Though gas prices are no longer at their peak, the average price of a gallon of gas was $5.02 in June, drivers can still save money at the pump by using apps, credit cards and gas rewards programs.Gas rewards credit cards are a great way to cut your transportation expenses — these cards offer higher rewards rates when you when you purchase gas.On top of credit card rewards, enrolling in a gas rewards program is another option for saving money on fuel purchases. Typically, gas rewards programs are free, providing some number of cents back for every gallon of gas a consumer purchases.For most, you’ll be able to sign up on the website or through the app. You can then earn rewards by either entering your phone number when you buy gas or by paying with a debit or credit card that’s been linked with your account. It’s best to opt for a rewards program for a gas station that you visit frequently as many offer higher rewards rates to loyal customers. Some rewards programs also don’t offer significant rewards, so you’ll have to weigh whether the effort of signing up for these programs is worth the rewards.Lastly, apps like Gas Buddy and AAA can be useful as they show users gas prices at nearby stations. Regardless of how you choose to save money on gas, there are many ways to do so. Below, Select looks at free gas rewards programs to help you decide which one is right for you.Subscribe to the Select Newsletter!Our best selections in your inbox. Shopping recommendations that help upgrade your life, delivered weekly. Sign-up here.BPMe RewardsBPMe Rewards are available at qualifying BP and Amoco locations. Individuals will receive 5 cents back per gallon in the first month. After the first month, you must spend at least $100 on gas before receiving 5 cents back per gallon. This means your gas rewards won’t kick in until you spend at least $100.The rewards are automatically applied at the time of the transaction. In order to use the service, you can sign-up for the app or via the website.People can link a debit or credit card or a PayPal account through the app in order to receive rewards. Cardholders who choose to pay with cash can redeem their rewards by providing their phone number at the time of transaction.BPMe offers generous rewards for the first month of membership but in order to continue receiving those rewards, you have to be a big spender at BP and Amoco stations, purchasing at least $100 worth of gas before rewards kick in for that monthExxon Mobil Rewards+™ programWith the Exxon Mobil Rewards+™ program, individuals earn rewards on both gas purchases and convenience store or car wash transactions. The app is available in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.There are multiple tiers of membership for the Exxon Mobile Rewards+ Program. Most members will receive three points per one gallon of regular gas and two points for every one dollar spent at the convenience store or car wash. One hundred points is equivalent to one dollar worth of rewards. In other words, someone would need to purchase more than 33 gallons of gasoline from Exxon or $50 worth of purchases from the convenience store in order to get $1 worth of rewards.You can also qualify for the Frequent Filler tier by purchasing 100 or more gallons of Synergy fuel per month. By doing so, members will earn four points per one gallon of regular gas and three points for every one dollar spent at the convenience store or car wash. Premium members receive a higher rewards rate than frequent fillers — 6 points per gallon of qualifying purchases of Synergy Supreme+ gas, a premium gas with a higher octane level. In order to qualify for Premium status, you must fill up your tank with at least eight gallons of Synergy Supreme+ gas three times a month.New members receive a bonus of 500 points which is worth $5. You can redeem your points through the app or by using a physical Exxon Mobil Rewards+ card.Generally, people won’t reap many rewards from this program unless they’re purchasing a lot of premium fuel from Exxon Mobil and qualify for the higher rewards rate that the premium status offers. However, this means that you need to purchase 24 gallons of the Synergy Supreme+ gas.Shell Fuel RewardsWith the Shell Fuel Rewards program, members are eligible to receive either three or five cents of rewards per gallon. All first time members qualify for the highest tier, the Gold tier, for six months. The Gold tier gives members 5 cents back on every gallon, up to 20 gallons. This means you can potentially earn up to $1 for every Shell transaction. After the first three months, members are required to make at least 6 purchases of at least 5 gallons of gas within the next three months in order to maintain Gold status. In other words, first-time members get 5 cents back on every gallon for the first six months and are eligible to keep that reward rate if they continue to purchase gas through Shell.If you don’t make the minimum number of purchases to qualify for Gold, you’ll be demoted to Silver status. With Silver status, you’ll earn 3 cents back per gallon. You can be eligible for Gold again by making 6 fill-ups within three months.There are three ways to receive your rewards: by using an alternative ID (phone number), your Fuel Rewards Card or a credit or debit card that’s been linked through the app. This is one of the most generous gas rewards programs on the market, providing infrequent Shell consumers 5 cents per gallon back on purchases. Circle K RewardsThe Circle K Rewards program is a relatively simple program to understand — cardholders earn 10 points per gallon of gas and 20 points for every one dollar spent on snacks, foods and non-alcoholic beverages. Once a member receives 2,000 points, they can redeem those points for $2. This means that members need to purchase 200 gallons of gas in order to receive $2 back.You can sign-up online or through the Apple App or Google Play store. Members will receive a card before they register online or through the app.Though the Circle K Rewards program is relatively straightforward program to understand, the benefits are quite measly as you must buy 200 gallons of gas to receive only $2 in rewards.Speedy Speedway RewardsYou can sign-up for Speedy Rewards either through the website or the app. Members earn 10 points per gallon of gasoline and 20 point for every dollar spent on merchandiseYou can then redeem those points through the app or at the register. Circle K offers various types of rewards — from food at the convenience store to discounts on future gas purchases.In order to earn rewards, members can use the digital card through the app or enter their phone number as an alternative form of identification. The Speedy Rewards program is a good choice for people who don’t just want to redeem their points for cash-back on gas purchases.Best credit cards for gas purchasesCiti Premier® Card
- Rewards3X points per $1 spent at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and on hotels and air travel, 1X points on all other purchases
- Welcome bonus80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Annual fee
- Intro APR
- Regular APR
- Balance transfer fee5% of each balance transfer, $5 minimum
- Foreign transaction fee
- Credit needed
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American ExpressOn the American Express secure site
- Rewards6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Welcome bonusEarn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
- Annual fee
- Intro APR0% for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening
- Regular APR
- Balance transfer feeEither $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Foreign transaction fee
- Credit needed
Bottom lineThere are many gas rewards programs available, and consumers can get the most bang for their buck by enrolling in a program for stations that they visit frequently. However, you should note that not all of the programs offer generous rewards, so you should consider boosting your savings by using an app to help find cheaper gas or a credit card to get higher rewards rates on gas purchases.Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card, click here.Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party. .
