A Guide To Using Fleet Cards For Fuel Savings
Every year the economy changes. Sometimes the change is quite large while others are almost undetectable. Regardless, every change has an impact on the everyday living of middle to low-income families. This means that families within this range are always trying to find ways to save money. Although, it is not only families that feel the impact of economic changes, businesses, especially small and independently owned businesses. Not to mention any business that is located in a small town or a very rural area. Essential, everyday items become difficult to afford. Some of the most essential things in life include food, water, and shelter, but one essential thing that is often overlooked is gasoline. It is necessary to have enough gasoline in your vehicle to get back and forth to your workplace, to doctors appointments, interviews, school, and so many other parts of life. The difficult part of this is the ever increasing expense of gasoline. Thankfully, there are a few ways to save money at the gas station. The obvious choices are changing the type of vehicle you drive, walking instead of driving, and joining rewards programs where they are available. There is another way to save money every time you fill up your vehicle, fuel-saving credit cards. Here, you will learn all about the different type of cards that can save you money along with the benefits and problems of each one.
photo/ Michael Jarmoluk via pixabay
There are actually three different types of credit cards that can save money at the gas pump. The first is to use a regular credit card with a fuel savings feature. The second is a brand based credit card that has special savings when you fuel up at one of their locations. The third is a special type of credit card for businesses with a fleet of vehicles. Determining which of these is right for you will require taking a look at each option and matching them up to what you want out of the experience. The first thing to look at is which options are for individuals and which ones are just for businesses. This will greatly narrow your list either way. Fuel savings and rewards on regular credit cards have both individual and business options. The brand based fuel credit cards have both options as well but are generally considered to be for individuals. The third option is strictly for businesses, organizations, and nonprofits that have a fleet of vehicles to keep fueled and maintained. Once you have determined which of these three options is what you need it is time to determine which card within the given type that is best for you.
The first type of card up for discussion is brand based credit cards. These are credit cards issued by a specific brand such as Sunoco, Shell, or BP. These cards are made to be used specifically at that brand’s locations. When you use one of these cards, it works just like any other credit card in that you are charging the amount you spend to be paid later. The difference is that using a brand based card is that instead of paying the full price for the gasoline that you purchase, you will receive a discount. Some examples include the ExxonMobil Smart Card and the Sunoco Rewards Credit Card. The ExxonMobil Smart Card can be used at any Exxon or Mobil station at the pump as well as for snacks and beverages from the station. There are no annual fees, no minimum purchase requirements, and no savings cap. With this card, you will save six cents on every gallon of fuel. The Sunoco Rewards Credit Card is very similar in that it can be used at any Sunoco fuel station and has no annual fee. This card gives the bearer five cents off of every gallon of fuel purchased at a Sunoco station.
Next up for discussion is general credit cards that have a fuel rewards program. These are nothing more than your average credit card, they simply have attached to them a specific rewards program. In this case, the main draw to a specific card is its rewards on the purchase of fuel. There are many options when it comes to credit cards, but not all of them have benefits equal to or above the negatives such as high fees. Some examples of credit cards with excellent gas rewards include the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card, Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, and the Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card. The Chase Ink card is designed to act as a form of business financing. It provides a variety of rewards for purchases. One of these is gasoline purchases with two percent cash back. The other two options mentioned here are designed for individuals. The Bank of America Cash Rewards card provides three percent cash back on all gasoline purchases and two percent on grocery purchases up to two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) each quarter. This means that, while there is a savings cap, there is still a potential for a great deal of savings. The Blue Cash Preferred Card offers three percent on any fuel purchase at any United States gas station. It also offers six percent cash back on purchases made at supermarkets.
The final type of card to be discussed is what is often referred to as a fleet card. These cards are only available to businesses and organizations with a fleet of vehicles to maintain. With this type of card, there are two branches. Some can be used anywhere that credit cards are accepted while others can only be used at specific locations. There are many different fleet cards available including Fuelman Fleet, Comdata, BP Business Solutions Fuel Card, Speedway Superfleet Mastercard, and BuilderPro Fleet Card Mastercard. Each of these is designed for a specific type of fleet and each has their own benefits. Generally, you receive a discount on each fuel purchase as well as fuel rebates. This type of fuel rewards will save businesses a great deal of money in the long run.
Author: Gregory Ortiz
