How to Save Money on Gas Using Gas Rebate Credit Cards |
|---|
|
Barry Boggs, Jr.
March 28, 2006
There are 7 simple steps to help you save up to 25 cents per gallon or more on gas purchases using gas rebate credit cards.
1) Know the rebate percent. It sounds simple but some cards give a 10% rebate and others only give a 3% rebate on gas purchases. Most cards give a 1% rebate on non-gas purchases. You should pick the card that pays out the highest rebate.
2) Know the limits of the rewards. Some cards only pay out a rebate on the first $1200 you spend each year and other cards have a limit on the rebate itself, such as giving back $50 or $400 per year.
3) Apply for new cards when you hit your rebate limit. There is no law limiting you to only one gas rebate card. After you've hit your rebate limit, that gas reward card isn't doing you any good so you should apply for a new card as soon as possible.
4) Apply for cards for specific gas stations in your area if any are available. This type of gas reward card typically has the highest rebate percentage. The Chase Hess rebate card gives a 10% rebate (that's 25 cents off at $2.50 per gallon) at Hess gas stations, but that won't help you if you don't live in an area with a nearby Hess gas station.
5) Be responsible. Pay your balance in full as soon as you receive your statement. A 4-10% rebate is worthless when you have to pay 17% or more in interest charges. This doesn't apply if the card has a 0% Intro APR and you are within the intro period; however, the intro period doesn't last forever so you should still pay your full balance monthly.
6) Transfer your balance if necessary. If you find yourself in debt when the intro period is almost over or when you’ve maxed out your rewards, you can apply for a gas credit card that accepts balance transfers. This will allow you to transfer your balance without having to pay interest and you’ll start collecting more gas rewards.
7) Make sure the card has no annual fee and a 0% Introductory APR. There are too many credit cards on the market for you to have to pay an annual fee, since this defeats the purpose of getting rebates. Also, you'll want a 0% Introductory APR in case you aren't able to pay your balance in full every month.
From peak oil to Iran’s nuclear weapons program and other conflicts in the Middle East, most experts agree that high oil prices are hear to stay. The good news is that if you follow the seven simple steps above you'll be on your way to saving money at the pump.
About the Author
Barry Boggs Jr is the webmaster for http://www.Gas-Credit-Cards.com, a website that is dedicated to showing consumers how to save money on gas through the proper usage of gas rebate credit cards. He can be contacted at bboggs@ncsreporting.com.