Where we live, we’re about 20 minutes from almost everything. It’s a blessing, because you can go so many places quickly, but it does require a decent amount of driving. So over the years, we’ve become really good at finding ways to save money on our gas purchases.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to save on gas.
1. Miles Rewards App
Earn points every time you drive, walk or ride, to redeem for gift cards.
Let’s face it—phone apps are useful, helpful and fun! With the following apps, I earn points for driving (or even walking, riding bicycle or riding the bus) and then earn points that I can redeem for gift cards.
I began using this app in the spring of 2021. Very quickly, I earned enough points to redeem for an Amazon gift card, as well as Lowes, HomeDepot and Walmart. It is rare that you see a good redemption (most of them are for deals or raffles that I wouldn’t use), but I just save my points and when I see something worthwhile, I jump on it. Don’t use your points on the measily little $1-2 Amazon gift cards by the way—save them and a good one will come along!
>> Click here to download the Miles app and earn a bonus 2000 points <<
2. On My Way App
Earn points for not texting while driving.
I began using this app where I get paid solely for driving, in the spring of 2019. I was skeptical, but decided to give it a try. I figured in about a year I would come close to redeeming their $500 payout. I’m still not there, but getting very close and excited.
It is definitely slow to earn but it just runs in the background of my phone and I don’t need to do anything with it, so its worth it to me. I’ll keep you updated on how the redemption of my miles goes!
3. GasBuddy Card
Quickly find the best price on gas on your area, AND sign up for their reward card that earns you up to $.25 off.
My husband loves checking GasBuddy. It’s an app where you can quickly find the best prices of gas around you—wherever you are. They also offer a GasBuddy card that earns you up to $.25 off per gallon of gas you purchase. This is NOT a credit card.
I love that you can stack your savings by earning savings with GasBuddy at the same time as you redeem local gas discounts like with your Turkey Hill or Sheetz card.
Additionally, your discount can be stacked with (earned at the same time as) your Upside earnings (see #4 below).
4. Upside
Earn up to $.25/gallon cash back on gas—and earn at grocery stores and restaurants too.
What’s great about this is you can earn this at the same time as GasBuddy savings plus no need to scan the receipt with their new Check In feature. Just Check In to redeem your offer at this station and any other locations that have a Blue Badge. No need to upload receipt. Upside uses the last 4 digits of your cards from recent purchases to verify your purchase. Tap the “Check In” button when user is at business and select which card they’re using – no receipt pic needed.
You can refer your friends and get a bonus for them and you, plus you earn 1 cent off per gallon every time they get gas too!! Woohoo.
You also earn 5% cash back at restaurants and up to 30% cash back at grocery stores. Over 25,000 merchants are included, like Speedway, RaceTrac, Papa Johns, Wendy’s, Burger King, Dunkin Donuts and more!
5. Giant Choice Points (Gas Deals)
Earn gas discounts for your grocery purchases. Gas must be bought at Giant Gas Stations.
If you’ve followed me for awhile, you know that one of our favorite ways to save on gas is through Giant Gas Deals (now called Choice Points). In this program, I shop specific parts of the circular each week that earn me points. For every 100 points I get $.10 off per gallon of gas (up to 25 gallons).
So if I earn 500 points, that means I get $.50 off per gallon of gas. I fill up 25 gallons (my van takes 15 gallons and then I take two 5-gallon containers to fill up for our mower and my husband’s car). So that means I earn $12.50 of FREE gas.
I consider the fact that I would have spent the money on gas anyway, so instead of considering it as FREE gas, I take the amount I earned in gas and deduct it from the cost of the item I am purchasing. Often times you need to buy 5-10 items in order to get the points.
So if I buy 10 items, and earn $12.50 in gas, then that basically means I just saved $1.25 off of each item I purchased—or it cost me that much less for that item since I was going to buy the gas anyway. Hope that makes sense!
If the items are $2.00, and I’m saving $1.25 per item, then the actual cost of each item to me is $.75! Whew!
Sometimes I’ll earn a full tank of gas, but other times I just earn a couple dollars off of my gas fill up. It just depends on the deals and what I need that month. I don’t go crazy and stock up unnecessarily.
Follow me on instagram to see me walk you through gas deals—I love math and make it as simple as I can for you! 🙂
6. BP Rewards
Earn cash back for your BP gas purchases.
While there aren’t very many BP stations in Lancaster County, there are in the rest of the United States, so this is a must-have app for travelers. And if you love to save, this app will really appeal to you! Right now you can save $.50/gallon off on your first fuel up after you complete your first in-app transaction of $15 or more. I absolutely love using this app—it makes it quick and easy to pay at the pump.
Be sure to use the code SAVINGS1 to get your credit.
Another Way We Save
It’s kind of unique, so let me explain . . .
For years now we have earned cash in a kind of creative way (although I’ve talked to several other people who do the same thing).
We apply for a credit card that will give us $200 or something like that, if we spend $1000 in 90 days. I carefully schedule my reoccurring purchases and use the card for groceries until that amount is spent and then close the card. A quick way to make cash!
Here’s a deal we did before our most recent road trip that was really good! You’ll earn $100 statement credit after you make your first purchase of ANY AMOUNT with your Discover Card.
>> Get $100 after your first purchase with your Discover Card. <<
