The best ways to save on gas this summer
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- As you head out of town this summer, you might notice that you'll be paying more at the pump. Gas prices are they highest they have been since summer 2008, with the average price for a gallon of regular grade costing $3.68.
You can ease the pain by using store incentives, credit cards, and smart phone apps.
Walmart's Great Gas Rollback program is a great way to save on gas. At participating Walmart or Murphy USA gas stations, use the Walmart credit card from not until Sept. 8 and you can save up to 15 cents a gallon.
No Walmart credit card? No problem! You can still save up to 10 cents per gallon when you pay with a Walmart Gift Card during the same time frame.
Members of the ExtraCare program can earn one $10 gift card to Shell, ExxonMobil or BP Amoco by spending $30 on hundreds of specially-marked summer picnic, summer health and personal care items. Customers can find the qualifying products throughout the weekly CVS/pharmacy circular online or through in-store signage in the seasonal aisle. All qualifying products will be tagged with a "Free Gas Card" icon to make them easily identifiable.
Once ExtraCare customers reach $30 on participating products, a special coupon will print on their receipt that can be redeemed immediately in store for the gas card. If customers prefer to wait to redeem their coupon, they have up to 30 days to do so. There is a limit of one redemption per week for each ExtraCare cardholder. The summer gas program runs through July 19.
At participating Citgo stations you'll save 9 cents a gallon by paying with a gift card instead of cash.
According to CardHub.com, the best credit cards for station affiliated cards is the Marathon Credit Card. You can save up to 50 cents per gallon. If you charge at least $1,000 per month you'll receive a 25-cent rebate on each gallon. Get 15 cents per gallon off for spending $500-$999.99 and 5 cents off if you spend less than $500. New cardholders get double the rebates during the first 90 days, and there's no annual fee for the card.
Chevron and Texaco credit card
If you use the Chevron and Texaco credit card, you'll receive a rebate of 30 cents per gallon on Chevron and Texaco gas during the first 60 days. After that, if you spend $1,000 a month you'll receive 20 cents off per gallon. If you spend $300-$1,000, you'll get 10 cents off per gallon.
At the grocery store, it pays to be a loyal customer.
"I try to hit Kroger because I get 3 cents off a gallon," said Kroger customer Shawn Caballare.
Kroger's fuel program allows you to earn one fuel point for every $1 you spend at the grocery store. When you download a digital coupon just once, you will earn double fuel points when you shop Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through July 27.
When it comes to gas apps, GasBuddy.com is a favorite among users. It maps out the best prices in your area using GPS technology. The information remains updated by users.
