http://www.detnews.com/2004/commuting/0 ... 182480.htm
Prepaid gas cards pay off
By Tom Greenwood / The Detroit News
Comment on this story
Send this story to a friend
Get Home Delivery
Looking for a way to fight all those high prices at the gasoline pump?
Take a tip from reader Tom Dodson, who e-mailed me some advice on how to save money every time you fill up. Here’s what Dodson had to say:
“I find it ironic that people complain about the price of gasoline, but will not take a simple step to reduce the cost. I went into a Speedway station and purchased a $25 fuel card for $23, which is an 8 percent discount.
“At $2.049/gallon, I saved 16 cents per gallon on the same gasoline that another patron was pumping on the other side of the island; and compared to patrons at gasoline stations on the other corners.
“The other person pumping gas was criticizing the price of the gasoline, but she wasn’t willing to make the trip into the store to purchase a Speedway fuel card and the corresponding 16-cent discount per gallon.”
Dodson said he’s been buying the fuel cards for years, and they usually offer at least a 4-percent savings.
“At graduation and Christmas time, Speedway bumps it up to 8 percent,” Dodson said.
“Before the end of the month, I’ll put $400 on a fuel card, qualify for 368 frequent flier miles for putting the fuel card on my Northwest credit card, and pay only $368 to buy $400 in fuel. Regardless of the pump price, my 8-percent saving is locked in.”
Sounds pretty good to me, so I decided to check it out and ended up talking to Speedway spokeswoman Linda Casey.
“Speedway has been offering the prepaid fuel cards for some time now,” Casey said.
“Many customers also buy them as gift cards. You receive a 4-percent discount every time you buy a $50 card or higher. In May and June, you also get $2 off a $25 gift card, which equals an 8-percent savings.”
Casey said she regularly purchases the cards for her college student daughter.
“I buy her the prepaid card which she can use to fuel up, buy snacks or beverages or personal care items in the Speedway store,” Casey said. “You can buy as many as you want and that 4-percent savings adds up.”
I checked this further by going on line and it turns out that numerous gasoline chains offer similar cards — plus you might also consider putting your fuel purchase on your Visa or MasterCard if it offers a cash rebate on purchases.
“Typically I purchase $100 at a time,” he said.
“During the promotion periods it’s at 8 percent. The current promotion ends June 30, when it will likely fall back to 4 percent. I drive a lot, and my pickup carries 35 gallons and my Jeep holds 20.
“It’s effortless for me to spend $100. Whether the prices drop or go up, I’ll save my 4 or 8 percent as long as Speedway is competitive with the other brands.
“I can go in and charge $50 to the card, pay $46 for it, and pump the entire value into my truck at one fill up. Meanwhile, I save $4 for buying the card first.”
want to save money on gas?
want to save money on gas? -
06-15-2004, 02:08 PM
Linear Mode
