So keep doing these 10 things and you’ll be sure to burn more money than you’d like at the pump. If you get tired of paying more than everyone else for gas, try cutting out one or more of these gas wasting habits and see how it lowers your gas bill.

1) Not planning your trips
Making multiple trips out that could have been combined into one big trip is an easy way to burn through extra gas. If the stores you are shopping at are all in the same direction then you’re doubling up on the miles to and from your house. It may seem like a small amount, but depending on the distance and how consistently you make this mistake you could easily burn through hundreds of dollars per gas every year.

2) Owning a gas guzzler
The easiest way to waste money on gas is to drive a vehicle that chugs gasoline. If you have the option of a vehicle that gets 17 miles per gallon and one that gets 26 miles per gallon that’s an enormous difference. On a 200 mile trip the gas guzzler will use an extra 4 gallons. At $3.35 per gallon that’s $13.40 for that single trip. Choosing a car that sips gas rather than chugs it is one of the easiest ways to not waste money on gas.

3) Neglecting car maintenance
Car maintenance can be expensive. Oil changes, tire rotations, oxygen sensors, and fuel filters can really add up if you stick to a strict maintenance schedule. But avoiding these items keeps your car out of peak condition. Your car’s engine will burn fuel more efficiently – which means better gas mileage – if you maintain a strict schedule for these items.

4) Ignoring tire pressure
Most vehicles need their tires to be inflated in the 32 to 34 PSI range. This keeps the tire at the appropriate size to perform safely. It also keeps them in condition to perform efficiently in miles per gallon. Tire pressure can change drastically if you don’t watch it. Aim to check your pressure at least once per month.

5) Carrying extra weight
Have you added some weight in your trunk to provide better traction during winter? For starters this may or not prove effective. Even if it does help with traction many people will leave that extra weight in the trunk all year long. Adding weight means it takes more power to move your vehicle. More power means more gas burned.

6) Driving above the speed limit
For most vehicles the optimal speed to highest gas mileage is around 55 miles per hour. If you’re driving at the speed limit of 70 miles per hour you’re already above the optimum range. The higher your speed the further down the miles per gallon curve you travel. Plus you’re risking a speeding ticket, and you’re really not getting to your destination that much faster.

7) Paying interest on gas purchases
Many people use a gas credit card to pay for gas purchases to earn points or cash back. That’s all well and good if you pay the bill off every month. However, one slip up and you’ll find yourself paying interest and financing charges on that gas expense. That’s a great way to waste money on gas.

8 ) Driving alone
Sharing the drive into work with another person could cut your commuting fuel costs in half.  Not only that, if you alternate who drives, it can make your car last longer as well. Of course carpooling is a hassle and it’s no fun having to wait on the other person when they’re stuck late at work.  However, if gas prices go high enough, ride-sharing might start to sound a lot more attractive.

9) Paying convenient prices
It’s easier to go to the gas station close to your home on your way home from work. But that station may have consistently higher prices than other stations that are still in your area. You can use consumer reporting services like Gas Buddy to see where the cheapest reported price is in your area.

10) Driving aggressively
Aggressive acceleration followed by aggressive braking followed by another round of acceleration is a great way to waste money on gas. By driving more smoothly you’ll increase your miles per gallon and save money over time.

Gas Survey Details
The survey analyzed 31 different gas rewards cards and how much money each card could save you based on how much you spend on gas each month plus the total amount of purchases you put on your card monthly.  The study looked at the savings from the perspective of three different typical household profiles, determined by 2006 numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How Much Can You Save on Gas?
The results suggest that choosing the top gas rewards card can save you anywhere from 1 – 4 cents per gallon over the worst performing gas card depending on which profile best matches your spending patterns.  Among the top five gas credit cards for each profile the savings range from half a cent to one cent apart between the different cards.  So stick with one of the top five cards, preferably the best one, and you should be okay.

Combined Purchases
Two of the profiles assume you don’t use a separate card for gas purchases.  For the first of these profiles (based on spending $1,500 per month on a single credit card - $200 of which is spent on gas) the survey lists the top five best gas rewards credit cards as:

• Blue Cash from American Express
• Chase Perfect Card
• Speedway SuperAmerica Mastercard
• American Express TrueEarnings
• Discover Open RoadNo longer available

The last profile (assumes $3,000 a month on one credit card, $400 of which is spent on gas purchases) recommends the same top four, with the Hess Visa rounding out the number five spot. The survey also looks at the benefits you can get from card signup bonuses and breaks those down by the savings during the first year of use.

Gas Card Only
If you have a separate rewards card that you only use for gas purchases then the survey suggests you’re better off with cards issued by oil companies, the numbers assume you spend an average of $400 a month on gas and make 80% of your purchases with the same gas company:

• Speedway SuperAmerica Mastercard
• Hess Visa
• Shell Platinum Mastercard
• Chase PerfectCard
• Sinclair Platinum Mastercard

Best Gas Credit Cards
Looking back at my earlier gas credit card review, all but one of the cards I suggested show up in at least one of the top five areas.  The Chase Freedom card was not included in the survey so it wasn’t ranked at all.

One of the things I noticed looking through all the numbers was that the American Express Blue Cash card was consistently a top performer in most scenarios, which is why we use it for a majority of our purchases.  The survey also notes how sticking with one gas company can pay off, for example the BP Visa is in the top 5 for each profile.

Gas Rebates
Saving on gas with gas rebates is something I’ve talked about before but I have to keep mentioning it. As the price of gas goes up, so do the gas rebates that they’re offering.  Our grocery store was running a special today, take your grocery receipt to the store owned gas station and save 25 cents off each gallon of gas.

These are unadvertised specials but they always seem to happen on Sundays. The gas clerk confirmed this pattern and said this was one of the best deals they’ve ever offered on gas.  So keep an eye on your local grocery chain if any of them have attached gas stations, especially on the weekends.

There was one guy at the gas station who had 6 gas cans in the back of his truck that he filled up before topping off his tank.  At 25 cents discount per gallon he saved a good chunk of change by “pre-buying” his gas.  I struck up a conversation with him in line that leads to the next way to save money on gas.

Gas Credit Cards
The guy with 6 gas cans was actually going to use two different credit cards to pay for the gas he had purchased.  The last time he had tried this approach he’d bought so much gas that he triggered the maximum gas purchase on his credit card.  He came prepared this time with both a Chase Freedom card and an American Express Blue Cash card.

Hey if you’re going to buy that much gas, why not earn some cash back on it? Those are both cards I mentioned in my review of the best gas credit cards to save you money at the pump.  The complexity level of this one is pretty low, simply pay with the gas rewards card and earn cash back.

Fuel Efficient Transportation
While the first two tips were about saving money on the gas you purchase, the next few cover reducing the amount of gas you use.  Several people at my office have started riding the bus to work and that’s cut way back on the gas they use each week.

Another of my co-workers bought a Toyota Prius Hybrid several years back when they first came out.  Most people couldn’t believe he waited 6 months and then paid a premium price for the hybrid car at the time but now they eye the gas mileage enviously.  In fact, his talk of savings talked another guy on his team into buying a Prius Hybrid. Plus the new Prius owner is saving even more money because he started carpooling in addition to having a fuel efficient car.

Working from Home
The next tip is more complex and could involve changing jobs. While it’s not a four day work week a former co-worker of mine took another job that lets him work from home on Wednesdays.  It wasn’t the sole deciding factor in his move but it certainly played a role.  In an even bigger step, one of his buddies is actually switching jobs so that he can tele-commute full time. 

The amount of money they’re saving by cutting out one or all of the commute days each week is substantial. Of course your company may not have these policies in place so you might have to work with your boss to save money on gas.

Moving Closer
The most involved tip I’ve seen in action so far is the strategy of moving closer to your regular driving destination.  My parent’s neighbors were both commuting between two different cities every day.  When gas prices were low it wasn’t a problem but their fuel bill was getting so high they decided to pack up and move. 

One of the people on my team at work drives over a hundred miles round trip to work and back each day.  He spends over $600 a month in gas, which is one of the reasons he’s considering moving out of the boonies and closer into town.

Gas Saving Summary
As I mentioned, each of these approaches requires different levels of changes in your life.  Using gas credit cards  and getting gas rebates is pretty easy while moving everything you own is a much bigger deal.  The nice thing is, it’s a free country so the choice of whether we want to follow some of the gas saving techniques or none of them is up to us.  I’d recommend at least starting small & easy and working your way up to bigger gas saving changes.

Desire to Drive Less
In a recent employee survey at my job, one of the most frequent requests was the option to work from home or work a four day week.  I have little faith that our company will allow these changes but there are governments and businesses around the country that are trying them out.

Government Reducing Energy Costs
Just last week, Utah announced it’s state workers would be in the office ten hours a day Monday through Thursday and that offices would be closed on Friday.  The state estimates it will save $3 million a year in energy costs by reducing lighting, heating, and air conditioning usage.  Of course, state employees will benefit by saving money on gas during the one year trial period.  Hopefully the government will deem the one year trial successful and the model will become more widespread.

Benefits of a Shorter Week
Not only would I save money on gas if I could work 4 days a week, I’d also save a lot of time and reduce my stress levels.  A major highway I drive on is down to one lane for summer construction making my afternoon commutes home a miserable, time-wasting experience.  Even when there is no construction, I spend at least an hour a day driving to and from work; which of course pales in comparison to some people who spend two or three hours a day commuting.

The gasoline savings have come in particularly handy for workers that are paid a lower hourly rate and have long commutes into work.  A local company put the four day work week into effect once gas prices hit $3 a gallon for this reason.  A lot of the workers were earning $8–10 an hour and spending $70 a week on gas, basically working almost one whole day just to pay for gas for the week.

Challenges of a Four Day Week
There are definitely people and companies that are opposed to working only four days a week.  I don’t see a way our office could shut down every Friday due to the needs of the industry we work in.  In addition, some salaried employees are already working 10 hour days, but for 5 days a week instead of 4.  Cutting back to only working Monday through Friday would probably make it challenging for the company to keep up with it’s current work load.

One issue encountered by the Utah state workers was finding child care for the longer hours.  Also, some workers that don’t drive to work but take the bus or commuter train instead were running into issues finding transportation earlier in the morning and later in the evening.

The MSNBC article included one lady who’s been working 10 hour shifts for a long time who brought up the fact it’s “harder to make doctor’s appointments and do other errands Monday through Thursday, and working longer hours can be rough.”

Adapting to the Times
It will be interesting to see how government and corporations respond to higher energy costs and how they can adapt their policies to help minimize these costs.  Personally, I’d love to work four ten-hour days so I hope the trend continues.  What do you think?  Do you already work longer shifts for fewer days?  If not, would you want to?

Gas Rebates for Groceries 
I’ve written before about grocery store chains that have installed gas stations alongside their stores and offer a discount on gas based on the amount of money you spend on groceries.  You show them your grocery receipt and they calculate your gas rebate based on a tiered savings structure, the more money you spend on groceries, the higher your gas discount.

Saving 15 Cents a Gallon
We were at the grocery store yesterday when they announced they would be offering all customers a discount of 15 cents a gallon on gas. Unlike the double cash back days that saved us money before, this was a blanket discount that applied no matter how much you spent on groceries.

Doubling Our Savings
Due to my having to work some over the holiday my wife and I each had our own car out and had met up at the grocery store. After checking out we headed over to the gas station and filled up both our cars from the same pump, getting the 15 cent discount for both cars! 

I’ve never used the same pump to fill up two cars but there was nothing in the rules that stated you couldn’t; once her tank was full, she set the gas nozzle to the side, pulled forward, and I filled up my car as well.  The 15 cents a gallon savings on top of the cash back from our American Express Blue Cash helped take some of the bite out of the money we spent traveling to see family over the holiday weekend.

Deals on Gas
I know this gas saving tip won’t apply to everyone but make sure to check your local grocery stores to see if they offer similar deals.  I know in the Mid-West, some Hy-Vee stores have the attached gas stations and there may be others as well.

“about two thirds of transactions at gas stations were with credit or debit cards in 2007”

Of course, not all of those are cashback cards but even so, that’s a lot of people who are earning some type of rewards for buying gas on credit. 

The reason that credit card companies offer cashback rewards is to encourage consumers to use their cards to pay for purchases.  They can afford to give you money back because they’re charging the merchants a fee to process the payment, so every time you swipe your card, credit card processors are making money.

Gas Stations Feeling the Pinch
The gas stations have always paid a percentage of each sale to the credit card companies. It’s been worth it to them to pay this amount because customers have come to expect gas stations to offer the convenience of payment with credit cards.  Paying at the pump with credit makes it easier and faster for customers to buy fuel, which is obviously a benefit to gas stations.

The problem that fueling stations are running into is that the percentage fee they’re charged increases along with the total cost of the transaction. I’m not sure the reason why the fee scale is setup this way, perhaps to help offset the risk of non payment to the credit card company as the dollar amounts increase.  Whatever the reason, as gas prices climb the fees take a bigger bite out of gas station profits. 

Owners are not happy about this and would like credit card companies to change their fee structure. The article explains the opinion of the National Retail Federation:

“Gas stations are paying more in interchange fees because the price of gas has gone up, while the cost of processing credit or debit cards remains the same.”

Gas Stations May Stop Accepting Credit Cards
Gas stations are working on regulations to address the fee structure but meanwhile some of them are no longer taking credit cards as forms of payment.  In fact, some stations may start offering discounts to customers that pay with cash.  One additional benefit of this change to gas station owners is that if people have to come inside to pay, they’re more likely to buy something else from the convenience store.

My Gas Payment Strategy
I’m going to continue to use credit cards to pay for gas as long as I can for several reasons.  Not only do I earn cashback on my card, I also use the credit card as a financial tracking tool.  My family hardly ever carries cash, instead we charge everything and just pay off the bill every month.  The simplicity of not needing cash and a consolidated tracking system is something we’ve gotten used to and that works for us.

The convenience of paying at the pump is another reason why I’ll continue to use plastic as long as I can.  Being able to avoid the trip inside and potentially waiting in line is a nice benefit, after all time is money. 

Going back to something I mentioned earlier, if I don’t go inside the gas station, I won’t buy anything in the convenience store.  Self control over buying junk isn’t a problem for me as an adult, however kids don’t have the same level of discipline and as our son gets older I have no desire to fight the “I want this gum daddy” battle every time I fill up.

No More Credit?
I doubt that every gas station will stop accepting credit cards but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it as a growing trend, especially for the smaller struggling stations.  We may look back and remember the “good old days” when every filling station took credit as payment : )  If you’re not taking advantage of gas rewards cards now you might consider it since it may be harder to do in the future.

Make Your Car More Fuel Efficient

Although we’re the ones shelling out more money for expensive gas, don’t forget your car is still the one doing all the work.  Make it easier for your car to drive and it will use less gas.

• Air Filter – studies at FuelEconomy.com suggest replacing the air filter in your car on a regular basis can improve the gas mileage that you get with your car by up to 10 percent.
• Alignment – improper alignment will cause a certain amount of engine drag, which will increase the amount of gas that you are using.
• Gas Cap – replace lost gas caps and make sure you put them on tight to avoid evaporation of fuel.
• Tire Pressure – You may reduce the fuel efficiency of your car by up to 2 percent for each pound that the tires are under-inflated.
• Vehicle Weight – avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. According to fueleconomy.gov an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle’s weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.

Save Gas with Your Driving Habits

How you drive your vehicle plays a big role in how much gas it uses.  For example, FuelEconomy.gov warns that aggressive driving wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Here are some things you can do to make your fuel go farther.

• Avoid speeding – “while each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.30 per gallon for gas.”
• No lead foot – Accelerating away from traffic lights increases the amount of gas used.
• Anticipate Stops – Keeping your eyes open for the need to stop down the road will help minimize the use of your brakes.  This will allow you to coast to a stop, instead of speeding up to a stop sign or stop light then slamming on the brakes.
• Avoid Idling – Your gas mileage while idling is 0 miles per gallon so avoid it when you can.
• Plan Your Trips – You can help prevent idling by avoiding the busiest driving times of the day when you have to sit in traffic.  Another benefit to planning your trips is you can combine all your errands into one outing and make your driving more efficient, saving you money on gas.
• Track Your Purchases – Use a fuel log to record mileage, gallons, and fuel costs.  Review your fuel buying habits periodically to look for potential improvements.

Pay Less for Gas

The most obvious way to do this is to buy a fuel efficient vehicle.  Thanks to high gas prices all automobile manufacturers want to tout themselves as fuel efficient nowdays.  When you’re shopping for a new vehicle, be sure to check out the fuel economy rating and gas mileage estimates before you buy.  FuelEconomy.gov points out

“the difference between a car that gets 20 MPG and one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $1,020 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $4.08). That’s $5,100 extra in fuel costs over five years!”

You can also lower your gas bill by using resources like GasBuddy to find the lowest fuel prices in your area.  Their motto is “consumers working together to save money on gas”.  After fueling up members of the site report the price they paid and the gas station name and location.  Anyone can search the site by zip code, it will report the price, station location, and the time the last price was posted.

A third way to spend less on gas is to simply avoid the more expensive high octane gasoline.

Gas Saving Tips

Some stores are offering discounts on gas tied to purchases you make in their store.  Save your receipt and it could save you several cents per gallon on gas.

Here’s a tip I received by email but have I’ve never used.  Can’t vouch for this one but it wouldn’t hurt to try. When you finish filling up your gas tank try turning the nozzle of the hose a full 180 degrees. This will drain a bit more gas into your tank; in some cases up to an entire half cup that would otherwise be a bonus to the next gas customer.

Use a gas credit card such as Discover Open Road to earn cashback on your gas purchases.  Here’s a review of the best gas credit cards to save you money at the pump.

Save Money with Public Transportation
I spent many years riding the bus as part of my daily commute during which time I saved thousands of dollars not just on gas but also on parking and wear and tear on my car.  Having lived in Europe for several years, where everyone rides the bus or the train, I was very comfortable taking public transportation.

In major urban areas in the US people are using to hopping on a bus but throughout suburbia many people are clueless about the ins and outs of public transport.  They’ve never had to use it and can be a bit intimidated by learning the system.  Sure it sounds simple, just catch the bus, but it’s a whole new experience and people tend to shy away from things they’re no familiar with.

I’m always amazed at how many questions people have about riding the bus.  I’ll try and address some of those here and give some tips for the best experience riding the bus.

Learn How to Read a Bus Schedule
Here’s an example of a bus schedule from Oklahoma City.  Let’s say you lived there and wanted to commute from your home at 22^nd. & Vine into work at 10th & Walnut every day. 

First off you’d notice that the schedule doesn’t list 10th & Walnut as a stop, not too worry.  Most schedules don’t list every stop, there simply wouldn’t be enough room, so they only publish the major stops.  The bus may go right by 10th & Walnut and even if it doesn’t, it will probably get you to within a few blocks of there.

Many bus schedules, such as this one, will include a map of the route on the back or at the bottom so can get a feel for where the bus travels.  If you don’t understand the map you can just call the local metro office and they’ll help you out. 

So in this example, lets say you need to be at work by 8 AM.  You could catch the bus at NE 20th & Vine at 7:32 and get off at NE 8^th & Lincoln at 7:52.  Notice you’d want the Inbound schedule, the Outbound schedule will list the times you can catch the bus in the evening on the way home. 

Also note that you want to look at the Weekday section of the schedule.  Most weekend routes are different, which can mean different pickup times and fewer trips.

Take a Trial Run
The best way to get comfortable with a bus route is to ride it on a day when you’re not in a hurry and there is no schedule breathing down your neck.  Most of us make a few mistakes the first time we try something, making a mistake is a big deal if you’re in a hurry but if you have time to spare a mistake isn’t such a big deal so take a trial run of the bus.

Get to the bus stop 10 minutes early the first time to get a feel whether the bus runs early, on time, or late.  Drivers try and meet the schedule but my experience has been that buses can come up to 5 minutes before or 5 minutes after the listed time due to traffic and other variables.  You can also ask the people waiting for the bus whether it runs early, late, or right on time.

Get on the Right Bus
Most buses will have the route number and the final destination displayed in the window.  Make sure you check it before you get on, don’t assume because a bus is stopping for you that it’s the one you want.  Different routes can share the same stops, just check with the driver the first time you get on.  Tell them where you’re headed and ask if it’s the right bus.

It might sound silly but don’t be afraid to ask.  I’ve seen people who are obviously riding the bus for the first time, too intimidated by the new environment to ask questions.  They end up getting on the wrong bus and going to the wrong place simply because they didn’t take 30 seconds to ask before getting on.

Paying Your Bus Fare
If you’re going to commute regularly I’d recommend buying a buss pass.  You almost always save money with a pass as opposed to paying for each trip individually.  You might also be able to get cheaper fares through your job.  It’s also easier, you just get on and swipe your buss pass rather than having to fumble around with putting in money every time.  If you are going to pay with cash be aware many buses have automated ticket booths that only accept exact change.

Getting Off the Bus
Obviously you’ll want to take a schedule along with you the first time you ride the bus.  As you get closer to your destination start to pay attention to where you’re stopping and how close you are to where you want to get off.  One way to do it is tell another rider where you want to get off and ask them to let you know when its coming up.  The bus will either have a button to push or a cord to pull to let the driver know you want to get off at the next stop. Make sure you signal before you get to your stop or the driver might just drive on by.

If you have to switch busses as part of your commute, make sure to ask the bus driver for a transfer.  Most metro systems allow you to travel across multiple bus routes for one fare if they’re all part of one trip.  If you forget to ask for a transfer the driver of the next bus you get on will ask you to pay again.  If the whole reason you’re riding the bus is to save money you don’t want to have to pay twice for the ride.

Combining Driving and Riding
Of course riding the bus won’t eliminate the need for spending money on gas.  Some days you’ll have to drive in because you need to get there early, leave late, or maybe run errands after work.  Depending on where you live you may also have to drive partway into town to a park and ride, parking your car in a lot designed for commuters then catching the bus from there.

Even though you won’t eliminate your gas bill completely, riding public transportation can drastically cut the amount you spend on gas.  Combine that with strategies such as getting cashback with one of the best gas credit cards and gas rebates from grocery stores and the prices at the pump won’t take quite the same bite out of your paycheck.

Cheap Public Transportation
Ask around at work whether your company offers any discounts on the cost of public transportation.  I can buy a $65 bus pass for only $15 through my human resources department.  The company has some agreement with the local government where they offer discounted bus passes and I’m guessing get tax breaks in return.  The city probably wants to cut down on the amount of cars, congestion, pollution coming into the downtown and work with employers to make that happen. The bus pass is paid for through payroll deduction and they mail new ones to your house right before the old one expires.

Share a Ride
Our company has a program where they facilitate car pooling among employees. They have web accessible software where you can find other commuters in your area to share a ride to and from work with.  One thing that makes car pooling an useable option for many people are scenarios where they need to stay late but are unable to since their ride is leaving. 

If your boss makes you stay late and miss your ride, ask the company to pay for it. My employer has a program that will guarantee you a ride home if you’re a car pooler and have to stay late for work.  They’ll make special arrangements to get you home if it’s necessary for you to stick around longer to finish up company business.

Telecommute
Broadband access and virtual private networks make it possible for many companies now days to allow their employees to work from home.  The biggest sticking point here is probably company policy, your boss, or one of their bosses may not like the idea of people working from home. It seems like some of the bigger companies have blanket policies on telecommuting but smaller companies are more flexible in dealing with individual situations on a case by case basis. 

Talk with your boss about working from home, maybe start negotiating with just one afternoon or day a week.  Skipping the entire commute can not only save you gas money; it can save time and prevent stress as well.  Check out the book “The 4–Hour Workweek” for more information on talking your boss into letting you work remotely.  Read the chapter called “Disappearing Act – How to Escape the Office”.

A Numbers Game – Convincing Your Boss
One of the keys to getting your boss to save you money on gas is to not make them feel the financial pain of the savings.  If you can utilize company programs that don’t come directly out of your manager’s budget, they’re much more likely to be agreeable to the plan. 

Your boss’s job is making their portion of the budget profitable, if you’re dipping directly into those profits they’re more likely to resist.  In cases where it does directly affect their bottom line, if you can demonstrate that you can offset or even overcompensate for the expenses, an example would be working more efficiently or effectively from home, then they may be more willing to bargain.

Saving Money on Gas
For more tips on cutting your gas bill, check out the best gas rewards credit cards and how you can use gas rebates from grocery stores to lower your bill.

Gas Rebates for Purchases
Some grocery store chains have installed gas stations alongside their stores and will give you a discount on gas if you take your receipt along to show how much you spent in the store.  They typically use a tiered savings structure, the more money you spend on groceries, the higher your gas discount.

When I first heard about this promotion I thought maybe they just kept the price of their gas higher to make up for the difference but after some price comparison I determined they had similar fuel prices as other gas stations on the same street.  We do a majority of our shopping at this grocery store so our bills get pretty big and can bump us up into the higher savings tiers.

Double – Double Cashback
What I recently discovered is that on certain days of the week they have a “Double Day” where they’ll double the discount you get on gas.  After grocery shopping last night we took our receipt over to the gas station to find a nice surprise, two surprises actually.

First off, it was a Double Day so we doubled our savings on gas.  We only needed half a tank of gas but as I got out of the car I discovered the second surprise.  The car before us had left their receipt at the pump and had spent almost twice as much we. I realized right away that due to the way they give their gas discounts I could use their receipt to almost double our already doubled fuel savings. 

How I Saved 11.9% on Gas

1) Filled up our gas tank and paid with our American Express Blue Cash card that earns cash back on gas.

2) Earned Double Cash back from Grocery Store Chain. Took grocery receipt to gas station on double savings day to redeem gas discount.

3) Submitted Receipt for almost Double the Amount we Paid.  The picture shows our receipt along with the one from the previous customer.  Not everyone takes advantage of the gas savings, they just left their receipt at the pump.  When I took the grocery receipt and gas receipt into the gas station to redeem our rebate, I just gave them the gas receipt for the higher amount. We’d only spent $25.63 on gas but I was trying to get cashback for $46.00

The lady behind the counter pulled out her calculator, figured out 6.9% of the higher gas bill, and handed me the cash.  I did have my receipt in my pocket just in case she questioned the one I gave her but she didn’t blink and I was shortly out the door with a total savings of almost 12%!

When I took a look at the best gas rewards credit cards I mentioned that the Chase BP Visa does offer 10% back on gas for the first two billing cycles but I don’t know where you can find almost 12% savings on gas.  I’ll definitely keep my eyes open for their next double savings day and discarded receipts, with the price of gas as high as it is every little bit of savings makes a difference.