Rewards Programs Can Offset Painful Prices At Baltimore Gas Stations
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- High prices at gas stations may be pushing people toward gas rewards programs.
But do these programs pay off?
"If it gets down to 'E,' if I put 20 bucks on it, my gas light doesn't even go off," Maurice Brock said of his experience gassing up at the pumps.
"Look at that," Rhonda Smith exclaimed when filling up her gas tank. "That was $80!"
It is taking a lot more money to fill up a gas tank these days. But Smith says her Shell Rewards card through Giant is saving her quite a bit too.
"We have saved, my husband and I," she said. "We have saved upwards of 80 cents a gallon, 50-80 cents a gallon."
Once upon a time, saving cents may not have seemed significant. Now, the average price is close to $5 a gallon in Maryland.
"It goes far," Smith said. "Especially if you have a car with a bag tank."
Ryan Draude, the director of loyalty for Giant, said that ever since gas prices began rising, he's seen a lot more customers signing up for their Flexible Rewards.
"We've seen our membership rise by about 40% over the norm and we're coming up on one million members in just a few weeks," he said.
With Giant, a person earns one point for every dollar they spend and can ultimately save up to 1.50 per gallon for a maximum of 20 gallons/
Other options include Royal Farm's "ROFO Rewards." A person can save 25 cents a gallon till the end of June.
Meanwhile, Safeway's rewards can help a person save at Texaco stations. BPme rewards, and Exxon Mobile Rewards+ offer savings options too.
These rewards programs are free. All a person has to do is enter their phone number when they check out to earn points and reap the rewards.
"I think a lot of times people go to the store and they forget to put in your loyalty program or don't look for these type of savings," Draude said.
Brock said he is willing to consider a rewards program given the high prices.
"That's something I'd never considered in the past because it's like man, who needs to save a few pennies that ain't worth my time," he said. "But now, yeah."
