Gas Rebate Cards: Better than walking to work!
With the national average of gas per gallon costing about $3.29, the idea of filling up has people cringing, especially those with larger vehicles or a long commute to work every morning. Many have even resorted to turning their vehicles into moving billboards in order to ease the pinch of gas prices from their monthly budgets. Yep, that’s right, turning their vehicles into moving billboards. From what I have gathered from www.freegashelp.com, you agree to let them put advertisements on your car and they give you free gas every month. Not a bad deal, really, but the requirements are kind of tough and they reserve the right to refuse any vehicle for any reason.
On a more realistic note, a good way to combat the inflation of gas prices (and save money if a recession hits!) is to consider a gas card. There are a variety of them out there so you’re sure to find one that meets your needs. There are the traditional gas credit cards offered through the gas stations themselves like BP, Exxon, and Shell. And then there are the credit cards offered through the major companies who offer rebates on qualifying purchases such as gas, groceries, and dining out. Some cards offer rebates as high as 10% in which you can receive the rebate back as cash, certificates, or credit towards your bill, depending on the card. So, for a $50 gas purchase at a 10% rebate, you save $5. Depending on how many times you fill up a month that can add up to a pretty hefty savings!
Some of these gas cards also offer rebates for the qualifying purchases I mentioned above. The percentage is typically lower, but depending on how you use your card and the frequency that you use it, you may be able to rack up a good deal of those rebates. If your card allows the option of a credit to your statement, it’s best to select that one initially to see the savings. If you’re saving, then great! If not, it may be time to consider a new strategy. But, to really maximize the rebates, try to pay your statement off every month before it’s due, that way you don’t have to pay finance charges. It’s the best of both worlds, save money on gas and don’t pay interest as you do it!
Now, it should go without saying that when choosing a credit card for the purposes of gas rebates, you must still use it responsibly and consider any purchases you make. However, because it’s so important, I’ll say it anyway. Too many people fall into the trap of using a rebate card for unnecessary purchases just so they can get the rebates, but then don’t pay it back on time or go over their limit, etc. This type of behavior doesn’t help you at all. In fact, it’s more damaging than what the rebates are worth. So, if you opt to go for this type of card, make sure that you stick to your allotted budget.
I always recommend doing your homework when looking at different cards. While some have incredibly attractive rebates, they may not offer very competitive interest rates. And keep in mind that most rebate cards will have higher APRs than a plain Jane card anyway. The idea is to find the right balance, just in case you don’t pay it off at the end of the month.
Happy hunting!
P.S: You might want to start with:
I know a girl who signed up to put the magnets on her car. She had a troll car for a couple of months. They pay well from what I understand but it seems like a lot of red tape to go through. If they think you didn’t do what they require for any reason then you don’t get paid.
You’ve been tagged.
Also, the American Express Blue Cash card: gives you 0.5% on regular purchases and 1.5% on all gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases.
Once you put $6500 on the card in a calendar year, though, you get 1.5% / 5% back for the rest of the calendar year *unlimited*. If you are a large spender or have other methods of shoving large numbers of purchases through the card (i.e. can put reimbursable work expenses on it), it can work out quite well.