.com/archives/2007/02/my-favorite-business-rewards-credit-cards.html
Also for other great credit cards
I try not to drive.
I take the bus, walk and ride my
bike. My car is 20 years old
and I fill it up every two months.
If you really want to start saving money, you have to start by evaluating what you buy and why you buy it. Start at the grocer by cooking at home and using more of the basics. Clip coupons, but only for the items that are your usual brands. If there is a buy one get one, then stock up. As far as the gas, think about where you are driving and why? Try sharing with a coworker or a neighbor or public transport once a week, then twice a week. Try walking or biking to the park with your kids instead of driving. Afterall, if you want to save the planet for your kids. . . you have to set the example. And, isn’t a little exercise good for everyone! I think it is time for us all to stop and use a little common sense! You will surprise yourself and probably be quite happy you did.
I use a rewards credit card for ALL my gas purchases. Then I use the money/gift cards I’ve earned for gifts. It works great!
If I may be so immodest, my Web site just did a survey comparing the major gasoline rewards cards available nationwide.
We also did a story to go with it, that reports on the trend of people switching away from one-company gas cards and going with multipurpose rewards cards. That way, when you see any station with cheap gas, you can pull in — and get rewards points, too.
The chart is at http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/compare-gas-credit-cards-1277.php
and the story is at http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/gas-credit-cards-1277.php
(I’m the editor in chief at the site.)
I LOVE the idea of using Cub gift cards for all groceries. Brilliant!
We use The Grocery Game (http://www.thegrocerygame.com), a site which tracks grocery store sale trends (Cub, locally) to tell you the best times to use your coupons.
