Rewards are such a good thing with credit cards when you can make them work for you.  In the light of today’s economy and fuel prices it is imperative to a lot of us to find a way to save all we can on money.  Most of us just try to change stations by finding the lowest gas price in town, but this is a fallacy.  The gas stations that have prices well below other gas stations are usually watering down their gas to make more money, but keep consumers driving in.  If you have ever been to one of these stations you know that the gas doesn’t last for as many miles as the other places.  So the thing is not to look for the less gas price, but the most reputable station.  Once you find that station and get great gas mileage you are cutting down on the total of gas you spend on a month.  I mean really if you fill up every two weeks you are doing better than filling up every week right?  So what can you do to save money while getting the best gas?

This is an easy answer.  You want a credit card with gas rewards.  How do you choose the correct one though?  There are literally fifty plus credit cards that will offer you rewards on gas.  The difference is going to be how they offer the gas rewards.  Let’s look at your first option.  Any gas station today has a gas credit card.  These credit cards are going to work for that gas station only.  In other words if you get a Texaco gas card you will be able to use it on other purchases in other stores, but you will not reap the rewards if you were to use it at a shell station.  These types of credit cards are Gas credit cards’ offering you rewards when you fill up at the pump or buy something in the convenience store.  They even offer rewards for other shops like service places, but it will depend on the actual card as to where you are going to get these rewards.  The company has to be willing to work with the card company via the rewards. 

The other type of credit cards with gas rewards are the mainstream credit cards.  These credit cards offer you more than just gas discounts.  You can get vouchers for gas, cents off at the pump, but in most cases you will be earning cash back. For Discover you tend to earn 3 to 5% cash back on gas rewards.  They also have specific stations you are typically supposed to use.  With these cards you earn cash rewards on other purchases like books, movies, and tickets.  So the potential to earn the rewards are going to be a lot quicker.  You also get to use the rewards on other things besides gas, but if the purpose of the card is for gas then that’s what you will most likely use it for. 

In the last five years or more there have been more credit card companies and offers for the general consumer.  These credit card offers have changed so drastically that you can obtain a card for just about anything.  Part of deciding what credit card to apply for is making your way through the decisions that exist.  For those who are seeking credit cards with gas rewards you will not be disappointed.  While there may only be thirty cards offering gas rewards they do exist.  Actually that is just an estimate.  There are credit cards from major companies offering gas rewards and then gas station credit cards as well, so there should be plenty to choose from. 

If you are going to obtain credit cards with gas rewards you will want to most likely, choose the mainstream company over the gas credit card.  There are a few reasons for this.  Number one the gas credit cards typically offer you less maneuverability.  For example these companies tend to offer a specific interest rate that may rise, but they generally will not lower it no matter how long you have had the card.  While the rewards can be up to 5% on the cash back or a few cents off at the pump they only work at the gas pump or in the convenience store.  It is rare to find a credit card through a gas station that will give you rewards outside of their own stores.  Texaco is one of the only gas cards that will actually offer more benefits.  They have a travel card that will save you on purchases at Texaco and Conoco in Canada and the US.  They offer flights, maintenance rewards, and other things. 

If you are truly looking for a card that offers better than just the regular gas rewards it is best to stick with a mainstream company like Discover, Chase, MBNA, and others.  These cards not only offer percentage cash back or discount at the pump, but they offer other discounts and cash back for other purchases.  The other great thing about this type of credit card is the gas station options.  You don’t just have to use the card at a Shell or Texaco station.  You can use the card at any gas station for the rewards.  If you travel a lot or even want to use the card during a vacation you have that option without driving out of your way for the correct station or worse not finding that particular gas station.  Most gas stations are regional in the US.  Hess gas stations are in the South, Texaco tends to be in the West.  So right there you have a better option of seeking any place. 

Credit Cards with gas rewards usually offer the cash back or cents off the actual pump price.  The rewards are issued via vouchers in most cases for the cash back.  These vouchers can be for different things including gas or gifts at special stores.