How to save 14% on your gas costs!

There is a strategy that can save you 4 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent or even 14 percent of your gas purchases. If you are a smart consumer you can save a lot of money.

This method utilizes credit cards that offer rebates on fuel or other gas station purchases. The correct card can substantially lower your cost of gas. You save without having to do any maintenance on your car. This savings method costs nothing at all.

Many gas companies offer credit cards that pay rebates on gas purchases. The typical card will rebate you 10% on your gas purchases for the first two or three months and then rebate you 5% on your gas purchases thereafter.

For example, a credit card currently being offered that has such a program is a BP card. The BP card will pay 10% on purchases including gas, at their BP branded stations for the first two billing periods. The rate becomes 5% thereafter.

The example just listed are issued for a specific gas company. There are also general market credit cards that will provide you with a discounts off your gas costs.

Many card companies have cards that have rebate amounts for gas. For example: currently Discover Card has a Discover Gas Card. This card will provide you with a rebate of 5 per cent of the gasoline you purchase. This card also provides a 1 per cent rebate on other purchases.

More examples: Chase has a gas Card that will give you a rebate of 6% for gas purchases for the first 60 days and then gives you a 3% rebate. Citicard has a similar program.

The credit cards that offer rebates only at specific branded stores and the general market cards have disadvantages and advantages. The credit card from the gas company pays the rebate only at the gas company's own stations. The general market card advantage is that you can use this card to buy fuel anywhere and you still get the rebate.

The general market credit card only pays 6% even at it's highest rebate, but the gas company issued card provides 10 percent rebate for the initial period. In this instance the advantage on the size of the rebate is with the gas company card.

That is the main strategy for getting a discount of anywhere from 4 percent up to 10 percent. Certainly any rebate is welcome in light of the cost of gasoline. 4% is good and 10% is even better. But there may be a way to cut your cost of gas even more. Maybe even to 14%.

Pre paid gas cards or gasoline gift cards are sold at most gas stations. Usually these prepaid cards are discounted. You may have to wait for certain promotions but in general you can find one that is discounted. For example by spending $48 on a $50 gift card, you can use the card for $50 worth of gas but it only cost you $48.00.

The card allows you to buy $50 worth of gas but you only pay $48 for it. That is equal to a 4% discount.

Now here is where the extra savings comes in. If you purchase the prepaid card using the gas company credit card during the initial period when you are getting a 10% rebate you will get a 10% rebate on the prepaid card.

If you purchase a prepaid card that provides a 4% discount, the $48 dollar card for $50 dollars worth of gas, you are adding to your savings.

You are getting a 10% rebate on the prepaid card purchase using the rebate credit card and you are getting a 4% savings by purchasing the prepaid gift card. Therefore the total you are getting is 14%. The 10% savings + the 4% savings or 4+10=14. Now you have just saved yourself 14% on your gas purchase.

By: Scott Siegel

Scott Siegel has written a 143 page manual of automotive industry insider secrets on saving gas and money at the gas pump. Visit us to learn how you can Increase fuel economy . Find out how to save gas and money.
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