Though gas prices are no longer at their peak, fuel still isn't cheap. Fortunately, drivers can still save money at the pump by using apps, credit cards and gas rewards programs.
Gas rewards credit cards are a great way to cut your transportation expenses — these cards offer higher rewards rates when you when you purchase gas.
On top of credit card rewards, enrolling in a gas rewards program is another option for saving money on fuel purchases. Typically, gas rewards programs are free, providing some number of cents back for every gallon of gas a consumer purchases.
For most, you'll be able to sign up on the website or through the app. You can then earn rewards by either entering your phone number when you buy gas or by paying with a debit or credit card that's been linked with your account. It's best to opt for a rewards program for a gas station that you visit frequently as many offer higher rewards rates to loyal customers. Some rewards programs also don't offer significant rewards, so you'll have to weigh whether the effort of signing up for these programs is worth the rewards.
Lastly, apps like Gas Buddy and AAA can be useful as they show users gas prices at nearby stations. Regardless of how you choose to save money on gas, there are many ways to do so. Below, Select looks at free gas rewards programs to help you decide which one is right for you.
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BPMe Rewards are available at qualifying BP and Amoco locations. Individuals will receive 5 cents back per gallon in the first month. After the first month, you must spend at least $100 on gas before receiving 5 cents back per gallon. This means your gas rewards won't kick in until you spend at least $100.
The rewards are automatically applied at the time of the transaction. In order to use the service, you can sign-up for the app or via the website.
People can link a debit or credit card or a PayPal account through the app in order to receive rewards. Cardholders who choose to pay with cash can redeem their rewards by providing their phone number at the time of transaction.
BPMe offers generous rewards for the first month of membership but in order to continue receiving those rewards, you have to be a big spender at BP and Amoco stations, purchasing at least $100 worth of gas before rewards kick in for that month
With the Exxon Mobil Rewards+™ program, individuals earn rewards on both gas purchases and convenience store or car wash transactions. The app is available in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
There are multiple tiers of membership for the Exxon Mobile Rewards+ Program. Most members will receive three points per one gallon of regular gas and two points for every one dollar spent at the convenience store or car wash. One hundred points is equivalent to one dollar worth of rewards. In other words, someone would need to purchase more than 33 gallons of gasoline from Exxon or $50 worth of purchases from the convenience store in order to get $1 worth of rewards.
You can also qualify for the Frequent Filler tier by purchasing 100 or more gallons of Synergy fuel per month. By doing so, members will earn four points per one gallon of regular gas and three points for every one dollar spent at the convenience store or car wash.
Premium members receive a higher rewards rate than frequent fillers — 6 points per gallon of qualifying purchases of Synergy Supreme+ gas, a premium gas with a higher octane level. In order to qualify for Premium status, you must fill up your tank with at least eight gallons of Synergy Supreme+ gas three times a month.
New members receive a bonus of 500 points which is worth $5. You can redeem your points through the app or by using a physical Exxon Mobil Rewards+ card.
Generally, people won't reap many rewards from this program unless they're purchasing a lot of premium fuel from Exxon Mobil and qualify for the higher rewards rate that the premium status offers. However, this means that you need to purchase 24 gallons of the Synergy Supreme+ gas.
With the Shell Fuel Rewards program, members are eligible to receive either three or five cents of rewards per gallon. All first time members qualify for the highest tier, the Gold tier, for six months.
The Gold tier gives members 5 cents back on every gallon, up to 20 gallons. This means you can potentially earn up to $1 for every Shell transaction. After the first three months, members are required to make at least 6 purchases of at least 5 gallons of gas within the next three months in order to maintain Gold status. In other words, first-time members get 5 cents back on every gallon for the first six months and are eligible to keep that reward rate if they continue to purchase gas through Shell.
If you don't make the minimum number of purchases to qualify for Gold, you'll be demoted to Silver status. With Silver status, you'll earn 3 cents back per gallon. You can be eligible for Gold again by making 6 fill-ups within three months.
There are three ways to receive your rewards: by using an alternative ID (phone number), your Fuel Rewards Card or a credit or debit card that's been linked through the app.
This is one of the most generous gas rewards programs on the market, providing infrequent Shell consumers 5 cents per gallon back on purchases.
The Circle K Rewards program is a relatively simple program to understand — cardholders earn 10 points per gallon of gas and 20 points for every one dollar spent on snacks, foods and non-alcoholic beverages. Once a member receives 2,000 points, they can redeem those points for $2. This means that members need to purchase 200 gallons of gas in order to receive $2 back.
You can sign-up online or through the Apple App or Google Play store. Members will receive a card before they register online or through the app.
Though the Circle K Rewards program is relatively straightforward program to understand, the benefits are quite measly as you must buy 200 gallons of gas to receive only $2 in rewards.
You can sign-up for Speedy Rewards either through the website or the app. Members earn 10 points per gallon of gasoline and 20 point for every dollar spent on merchandise
You can then redeem those points through the app or at the register. Circle K offers various types of rewards — from food at the convenience store to discounts on future gas purchases.
In order to earn rewards, members can use the digital card through the app or enter their phone number as an alternative form of identification. The Speedy Rewards program is a good choice for people who don't just want to redeem their points for cash-back on gas purchases.
On Citi's secure site
3X points per $1 spent at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and on hotels and air travel, 1X points on all other purchases
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
$95
None
21.24% - 29.24% variable
5% of each balance transfer, $5 minimum
None
Good/Excellent
See rates and fees. Terms apply.
Read our Citi Premier® Card review.
On the American Express secure site
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening
19.24% - 29.99% variable. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
2.7%
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
There are many gas rewards programs available, and consumers can get the most bang for their buck by enrolling in a program for stations that they visit frequently. However, you should note that not all of the programs offer generous rewards, so you should consider boosting your savings by using an app to help find cheaper gas or a credit card to get higher rewards rates on gas purchases.
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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card, click here.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
I need to replace my water heater. I've happily been using gas for the last 30 years and will continue to do so.
I have a minivan which will easily swallow the heater and all its packing material, but I'd have to lay it down to get it in. Are there any components inside the heater (or welds, etc. holding them together) which might be damaged by being transported for ~30 miles on its side?
The exact brand/model of heater to be purchased have not yet been determined, so I cannot consult the manufacturer's information to determine if this is permissible. Also, I've seen the boxes at the store and they all have a "This way up" arrow, so, of course, they're intended to remain upright.
I can get a truck to transport it upright if necessary, but that'll add 60+ miles to the trip to pick up the truck then the heater, then return the truck, and it'd be easier if I can avoid that.
My concern, which wasn't well articulated, may have been based on the assumption that there are a lot of internal workings in the heater itself, somewhat like this:
image courtesy of americanwaterheater.com. No endorsement intended or implied
While it appears that the majority of gas, tanked water heaters are probably more like this:
image courtesy of mrrooter.com. No endorsement intended or implied
i.e., I thought there were a lot of internal gubbins that might get broken if transported horizontally, while it appears that, most likely, I'll be buying a very simple (non-condensing) model that will have very few internal components to break if they're laid on their side.