Please recommend a gas card

[csandste]

Like others on here, I carry a Discover and Amex Visa. It's been more than forty years since I've had a gas card-- do they have the same protections as a Visa-Master-Discover, or are you on the hook like a debit card? I'm occasionally sent a debit card and return them immediately for an ATM card---I would hate to have something tied to my bank account. If you carry cash you can lose cash.. To me, the only safe option is a proper credit card and Discover and Amex Visa are among the best.

If you insist on a gas card, I keep seeing signs for Circle K giving a nickel or so discount. OTOH-- at least in the St. Louis market they've dropped Shell and are pushing their non-Top Tier stuff. That would be a stopper for me. Costco undercuts so much in our market that about 80% of my gas purchases are there, even when Discover is doing the 5% on gas.

I'm surprised that people can skim at Costco. Pumps are always visible and there's always long lines at pumps plus the guy walking around all the time.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by bdcardinal
I use a Shell card. It gets me .05/gal off whenever I use it on top of Shell Rewards.
Yep, same for me (though I have most of the others as well). Fuel Rewards and T-Mobile Tuesdays typically give me $0.25 off and then another $0.05 for using the Shell "Drive 5" card a 30 cent discount per gallon. I just pay it off each month and enjoy the savings. My AMG tends to like Shell or Chevron gas over the others, so I usually stay with one of them.


They don't do the T-Mobile thing here, or maybe its just because I have Verizon. I loaded all my credit cards through Shell Rewards so when I eat out at the right place, I get extra money off at the pump. I pay that off every month along with Home Depot(joys of home ownership), Best Buy when I splurge, and my Chase Amazon Visa I use everyday. I have a Bass Pro card that I use for occasional large purchases that I know will take a couple months to pay off.

 

[4WD]

I carry Exxon (works at Mobil too) and Shell ... those are all over the 200 mile radius that I mainly travel.

I don't like to use a card connected to my bank account at a gas pump.

My son (up at school town) was given a SpeedPass fob only ... they don't have inside readers in that town so that makes it gas only ...

 

[das_peikko]

Originally Posted by TheLawnRanger
Since my card number was stolen a few years ago, I've found it easier just to pay with cash. Not for everyone, but it works for me.


That's what I've been doing, but having to stand in line at Costco to buy a cash card for the pump is getting old.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted by das_peikko
That's what I've been doing, but having to stand in line at Costco to buy a cash card for the pump is getting old.


You seem to have a lot of issues purchasing fuel at Costco. Funny, I've been buying gas there for years and never an issue.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4042832/Re:_I_got_in_trouble_at_Costco

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by das_peikko
I need a gas card that can only be used for purchasing gas; that way if the numbers ever get stollen; the thieves can only buy gas with it.


You do understand that if that happens, you are not responsible for the charges and you will get a new card in a day or two. And you can get a card skimmer detector if you're really worried.

 

[alarmguy]

Huh???????

Originally Posted by das_peikko
Can't use my checking account debit card for gas anymore. The numbers get stolen off of it by a device that the thieves use by inserting it into the gas pump's card reader. I need a gas card that can only be used for purchasing gas; that way if the numbers ever get stollen; the thieves can only buy gas with it. I need a gas card that I can use at Costco gas pumps.


First off, as you learned, its stupid to use a debit card for any purpose.

1. By using a credit card to make purchases there is no risk to you if "the numbers are stolen"
2. By using a Citibank 2% card you get 2% cash back on everything you buy in life, it adds up.
3. By using a Discover Card, you get 5% off certain categorys that rotate every 3 months.

Best of all, no matter what, you are not responsible for anything that shows up on your card that you did not purchase.
What more can you ask for? I could never understand, for the life of me why people use a card (debit card) directly linked to their bank account.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted by alarmguy

Best of all, no matter what, you are not responsible for anything that shows up on your card that you did not purchase.
What more can you ask for? I could never understand, for the life of me why people use a card (debit card) directly linked to their bank account.



Some people do "envelope budgeting" so when they run out of money, they're out, and they stay out of debt. If it works for them, it works.

There are fleet related gas cards like Wright Express. My work has one and we have to type our vehicle number and mileage into the pump keypad so they can track everything. Overkill for OP.

 

[PimTac]

Every time I use my card I get a notification on my iPhone. I also check the card reader at the pump. If suspicious I move on.

Did you get that leg fixed yet?

 

[wog]

Set up a fleet card,then you have a pass code to get fuel. Monthly statements and mileage count. Handy and secure.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted by eljefino
Originally Posted by wymi516
Costco gift cards can be use to buy gas.


Gift cards are preloaded with money and I have to imagine not as secure to the customer as a credit card if money gets stolen from it.

Look at the scams where people pay the "IRS" by loading a gift card.

I've had a couple of credit cards hacked over the years from gas stations. I thought I was being observant, but I obviously missed something. Since I switched to using a gift card tied to the station I'm using (i.e., not a Visa gift card), zero hacks. I'm not saying it won't ever happen, but it hasn't yet and if it does, I'm out less than $100 since I never load more than that on a card. And I'm going to guess stealing $70 from my BP gift card isn't as attractive to a thief as getting hold of my Visa/MC/Discover cards and being able to run up fraudulent charges before the fraud algorithms notice.

 

[R_W_M]

I buy gas gift cards at the grocery. If the card is compromised, your losses are limited to the balance on the card.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted by alarmguy
First off, as you learned, its stupid to use a debit card for any purpose.

I use a credit card for gas for the discounts, as you mentioned, but up here, debit cards for gas are perfectly safe, for at least a couple of reasons. The banks and credit unions are generally pretty good with debit card fraud liability here. Also, the magnetic stripes up here are almost obsolete. There are chip readers at every pump and have been for years. Most card terminals up here won't even permit you to swipe the magnetic stripe. It even got ahead of itself in that some credit card settling companies simply used a software update to disable the magnetic head, with the unintended consequence of creating major grief for people with prepaid credit cards that have stripe only and no chip. So, the disabling of the head got reversed, but debit card swiping would be specifically rejected by the software.

Some people without a lot of means have little choice but to use debit to buy gas. In some places, prepayment of some sort is mandatory, and some people don't qualify for credit. Given the strange hours I keep, I've been accustomed to prepaying for gas and/or pay at the pump for over 20 years.

 

[alarmguy]

^^ Some good points ^^

No chips readers in gas pumps here, yet. Only ATMs have them.
Doesnt matter to me though, thats the credit card company problem if my card is hacked, I have had a number of cards hacked over the years but not at the pump, again credit card company problem, not mine, one phone call and they send you a new one with new numbers within 2 days.
Good point about some not being able to obtain a credit card but then again, they can pay cash.

 

[LC]

I use a Shell Rewards Card which gives me 5 cents off a gallon every fill up. On Tuesday here in the Midwest we get 10 cents off on Big 10 Tuesday.
I combine that with my PenFed Credit card that pays me back 5% every month on all gas purchased.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted by bdcardinal
They don't do the T-Mobile thing here, or maybe its just because I have Verizon.
You have to have T-Mobile as your mobile carrier to participate. I have been really happy with them, quite a bit of good stuff on Tuesdays throughout the year.

 

[MNgopher]

Sounds like what the OP wants is simply a credit card that can be used for gasoline at Costco. Costco only takes Visa from what it sounds like, so get any visa credit (not debit) card and problem solved.

Any fraudulent purchase is the credit cards company's problem, not yours, assuming you report it (or they catch it).

I used the PenFed Cash Rewards visa - 5% cash back on purchases at the pump. Flat out, the only reason I have the card is to pay for gas - it has saved a ton of money over the years, paid in full every month.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I had no idea Costco takes ANY Visa Card at the gas pump.

--------------------------

MNGopher
PenFed Cash Rewards visa @ 5%? OK.... I'll check it out and dump my 3% Bank America Mastercard.

WAIT - I did check out their homepage. No mention of anything above 2%.
Please give us a weblink on this 5% offer.

Wait Part2.... I found something.
quote
Cardholders who qualify for the Plus version of the card will be awarded 5 percent cash back on gas — which is one of the richest gas bonuses available on a card without an annual fee — and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases. Cardholders who don't have a qualifying PenFed account will also receive a cash back bonus on gas purchases, but the bonus will only amount to 3 percent cash back (which still beats the rates offered by most competitors), rather than 5 percent cash back.

Ummm, I'll pass! Too much red tape there. I already have a 3% card that does not lower itself to 1% on everything else. I get 2% on everything else. Also, they don;t mention what it takes to qualify for 5%. I have a very good credit rating BTW and I hate shady companies that word agreements this way. No thanks!

 

[MNgopher]

I got my card years ago - the terms may have changed. I have no red tape - I joined the credit union, applied for the card, a voila, 5% cash back (purchases at the pump only). No other strings.

That being said, their car loans are also pretty good in terms of rates and I've had good customer service.

 

[MNgopher]

Also from a quick check, they no longer offer the card with the straight 5% cash back. Too bad.

Their current card with gas benefits is the Platinum Rewards VISA Signature card. 5x points on gasoline purchases, 3x on Groceries, 1% on everything else. Still rated by most sites as one of the better gas cards. Again, not what I have, but you asked...