CLEVELAND, Ohio — Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Many gas stations are advertising two different prices. One much cheaper than the other, in some cases.
Putting in the legwork for the cheaper price could save the typical driver $60 to $180 a year, whether a dime a gallon at Circle K, or up to 30 cents a gallon at Giant Eagle’s GetGo stations, just to name a couple examples in Greater Cleveland.
Both discounts require signing up for a loyalty program and letting the gas stations withdraw money directly from your checking account.
Your mileage and savings will vary. Here’s how I came up with $60 to $180 a year.
An average driver travels about 15,000 miles a year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The average vehicle sold in 2020 got 25 miles to the gallon. So, that driver will buy roughly 600 gallons of gas each year.
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GetGo’s AdvantagePay discount, which ranges from 5 cents to 30 cents a gallon, would save the driver anywhere from $30 to $180 each year, since the discount varies. (Lately, this as been anywhere from 10 cents to 30 cents.) Circle K with its steady discount of 10 cents through Easy Pay would save $60 a year.
Another way to think about it. For my Toyota Camry, with a 17-gallon tank, every 41st tank is free when gas is 10 cents off.
But no one is a “typical driver.”
I drive a 14-mile round trip commute once a week, so my savings are minimal. Meanwhile someone driving 30,000 miles a year could save up to $360 with GetGo, and $120 with Circle K.
Both discount programs are free but require linking to your bank account. Instead of the charge going on your credit card, the money comes from your checking account soon after each purchase.
To maximize the savings, you would have to buy every drop of fuel at the same gas station chain. This last part may be more doable than you think. My credit card tracks my gasoline spending, and more than half of it was at one Circle K near my last home.
So, are these two gas cards worth it? For a lot of people they are.
These are just some examples found around Greater Cleveland that are more heavily advertised by the gas stations.
Another way to save are Warehouse clubs. According to Consumer Reports, Costco and Sam’s Club are often 5 to 25 cents lower per gallon. You pay for membership, but you could also save on groceries.
Friends of mine also swear by Unleaded 88, a fuel option offered at Sheetz that’s cheaper but has more ethanol than your average unleaded 87 gasoline.
Once you start getting credit cards and cashback into the mix, the math gets fuzzy, since some gas station discounts make you pay with debit.
For example. At $3-a-gallon, Circle K’s Easy Pay gets you a 3.4% discount. But a Costco card gives you 4% cashback on gasoline.
Almost every station has a loyalty or discount card. Some more straightforward than others.
Your best way to save on gas will be different than mine. But here are some options.
GetGo - At GetGo drivers can use AdvantagePay to save 5 cents to 30 cents per gallon. The ads say it works “like a Debit Card” but you won’t need to get a physical card to use it. The program links your Advantage Card, the discount card for Giant Eagle sales, to your bank account. You’ll scan the card at the pump, hit yes to using AdvantagePay, and it will pay for the fuel from your bank account — “like a Debit Card.” You can also scan your Advantage Card on your phone, instead of carrying a physical card. Sign up at getgocafe.com/advantagepay.
Circle K - Easy Pay is a debit card that is linked to your bank account. When you use it, Circle K will give you 10 cents off a gallon. Currently they’re offering a promo, giving new drivers 30 cents off for the first 100 gallons, or 60 days. Sign up at circlek.com/easypay.
Sheetz - Drivers can sign up for My Sheetz Rewardz, and get three cents off each gallon. The card will also give rewards for items inside the Sheetz gas station. The chain also offers Unleaded 88, which the EPA says vehicles 2001 and newer can use.
GasBuddy - You can use the GasBuddy app to compare prices at local gas stations, letting you pick the cheapest. The company also offers a “Pay With Gas Buddy” program. The free card is linked to your bank account, like Circle K’s Easy Pay, and saves drivers “up to 25 cents off each gallon” at participating locations, which GasBuddy says is 95% of gas stations in the U.S. GasBuddy has a pay-for membership that could offer additional savings.
BP - BPme Rewards can save drivers 5 cents a gallon, and there’s no debit card or linking a checking account. You just need to use the app. The catch here is drivers need to spend $100 on fuel each month.
Valero - Valero offers a 10-cent-per-gallon discount if drivers use Valero ValuePay, which is in the ValeroPay+ app. Like other gas station discounts, users put their bank information into ValuePay and then pay for fuel directly from their checking accounts.
Sunoco - The Sunoco app will give drivers three cents off a gallon. You need to fuel up at a Sunoco twice a month to keep the discount going.
Shell - Shell has a “S Pay” program that saves drivers 10 cents a gallon. Drivers link their checking account in the Shell App and use it to pay at the pump. You must also be a Fuel Rewards program user.
Saving You Money is cleveland.com’s and The Plain Dealer’s new column about saving money. If you’re feeling the pinch of record inflation, you’re not alone. The goal of Saving You Money will be helping readers save and highlighting resources that can help.
We want to know how we can help you save money. Send your questions and comments to smcdonnell@cleveland.com.
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