Paying cash for your gas vs credit card...

[aaronc879]

+1

I have zero interest in going inside to stand in line to pay a cashier for gas every time I fill up. And zero interest in making regular visits to the ATM to withdraw the cash needed to do so.

Everyone's situation is different. I live in a relatively low population area and virtually never have to wait for more than 30 seconds to pay cash for gas. I basically never go to an ATM to get cash. I get $1000 from the bank a few times a year and that covers everything I spend cash on for the year. I spend very little in general. Big expenses are generally taken directly from my checking account like my property taxes which are my largest single expense almost every year by a pretty large margin.

 

[ls99]

+1

I have zero interest in going inside to stand in line to pay a cashier for gas every time I fill up. And zero interest in making regular visits to the ATM to withdraw the cash needed to do so.

Ditto.
In fact get annoyed if I have to insert the card into a reader, then enter zip code, instead of tapping.

I do carry cash, for coffee. And the once weekly trip to fancy greasy spoon for salmon omlette with sourdough bread +coffee.

 

[Sojourner]

Everyone's situation is different. I live in a relatively low population area and virtually never have to wait for more than 30 seconds to pay cash for gas. I basically never go to an ATM to get cash. I get $1000 from the bank a few times a year and that covers everything I spend cash on for the year. I spend very little in general. Big expenses are generally taken directly from my checking account like my property taxes which are my largest single expense almost every year by a pretty large margin.

Gotcha. As you said, we all have different approaches to how we spend our time, money, etc. Interesting to hear your perspective.

 

[CincyDave]

We have a Sam's Club credit card that gives us a 5% rebate on all gas purchases, at any gas station and not just Sam's Club gas stations. The only catch is that you have to use the rebate for Sam's Club purchases but that is easy for us.

So if gas is $3.45 with a 3% surcharge for using a credit card after my 5% rebate I'm paying $3.376.

So I just checked on Sams website how to redeem your Sams cash, and cashing it out at the store is still an option.

How to redeem Sam's Cash

• Pay for a purchase. Select Sam's Cash as a payment method when you check out in club, online or in the app
• Cash it out at any Sam's Club. Ask an associate for help
• Renew your membership. Keep getting the most perks when you use your available Sam's Cash to renew

 

[Koolau]

Yep, Sams or Costco are the only two places I buy gas, so, using their cards, I always get cash back. Cash isn't even an option.

 

[Badger]

It has been a number of years since I used cash at the gas station. But every time I use a CC for gas I always check the place to insert the card and wiggle it to see if it has been tampered with. Too many gas stations around here have been compromised for card theft.

Cheers!

 

[scrabbler1]

I pay cash at my local gas station. They charge 20 or 30 cents more per gallon for credit cards, and that more than covers even 3% cash back. They know me there, so they let me pump gas first then go inside to pay, a quick process. It is handy because I don't usually know how much I end up pumping to fill up my tank.

 

[ncbill]

I fill up at Walmart and use my 2% Fidelity cash back Visa.

But with spending being a net WR% of 1.37%, with Auto being 4.76% of my spending, and Fuel being 77.57% of my Auto spending, the 2% cash back ends up being 0.00001011698 of my FIRE stash. So 1/10 of a basis point.

Even so, sometimes I get inspired and will do the Upside thing. @athena53, it'll show you a map of gas stations nearby with offers, and it'll also tell you how far away the gas stations are. You can even click on a station and it will pull up directions to it. Still, I don't think it's worth the hassle unless I'm getting 25 cents off a gallon or something. The Fred Meyer / Kroger gift cards 4x fuel points thing is probably easier.

Yep, I have a card with 4% back on gas given but fuel is such a low percentage of overall spending I'm thinking of closing it (want to dump that bank anyway) and just using the Fidelity card for everything.

I do have a "store" gas card I can access at the pump via a phone app which is a flat $0.15/gallon discount for that brand.

I should probably check and sign up for more "store" gas cards at other brands if their discount is that decent as long as I can pay by phone app so I won't have to carry another physical card.

 

[REWahoo]

I can't recall when I last paid cash for gas as it is something I just don't do.

Very few stations in my area charge less for cash, and those that do discount by $0.10/gal. My old PenFed Visa card pays 5% cash back for pay-at-the pump, which means it is both less expensive and far more convenient to use the card rather than cash.

 

[SloHan]

Been paying for gas with cash back credit card for probably the last twenty years. I like the convenience of paying at the pump. Sometimes I’ll check Gasbuddy to see the lowest price nearby.

 

[Yipper]

I typically use a "name brand" gas credit card when buying gas. I get 10% off the total purchase price since I'm a retired employee of "that brand". One of the lifetime benefits as a retiree.

That's one benefit I miss from days at Big Oil.

 

[Katiek]

There are two gas stations in my town and one charges 10 cents more per gallon for paying by credit and the other charges the same for cash and credit. I normally go to the one that's the same price, but the other station is open later at night, so a few times I have to go there.

 

[temartin]

Use credit Card

Abound Credit Union gives unlimited 5% cash-back on gas and also has additional rotating categories like travel.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

Never pay cash. Use a CC for CB.

Amex ED pays 3%. Use Shell discount if you go there too.

 

[meleana]

Here the only difference in price is between the gas station’s own loyalty debit or credit card and any other credit card or cash. Cash and any other credit card price being the same.

I use my credit card which gives me 3% cash back or one of my other credit cards if they run a special of 4 or 5 percent cash back.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire]

All through the years I just go in and pay cash to fill up. Lately, I have used my credit card for convenience. Recently I compared the price per gallon between the two types of payment. Using a credit card, gas is 10 cents more per gallon than paying with cash. That's the cost of using the credit card.

20 gallons of gas at $3.45 cash price is $69.00. Using the credit card...$71.00. I will be sticking with cash for full fill ups.

Now if you have a credit card with a percentage back...that's another animal.

Every gas station within at least 100 miles of where I live sells fuel for the same price per gallon whether I am paying cash or using a credit card. Last weekend I found one gas station an hour north of where I live that still had the same price per gallon cash or credit, but they seemed to be the only ones charging a 3.65% fee for using a card. But... They were charging 3.649 a gallon when everyone else within 20 miles was charging 3.999 a gallon. Doing the math brings it to 3.782 per gallon so it was still cheaper. But I had to go inside to pay after I filled the tank since the pumps had no credit card readers on them. (and none of those annoying TVs, either)
-Tangent- Those four buttons on each side of those annoying TV screens... The 2nd or 3rd one from the top on the right side is usually the mute button so at least you don't have to listen to those annoying commercials while pumping gas.

 

[Dtail]

Cash and credit are the same price where I typically fill up and receive the 5.25% reward on my BOA Cash Rewards card.

 

[Koolau]

-Tangent- Those four buttons on each side of those annoying TV screens... The 2nd or 3rd one from the top on the right side is usually the mute button so at least you don't have to listen to those annoying commercials while pumping gas.

Heh, heh, that is the "Hack of the Day."

Maybe we need to start a thread with that title.

So far, I've been fortunate that neither Sams or Costco does any "out-loud" advertising on their pumps. BUT I'll keep in mind the "mute" button for those times when I have to use another pump - especially at gas stations with convenience stores attached.

Thanks!

 

[Gearhead Jim]

Since the nearest Costco is about 5 miles away thru traffic, I usually don't bother.

The price difference is amazing. When I looked about a year ago, Regular was about 10 cents/gal cheaper than local stations, Midgrade was about 15 cheaper, but Premium was 70 cents cheaper!
And Costco is always Top Tier gas.

 

[SecondCor521]

Every gas station within at least 100 miles of where I live sells fuel for the same price per gallon whether I am paying cash or using a credit card. Last weekend I found one gas station an hour north of where I live that still had the same price per gallon cash or credit, but they seemed to be the only ones charging a 3.65% fee for using a card. But... They were charging 3.649 a gallon when everyone else within 20 miles was charging 3.999 a gallon. Doing the math brings it to 3.782 per gallon so it was still cheaper.

One thing I've realized is that with gas around here at $4 a gallon and my car getting about 20 mpg in town, it costs me 20 cents a mile in gas to get there and 20 cents a mile in gas to get back. So I'm strongly incentivized to pick places that are close to my house even if the nominal price is a little higher.

 

[Koolau]

Since the nearest Costco is about 5 miles away thru traffic, I usually don't bother.

The price difference is amazing. When I looked about a year ago, Regular was about 10 cents/gal cheaper than local stations, Midgrade was about 15 cheaper, but Premium was 70 cents cheaper!
And Costco is always Top Tier gas.

Yeah, ours is even further (13 miles?) and lots of traffic. But sometime in the 3 or more weeks between fill ups, we're in the area for some reason or other (usually doctor appointments). So that's when we fill up. From a quarter tank to half a tank, I'll fill up. I really appreciate the minimum 30cent/gallon savings since I'm in the area anyway (Never more than 2 miles out of the way and often less.)

 

[Koolau]

One thing I've realized is that with gas around here at $4 a gallon and my car getting about 20 mpg in town, it costs me 20 cents a mile in gas to get there and 20 cents a mile in gas to get back. So I'm strongly incentivized to pick places that are close to my house even if the nominal price is a little higher.

Heh, heh, you either need to buy a new car with better gas mileage or move closer to the cheaper gas station! Problem solved.

 

[Sanbenito1]

My time is money, too. I hate walking to the store, standing in line, going back to my car to pump- and then having to go back for change. I’ve never understood doing that for a couple dollars of savings.

 

[audreyh1]

I cannot remember the last time I paid cash - the time to go inside and deal with that transaction? forget it...

Exactly!

 

[Tracer]

Publix Super Market gas cards when they have them. They usually have that deal about once every couple of months. I buy all I can (with a cashback credit card) whenever they have them and get a whopping 20% off all the gas I use ($50 cards sold for $40). If you live in a state that has Publix, it's a hard deal to beat to gas up you car.