We just filled up our Durango with $75 in free gas, courtesy of the ability to stack the purchases on our Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express card.
You should have seen the look on the cashier’s face just a few days earlier when she reported how much free gas we had earned!
I think it’s been a few years since I had a credit card that I was so in love with, but the ability to stack it with other promotions is quickly making it my favorite credit card this year!
Gas Rewards
Our grocery store participates in the fuelperks program. I’m guessing you probably know how it works if your grocery store has a gas rewards program since they are pretty popular. Essentially, we earn 5 cents off a gallon of gas for every $50 in purchases.
We spent $3750 at the grocery store last month and earned $3.75 off per gallon. At 20 gallons of gas, we got $75 in free gas!
Now we all know that I didn’t spend that much on groceries last month. It was more like $250 on groceries and $3500 in Visa gift cards.
I thought for sure that the grocery store wouldn’t allow you to earn gas rewards on gift card purchases, and I think it states that it specifically excludes them, but the registers are programmed such that you earn them!
Doing the Math
Here’s the breakdown on the total cash back earned stacking all the rewards:
- Purchases: $3500 in Visa gift cards
- Fees: $41.65
- Gas Rewards: $70
- Envaulted Cash Back: $43.75
- 6% American Express Cash Back: $212.50
Effective Cash Back: 8.13%
Stacking the Blue Cash Preferred® Card with gas rewards and Envaulted almost doubled the amount of cash back I originally planned on earning when I got the card.
Purchasing Gift Cards
For more information on buying gift cards with the American Express card, you can read the introduction on the American Express 6% Cash Back Credit Card.
We’re using the gift cards to pay real estate taxes, but if you don’t have a need for the gift cards, you can find out how to Empty Your 6% Cash Back via ATM and Cash Advance.
Other Gas Perks
In addition to fuelperks which serves Roundy’s, Bi-Lo, Martins, and Winn-Dixie, one of our experts on the American Express Blue cash back, reader Barbara checked into the gas rewards program at Safeway:
- Safeway is giving 4X the number of points on gift card purchases until December 10.
- Safeway does NOT give gas rewards for the Visa Prepaid cards.
- Each 1000 points equals $1 off per gallon of gas at Safeway stand-alone gas stations.
- There is a limit of $1/gal off at each fill-up.
And another reader checked out Shop n Save:
- A purchase of 2 $500 gift cards earned 2 $5 off fuel card coupons (for when you buy $100 or more in fuel gift cards).
When we head south for the holidays, I’ll also check into the Kroger gas program and see if that one is working.
Homework Assignment
Do you have the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express? If so, I think it’s time for you to visit your stand-alone gas station and find out if gas rewards are stacking for you! Let us know and we’ll add your store to the list!
Okay, it’s time to upgrade my card. Between the upromise.com 10% bonus on online shopping for fourth quarter, my new envaulted membership and credit card rewards, I will hit my 2012 cash back goal by March (my expectations for next year were low once my 5% AARP cash back expired). Thanks for sharing this tip.
Now that’s a good hustle. I wish I had grocery stores selling gas in my area to do that. Great thinking!
I am absolutely dying to apply for this card and earn this kind of cash back with the groceries and gift card purchases. I’ll be able to earn gas rewards too. I know I shouldn’t apply for more credit until after the refinancing on our rental property closes later this month, so the wait is painful!