Save Money on Gas

Guest Writer:  Ruth Morse

I am really ticked at the upward trend in gasoline prices lately. Let's face it, I've been ticked at the price of gasoline for 3-4 years!

I would like to tell you I've found a way to buy gas for 99 cents a gallon.

But I haven't.

I do have one money saving tip, though:

NEVER PAY THE PUMP PRICE FOR GAS.

How? Look around for stations that offer discounts.

Kwikfill has had a 5 cent a gallon discount for years; you just use one of their cards—you do have to be willing to have all your purchases come in a whopping bill once a month. That's not for me.

We have a gas station a few miles down the road from us.....
 that is a rather small NYS chain: Fastrac. If you get their card, your purchases are treated like a debit card and come out of your checking account. They offer 7 cents a gallon off Monday through Saturday and, even better, 10 cents a gallon off on Sundays.

One step better than that: some grocery stores have gasoline discounts tied to their store cards. For every $50 of groceries you buy [and how hard is THAT], you get 10 cents a gallon off whatever brand gas is part of of their deal. For us, Price Chopper is the closest store with such a plan. And, what's more, Price Chopper has a pharmacy and purchases at the pharmacy also go toward the gas discounts. In the last 6 months or so, Jim and I have racked up more time at the pharmacy than at the food part of the store. Twice lately we've had discounts of 90 cents a gallon off our gas!

Here's another way to beef up your store card purchases: buy gift cards at the grocery. They also go toward the gas discounts.

In fact, it makes a lot of financial sense to buy YOURSELF gift cards. If you are headed to Lowe's, stop at Price Chopper on the way and get yourself a $50 gift card. Going to Best Buy? Macy's? Walmart? Buying on amazon.com? Need some iTunes money? Eating out at Outback, Applebees, Olive Garden? Get a gift card at Price Chopper and use the card yourself.

Now, hold onto your hat, this next one gets really convoluted: you can purchase PRICE CHOPPER GIFT CARDS for yourself at Price Chopper. You get the gas points when you buy the card and then you also get gas points when you SPEND the gift card. Kind of double dipping. At least, I think it works that way. I have not been savvy enough yet to pull this deal off. I'd have to take a nap afterward!

The gas discount purchases are limited to 20 gallons of gas. Our cars do not hold anywhere near 20 gallons. Heard of one lady who did her own double dipping: she filled up her car and, before she finalized the transaction, she then put enough gas in her husband's car to get the maximum 20 gallons. Some cards may prohibit this. Others don't say.

So get out there and save yourself some money! It can be done.

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...and one more thing......
uh, I'll get back to you when I remember it.
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The Cheap Senior Citizen is a Guest Writer who occasionally shares helpful hints she has learned through her experience.
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