How to save 14% on your gas costs!

If you know the smart way to purchase your gas you can save a considerable amount of money. The following strategies could save you 4 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent or even 14 percent of your gas costs.

This strategy is dependent on finding credit cards that offer rebates specifically on gas. The right card can lower your costs without the need to change the way you drive. You save without any maintenance on your car. In fact this savings method involves no cost at all.

Many gas companies offer credit cards that pay rebates on gas purchases. The typical card will rebate you 10% on your gas purchases for the first two or three months and then rebate you 5% on your gas purchases thereafter.

An example of a card currently being issued that has such a rebate program is the BP card. Their credit card will pay 10% for the first two billing periods for gas and other purchases at BP stations. The rate changes to 5% after the bonus period ends.

The example above is specifically for BP stations. You will not get the rebate at other brand stations. General market credit cards may be a good choice if you want to save at multiple branded stations.

Many card companies have cards that have rebate amounts for gas. For example: currently Discover Card has a Discover Gas Card. This card will provide you with a rebate of 5 per cent of the gasoline you purchase. This card also provides a 1 per cent rebate on other purchases.

Another example: Chase has a gas MasterCard that will give you a rebate of 5% for gas purchases and 2% for purchases everywhere else.

Both types of cards, the ones that provide savings only at specific company stores and the general market cards have advantages and disadvantages. The advantage to using a general market card is that you can use the general market card to buy fuel at any station and get the rebate. The card issued by the gas company only pays you the rebate at the gas company's branded gas stations.

The general market credit card only pays 6% even at it's highest rebate, but the gas company issued card provides 10 percent rebate for the initial period. In this instance the advantage on the size of the rebate is with the gas company card.

That is the main strategy for getting a discount of anywhere from 4 percent up to 10 percent. Certainly any rebate is welcome in light of the cost of gasoline. 4% is good and 10% is even better. But there may be a way to cut your cost of gas even more. Maybe even to 14%.

Here's how. Many gas companies offer pre paid gas cards or gas gift cards. In many cases these prepaid cards will offer a bonus or discount. For example in some cases you can purchase a $50 gas card for $48.

The card allows you to buy $50 worth of gas but you only pay $48 for it. That is equal to a 4% discount.

If you purchase the gift or prepaid card with the gas company card during the initial period you are getting a 10% rebate on that purchase.

Then if you are buying a prepaid card that gives you a 4% discount, the $50 dollar card for $48 cost, you are compounding your savings.

You are getting a 10% rebate on the prepaid card purchase using the rebate credit card and you are getting a 4% savings by purchasing the prepaid gift card. Therefore the total you are getting is 14%. The 10% savings + the 4% savings or 4+10=14. Now you have just saved yourself 14% on your gas purchase.

Article Source: http://www.articlegoldmine.com

Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page book of industry insider secrets on saving fuel and money at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can Increase fuel economy . Find out how to save fuel and money.
This and other unique content lower gas costs articles are available with free reprint rights.

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