Gas Rebate Credit Cards

With all the talk about gas prices and people trying to save gas and beat the heat at the pump, I believe we left out one of the most important industries that America depends on – the trucking industry.

Not only do the truckers use way more gas than the average consumer, they also pay attention to the rising gas prices that put a damper in their everyday life. The Fuel Express card is one gas rebate credit card that every trucking company owner will appreciate.

The Fuel Express card is accepted at virtually every gas station across the country at over 230,000 locations. They are a nationwide provider for fleet vehicles and offer fuel cards that operate in the same manner as the Hess gas card.

With this fleet card, there is always a gas station en route. They offer a 24/7 monitoring system that is second to none. This card makes your job as a fleet manager easier by taking control of the fuel expenses, thus saving the business money.

With the Fuel Express card you now have the ability to limit how much can be purchased on each and every card.  This will eliminate excessive spending and help you to properly manage your fleet and business.  Once the pre-set limit has been reached, the card will be rejected.

This card also has the capability to monitor driver activity as soon as the transaction posts to your account.You can establish exception reports with email notification of unauthorized purchases and even run reports for any need at any time.

With a card that is accepted pretty much anywhere, how can your business go wrong. Be in control and save money by monitoring your drivers. Work smarter not harder with this card and watch your profits rise.

When American Express and Costco come together to offer the TrueEarnings card, it pays to be a club member. Costco members do not pay an annual fee. You earn cash back whenever you buy.

The TrueEarnings card has a 0% introductory APR on purchases for six months. Card members also enjoy 3% for gasoline for annual gasoline purchases of up to $3,000 (1% thereafter), 3% for restaurants, 2% for travel, and 1% virtually everywhere else.

With a 4.5 out of 5 stars in overall satisfaction, it is a wonder why people choose this card. Not only do people save on every purchase they make, they also receive 2% cash back on their purchases at Costco.

There are personal and business versions of this credit card that have a small number of differences, although they are both available to earn cash back rewards. The business card has a higher percentage of cash back rewards, customized statements, additional employee cards, and an OPEN savings to save on expenses with big companies like FedEx, Hyatt, and Delta.

The TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express allows the card holder to pay their balance in full or to pay the balance over time. There is a 20-day grace period for this card if the minimum amount listed on the statement is paid by the date shown. Otherwise, the late fee will be between $15 and $39, depending on the balance amount.

You cannot apply for this card unless you are a Costco member in good standing. The annual rebates must be used by the expiration date that is listed on them or they are forfeited.

As you can plainly see, the pros outweight the cons with this card. The TrueEarnings card from Costco and American Express save you money on all of your purchases. With the endless benefits, you cannot go wrong with this card.

Fifteen years ago, hardly anyone used these cards unless they ran a company motor pool. Now, millions upon millions of households depend on these little cards to pay for their gas. With the price of gas these days, who wouldn’t?

You are probably wondering who came up with the first gas rebate credit card. Well, it wasn’t Chase, Discover, ExxonMobil or even Texaco. It was Shell.

In 1992, Shell kicked off the whole concept with a 3% cash back rewards card. The program made Shell so many loyal customers that the company soon bumped its rebate to 5% and many of their competitors followed in their footsteps.

With gas at around $4.00 a gallon, 5% amounts to $.20 a gallon, or a savings of $3.00 on a 15-gallon tank of gasoline. Your Shell rebates are automatically redeemed when you purchase gas at your local Shell station, and there is no annual fee.

After the first year your annual fee is waived as long as you purchase gas 9 times in the prior year. There is a 0% APR for 6 months and a $20 credit is applied to your new account when you sign up.

Your Shell gas rebate credit card will have a MasterCard logo, which will enable you to make purchases other than gas. This card is also managed by Citibank, allowing you to enjoy all the benefits enjoyed by Citibank customers.

But remember, when signing up for any credit card, read the fine print. Also, be sure to pay off your balance at the end of the month. If you leave a balance, the interest alone will cause you to pay even more than the price of gas at the pump.

And there you have it. The Shell gas rebate credit card just makes sense. With no annual fee and a 5% rebate card managed by Citibank, who could go wrong? Come out of your shell and sign up now.

The Lukoil gas card is offered by Juniper Bank and Barclays Bank of Delaware and allows you to earn 4% on gas credit card purchases at Lukoil and Getty gas stations and 1% everywhere else. You get a $10 bonus on your first use and you get double rebates for the first 60 days.

And who is Lukoil exactly? Lukoil is Russia’s second largest oil company, and it’s second largest producer of oil. In 2009, the company produced 97.615 million tons of oil. It is comparable to ExxonMobil.

And why should I apply for a Lukoil card? The answer is simple. They offer cards for individuals and for businesses. Capital One, Discover, and Bank of America offer gas rebate credit cards that are accepted at Lukoil stations across the country.

For the first two billing cycles after your new account is opened, you will earn rebates of 8% on LUKOIL and Getty purchases and 2% on all other purchases (excluding purchases made at any merchant that sells gasoline other than LUKOIL or Getty branded gasoline) provided your account is open and in good standing. There is no annual fee with this card and the balance transfer rate is 0% for 6 billing cycles.

You’ll earn a greater rebate percentage on eligible gas purchases made at a participating Lukoil station, and a smaller rebate percentage at any other merchant selling Lukoil gas. Once you accumulate an eligible amount of rebates, you then usually receive them as a check or credit to your account.

You can also redeem the rebates for a gift card, which may be used to buy merchandise, including gas.  Lukoil credit offers are varied, and may suit customers whose credit scores range from fair to excellent. Remember to read the fine print when completing any credit card offer.

If you already purchase Lukoil or Getty gas, this makes perfect sense. Enjoy rebates of up to 8% and more. Apply for a Lukoil gas rebate credit card today!

As gas prices continue to soar, consumers scramble to try to find more ways to save money. Your search is over folks as we’ve found the card that will give you the highest cash back. We call it the American Express Blue Cash credit card.

This card has no annual fee. It gives up to 5% cashback at gas stations. It also gives up to 5% cashback at grocery stores and pharmacies and 1.25% cashback on all other purchases.

At this point you’re probably saying, there has to be a catch right? Well, in order to receive the cashback rewards, you need to spend at least $6,500 per calendar year.  For the first $6,500 you spend, you receive 1% on gas, groceries, and pharmacies. And for everything else, you receive .5%.

This first $6,500 spent doesn’t even seem like a problem for most people because after that you receive cashback rewards that are higher than any other card, and you receive more free benefits than you would anywhere else.

The American Express Blue Cash card also offers a purchase protection plan, return protection, a free buyer’s assurance plan, and many other benefits at no cost to you. There is no limit on the cashback you can earn and your purchases aren’t limited to gas, groceries, and pharmacies either.

How many credit cards have you found that offer all of these benefits and more? In today’s economy, you cannot afford to waste money; and you cannot afford to lose out on the free savings this card has to offer. Applying online is easy. Reap the rewards of the American Express Blue cash card today.

The BP gas rewards card has a very generous rewards program. It has low interest rates and no annual fee. You can also double your cash back in 60 days. You receive 5% cash back at BP and Amoco gas stations and 2% back on dining purchases and travel. You also earn 10% on your gas purchases.

There is no maximum amount of rebates you can earn with this card. When you earn at least $25 in rebates, you can redeem the cash for a BP gift card, a check or a donation to the Conservation Fund. This card is offered by Chase Bank and is one of the best gas rebate credit cards we’ve seen!

The only downfall this card has is that you don’t receive rebates at restaurants, wholesale clubs, or discount stores. You only receive rewards at BP or Amoco gas stations, which shouldn’t be a problem considering BP has locations all throughout the country.

Right now, BP is running a credit card offer where you can get double the rewards during the first two billing cycles. This is equalled to 10% rebates on gas and 4% cash back on restaurants and travel purchases like plane tickets, hotel reservations, and car rentals. There are three different BP credit cards to choose from and they even offer a card for business.

The BP gas rebate credit card offers their cardholders online access. You can view your transactions and account information for up to 6 years. You can even set up free alerts and view your statement online when it is ready. Convenience, low rates, and the awesome incentives make this card offer one you do not want to miss out on!

Using your gas rebate credit card to save money on gas is more important than ever with how high gas prices have been lately. A savvy consumer has also figured out a way to maximize his savings by purchasing a gift card at the gas station he fills up at. This is one of the most creative ways to save between 20-30 cents per gallon.

Let’s say your gas station offers a $50 gift card that you can purchase for $48. When you buy or reload the gift card, you pay with your gas rebate credit card, which has a 5% rebate on gas purchases.  On a $3 per gallon gas purchase, you receive an 8.8% discount, or 26 cents per gallon.

To receive the maximum benefit with your gas rebate credit card, make sure you are purchasing gas at a location where the primary product is gas. You will not receive the maximum benefit by purchasing your gas at a wholesale club. If you carry a balance, as most of us do, be sure that you have a low interest card. Finally, be sure to read the fine print.

Do your homework and research where you can purchase the cheapest gas around town. Even if you buy your gas at a Mom and Pop gas station that accepts your gas rebate credit card, the 4 or 5 cents per gallon you are saving really adds up. The nicer the neighborhood the more you are going to pay for gas.Take a few moments and combine all of the tips mentioned here to save yourself the most money on your gas purchases. You’ll be glad you did!

You pull up to the gas station, look at the price of gas and sigh. This seems to be the case with all of us with how high the gas prices have been lately. I know you are shaking your head right now because you’ve realized that over the years the prices have gotten higher and higher and it’s really putting a damper in your financial situation. Well, I have four words for you: Gas Rebate Credit Cards.

With a gas rebate credit card, you save money on gas every time you fill up. The rewards are endless and cards are available whether you are a student or a business or anyone in between!

A gas rebate credit card works just like any other credit card, only you receive a benefit when you purchase gas.  They offer up to a 5% rebate on future fuel purchases. There are also smaller cash rewards of up to 1% on other purchases.

A number of card companies offer points that can be used to pay for various merchandise in addition to gas. Previous transactions that are unrewarded will start to earn 2% to 5% cash back on all gas station purchases. These rewards can be redeemed in cash or used to buy other discounted goods and services from affiliated merchants. Rebate cards tend to offer low bank transfer APRs, and if you pay off the transfer within the grace period, this can be a useful way to pay down another card balance, especially a higher interest one.

Gas credit cards are extremely useful for people who can properly manage the use of credit cards and credit card rewards. The cash back rebates you can earn on all gas purchases are recognized everywhere and can be earned at any gas station location or brand regardless of where you go. Gas rebate credit cards are  going to be your best bet when it comes to saving money on gas at the pump.

As gas prices go up, so too do more and more people apply for gas rebate credit cards. The beauty of these little demons is that they can save you money on gasoline. The more you fill up, the more you’ll save.

The way these cards work is like this: You drive your car and stop at a service station to fill up. You might fill up or you might just put in $5 or $10 worth of gas, depending on your budget. Nothing wrong with that. A penny saved is a penny earned. However, the more gas you put in your car, the larger your rebate.

So, let’s say you end up putting $100 worth of gas in your vehicle during a month of driving. If your gas rebate credit card offers a 5% rebate, you’ll get $5 back at the end of the month. That’s $5 cash.

Well, virtual cash.

Some gas rebate credit card issuers make you request your rebate money before they send it to you. Be sure to read the fine print. If they say you have to request it, have the mailing address, phone number, or e-mail address handy where you have to send your request to. Also note if there is a deadline on your request and be sure to meet the deadline.

Your rebate may come in the form of a check or it may come in the form of gas credits. Check the card’s rules before you purchase it so you know what you are getting into.

Now that spring has arrive and the weather is starting to turn nice, you can expect gas prices to start creeping upwards. It happens every year. As we near summer, and even deep into summer, gas prices continue to climb. It’s likely that many parts of the country will see gas prices above $4 per gallon by the end of summer.

Why do gas prices rise in the summer? Because that’s when people use a lot of gas, and it’s predictable.

Many professions – like the teaching professions, for instance – have summer vacations. What do people do on their summer vacations? They travel. And that means more gas usage. The gas companies see that as an opportunity to raise gas prices, which is precisely what they do. The more people who travel and more travel that is being done, the more gas prices go up.

Another thing that affects summer gas prices is lawn mowing. Everyone mows the lawn during the summer. It’s an opportunity for the gas industry to profit. That’s what the do. And you have to pay higher prices at the pump.

There’s nothing you can do about season gas price spikes. Except one thing. Get a gas credit card, which will offer you discount points for usage, allowing you to save money as gas prices rise.

We’re sure it came as no shock to you, anymore than it did us, that when a hurricane or strong tropical storm is headed for the Gulf of Mexico, gas prices may rise. Apparently Tropical Storm Gustav has caused a bit of panic among oil companies and, in turn, stock holders panic as well. The result? High gas prices.

Now is the perfect time, if you’re a resident of the Gulf Coast to use your gas rebate credit card or credit card with rewards program and fill up your car, gas jugs, and generator, as soon as possible this morning before the prices rise anymore. Gas in some Gulf Coast cities rose today, up $.14 from yesterday, at least they did where I live, which is Pensacola, Fl.

Of course, residents along the Gulf of Mexico aren’t the only ones being affected by gas spikes due to Gustav. According to the Wall Street Journal Market Watch Report, dated August 27, 2008, the title says it all… “Gustav Threat Keeps Gas Markets High Rising Higher.” When it comes to hurricanes, making haste will not make waste, when it comes to saving on gas.

High gas prices have had a trickle down effect on our entire economy as a whole. They’ve caused food prices to soar, and have made transportation of goods all the more pricey which means companies are laying off and/or firing workers to increase their profit margins or break even.

Everyone is still paying more for gas per gallon, way more than we were last year at this time (thank goodness for gas reward cards to help lessen the impact of those costs). Even though gas is now as low as $3.49 per regular gallon of gasoline in some cities, we are still experiencing pain at the pump and coupled with job loss and high food prices, not only our poorest citizens suffering worse than ever, but now included are what used to be middle and upper class citizens in some areas.

According to a LA Times report dated July 28, 2008, “demand for free groceries is at the highest level in recent memory this summer as the sagging economy has hit not only the poor, but also middle- and upper-class families.”

Many can definitely sympathize with this situation but do not know what it is like to be in a position of being in need. A major reason we are seeing a decline in charitable contributions is because middle and upper class families are really having to watch where their money is going each payday. Though we are saving on gas more than a few months ago, food prices are still high and paychecks haven’t gone up. Where consumers used to have funds left to “play” and “give”, many are now finding themselves on the brink of ending up like those middle and upper class citizens, as reported in the LA Times…a hair away from standing in line at a food bank.

Cleaning up the air by reducing greenhouse emissions and breaking our dependency on foreign oil are major issues among politicians, lobbyists, green groups, and voters.  E85, a blend consisting of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, is being hailed as one way to go about reducing pollutants put out by gasoline.  However, there is more to consider here than emissions, cost and fuel efficiency.

Cons of Ethanol Based Fuel – E85

• Ethanol helps save on gas spending, but for those in the Western US, it will cost up to $.35 more per gallon to fuel up and the Mid-Atlantic states up to $.44 more. The fortunate ones are those living in the Mid-West where ethanol is produced. Filling up with ethanol there is actually $.30 less per gallon of fuel.

• To add to the woes of ethanol based fuel is that it is less fuel efficient. You’ll be swiping your gas rebate credit card more often than with gasoline.

• Ethanol based fuel is only widely available in the Mid-Western States.

Pros of Ethanol Based Fuel – E85

• Ethanol is a renewable energy source and can be produced domestically. If it reaches a wider market, it would definitely help break our dependency on foreign oil.

• Smog emissions are reduced up to 50% which equates to cleaner air.

Finally, according to today’s AAA Fuel Gauge report, E85 had an average of $3.045 per gallon (remember, we’re talking about places where it is widely available), BUT when factoring in the pathetic fuel efficiency of ethanol based fuels, it was found that consumers are really spending approximately $4.007 per gallon.

As of today’s date, it would be cheaper to fuel up with premium grade gasoline than with E85.

With gas prices still hovering around $3.50 per gallon or higher for regular unleaded gasoline, the scooter industry has seen a tremendous boost in sales. According to a Business First report on July 18, 2008, “sales are up 24 percent this year and have more than doubled since 2001.” Saving on gas is still a major concern for many people worldwide, so is it any wonder why people are opting to get around town on scooters?

Although some modern scooters look like the ones you’d make a crack on when seeing one puttering around, others have drastically changed in design to appeal to a wider market.  Not only that, but many can now accelerate at highway speeds.  The Piaggio MP3 is, according to an ABC report, “the first three-wheel scooter that is highway ready and saves on fuel.”   They’re affordable too.  The most expensive MP3 model is under $9000.

Combined with a credit card with rewards program, the savings on gas would be tremendous.  Scooters are definitely worth taking a look in to and who cares if people make fun while you’re dallying around on one…you can laugh right back at them knowing that you’re getting in upwards of 50-90 mpg.

Breathe easy fellow middle class Americans, as more than likely, none of the top five least fuel efficient cars grace our driveways. Even if we inherited one of these babies we’d be shelling out almost $10 to drive a mere 25 miles! However, I’m positive the mega-rich aren’t losing sleep or concerning themselves with how to save on gas. Regardless, here’s a look at the top five gas guzzling hogs on the roadways…just for heck of it.

1) 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago - That any modern day cars could get such horrible mileage is astonishing…8 miles per gallon in the city and 13 mpg on the highway! On a positive note, Lamborghini owners who fill-up with a gas rewards card will get a nice hefty rebate at the end of the month.

2) It’s a tie between the Bentley Azure and Bentley Arnage RL – Such beautiful cars, how sad that they only get 9 mpg while commuting through town and 15 mpg on the open road.

3) The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti – Probably a thrill to drive, but with only 9 city and 16 highway miles per gallon, we’ll pass.

4) Another tie, the Aston Martin DB9 Coupe and DB9 Volunte – James Bond would have to pull over for gas quite often when chasing the bad guys whilst driving this famed vehicle. The Martin’s only get 10 stop and go miles per gallon and 16 highway mpg.

5) Bottoming out the list with 10 city and 16 highway mpg is the Bentley Continental GTC – As Toyota was to the top five most fuel efficient cars, Bentley manufacturers are to the top least fuel efficient vehicles. But hey, at least they weren’t in first place…which is a good thing on this type of list.

The results for mpg are probably even lower for the Lamborghini and Ferrari. After all, these aren’t the type of cars you use for Sunday drives, they were built for speed. Could you fathom driving sports cars like those the speed limit?  Be honest.  Now that you’ve said, “No way”, we can safely assume that this theory is not too far off…especially considering that driving the speed limit is a major gas saving strategy.

*Full results used in this blog can be viewed at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/bestworst.shtml

* Efficiency is based on current EPA Size Class. You can view the full results at http://fueleconomy.gov *

The Top 5 Most Fuel Efficient Cars

1) The drum roll for the most fuel efficient vehicle goes to………The Toyota Prius, which averages a whopping 48 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway. Hmmmm…Prius owners who use gas rebate credit cards probably don’t swipe their cards as often as those of us with gas guzzlers, but how cool that the savings are still there for when they do.

2) Where there is a Toyota, a Honda is sure to follow…The Honda Civic Hybrid gets the same mpg on the highway, 45, as the Prius but lacks the same in city mpg, 40. Too bad, maybe next year.

3) Coming in at number three is a vehicle that, decades ago, would be something seen only in futuristic type movies…The 2008 smart fortwo convertible gets approximately 33mpg in the city and 41mpg on the highway.

4 & 5) Toyota manufacturers must be proud to have three of their vehicles listed in the top five. The Toyota Yaris (Manual 5) gets 29 miles per gallon in the city and 36 mpg while driving the speed limit, on the highway while the Toyota Yaris (Automatic 4) achieves 29 city and 35 highway mpg. In my best female attempt at doing a voice impression of Napoleon Dynamite, “Lucky.”

Our hats are off to Toyota and those other two car manufactures as they lead the pack when it comes to making vehicles that are best for fuel efficiency and helping consumers save on gas.

Today, we are one step closer to the November 4, 2008, Presidential Election. Gas prices are inching their way down and hopefully we’ll see the $2+ mark one day…we shouldn’t hold our breath in anticipation of what would be a dream come true, but there is certainly nothing wrong with wishful thinking, right? In the meantime, continue to eschew the $3.50 per gallon of gasoline and plump up your pocketbook with savings as a positive side-effect of using a gas rebate credit card.

You’ll notice that we only presented an overview of how Barack Obama hopes to solve our high gas prices in our yesterday’s blog, not an opinion (although believe me, we do have them)…we’ll treat John McCain in the same fashion. That said, we’ll now present a brief overview of John McCain’s solutions for high gas prices:

In recent days I have set before the American people an energy plan, the Lexington Project — named for the town where Americans asserted their independence once before. And let it begin today with this commitment: In a world of hostile and unstable suppliers of oil, this nation will achieve strategic independence by 2025. – John McCain, June 25, 2008

The Lexington Project contains McCain’s gas saving solutions :

• Expanding Domestic Oil And Natural Gas Exploration And Production – To lessen US dependency on foreign oil by lifting government restrictions on US oil reserves and reduce trade deficits due to importing oil. – Lexington Project overview, paragraph 3

• Propose A $300 Million Prize To Improve Battery Technology For Full Commercial Development Of Plug-In Hybrid And Fully Electric Automobiles – Should this proposal be accepted, a battery must be able to deliver a power source at 30% of current costs. Lexington Project overview, paragraph 6

• Enforce existing CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards – Enforce the mileage requirements that auto manufactures must adhere to by imposing penalties on them if they are not compliant. – Lexington Project overview, paragraph 10

• Addressing Speculative Pricing Of Oil – Reform the laws and regulations concerning the oil futures market so they are clear and concise and will not allow for skyrocketing gas prices. – Lexington Project overview, paragraph 23

We hope to have least peaked your curiosity as to how our 2008 Presidential Candidates plan on helping Americans save on gas and make our country less dependent on foreign oil….whether any would work or not isn’t known…but it is best to try and understand both sides when forming an opinion on this, or any, issue.

We are only a few months away from perhaps the most historical Presidential Election in our nation’s history. Quite a few Americans are making their own efforts to save on gas by using gas reward cards, using alternative forms of transportation, and more. Unfortunately, despite our attempts to increase our gas savings, and even though gas prices are on a downward trend, many are still hurting when forking out over $3.50 per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline. This continues to make the cost of gas a hot button issue and Americans would like to know, “What are the 2008 Presidential Candidates’ solutions for high fuel costs?”

Today we’ll look at some of Barack Obama’s “Real Solutions for High Gas Prices”:

We need proactive solutions that are designed to lessen our dependence on foreign oil and bring down prices for good – Barack Obama, Thursday, May 11, 2006

That was in 2006, what has Senator and Presidential Hopeful Obama done since then to help the US and its citizens save on gas? Well, he has introduced legislation along with other members of congress but most have not passed. Here are just a few of them:

• The American Fuel Act – Aimed at increasing domestic production, distribution, and end the use of biofuels. (Library of Congress: American Fuels Act of 2007)

• Biofuels Security Act – Calls for sixty-billion gallons of renewable biofuels to take place by 2030. (Library of Congress: Biofuels Security Act of 2007, 110th Congress, 1st Session)

• Oil Sense Act – Introduced as a way to rid “royalty relief and repeal some of the Energy Policy Act of 2005”…ending unnecessary tax breaks for big oil companies. (Library of Congress: Oil SENSE Act, 110th Congress, 1st Session, January 4, 2007)

• E85 Tax Credit – Finally, one introduction that passed is a tax credit for installing E-85 (85% Ethanol/15% Gasoline) ethanol refueling at the gas stations around the country.

If you’re still on the fence when it comes to who you’ll be voting for in November, I encourage you to get to know the candidates. Polling data for the General Election of McCain versus Obama, as of August 18, 2008, shows an extremely tight race. The LA Times/Bloomberg, Gallup, Rasmussen, Quinnipiac, IBD/TIPP, and Pew Research polls all display Barak Obama as having a slight edge. The Real Clear Politics (RCP) average has Obama at 45% and John McCain at 42.5%.

You can view more of Senator Barack Obama’s recommendations, proposals, and ideas from his main website. Tomorrow we’ll present some of Senator John McCain’s solutions for high gas prices.

Even though gas prices have decreased over the past month or so, the price of gas is still high. Americans are taking vacations less and staying home more. Also worthy of note is the following: According to a survey of 377 individuals titled, How Much is Too Much: America’s Addiction to Gasoline and Its Impact on the Workforce, conducted by the Telework Exchange, “89% of respondents said that they would limit a job search due to potential commuting costs. 28% are looking for a new job today, due to commuting costs.” Not only are companies missing out on some potentially talented workers, but at risk of losing the ones they have because of the cost to drive to work.

Honestly, survey and poll statistics do not even need to be factored in because employers know how their employees are being affected when it comes to overall morale. That said, here are some ideas for helping your employees save on gas and make your company stand-out to potential new ones.

Offer an opportunity to telecommute

If your company is mostly computer based, why not consider allowing your most trusted and long-time employees to telecommute to help them save on gas? Your employees are the backbone of your company and the ones who perform at or above expectations with minimal to little supervision deserve to keep more of their paychecks. If you allowed those who want to telecommute to do so and they have a computer at home, not only would you increase their gas savings but it would increase morale in the work place and inspire other employees who would like to work harder to achieve such a privilege. It would also decrease expenses your company incurs due to “sick days.”

Gas reward incentives

Increase productivity and morale by having a weekly, biweekly, or monthly contest with the prize being a gas reward. Use your companies gas rebate credit card to purchase a few pre-paid gas cards to hand out to your most productive employees.

Four Day Work Week

Not only would you save on electricity costs for one day and help your workers save on gas, but you may notice a boost in morale. Refreshed and happy employees make for exemplary customer service and satisfaction. Of course, by implementing a four day work week you would enjoy the extra day off too. To see how this has impacted one company in particular, see our blog, Some Companies are Helping Employees Save on Gas.

Other options for how employers can help employees save on gas

According to survey done by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), What Employers Are Doing to Help Their Employees with High Gas Prices in 2008, the following are results of how some companies are being proactive in lending a helping hand…

• Raise the mileage reimbursement to the IRS maximum
• Offer a flexible work schedule
• Public transportation discounts
• Helped employees in organizing carpools
• Offer priority parking to employees who carpool
• Help non-executive hires help in finding housing closer to the office
• Offere a monetary incentive for employees to buy hybrid cars

Try some of the options shown here today and take notes to help determine how your business is affected as a result whether positively, negatively, or neutral. Any measures your company takes to help employees will benefit not just them, but you in the long run.

Gas reward incentives are quite popular today as companies realize that if they want to build a customer base or get people to frequent their establishment, one way to do so is to help customers save on gas by offering gas reward incentives…

• Kroger’s Fuel Rewards Program - Spend $1000 or more a month at this grocery store super- center and you’ll receive up to four full tanks of gas at $1 off per gallon. Not a hefty shopper? Not a problem, spending at least Gas $100 and save $.10 per gallon. The only downside is that not all the centers have their own gas station and it doesn’t apply in all states. Visit Kroger’s website for more information.

• Giant Eagle Inc. Fuelperks Program – After spending at least $50 on gift cards, “get going” to their Getgo gas stations and you’ll receive a $.10 discount on up to 30 gallons.  Check out their site for full details.

• High Haven House Bed & Breakfast Inn, Vineyard – Up for a little romantic getaway? Prepare to snuggle up in comfort and this charming vacation destination and you may receive a gas card of $75. Folks from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania , are offered an even larger “prize”…a $150 gas card. Offer expires October 31, 2009.  See their site for full details.

• Hilton Hotels, Holiday Inn, Marriott – The Holiday Inn and Marriott gas card offers are good through December 31, 2008 and Hilton Hotels through March 1, 2009. These offers are at select locations so check out their websites for more information and restrictions.

• Branson Missouri Tourism Center – Plan on seeing one of the great shows in the city of Branson, Missouri? If you purchase your tickets through them and live 100 miles or more away, you can receive a gas discount coupon with $.20 off per gallon of gas (at Branson 1st Stop Travel-Plex for up to 20 gallons). Offer is valid until December 31, 2008, and is good for one vehicle per month.  See their site for further details.

If you know of any gas reward incentive programs in your area feel free to let us know (spammers are not welcome to reply…all links will be checked using WOT or other safe website checker programs). Remember to use your gas rebate credit card to in conjunction with the great offers above to help increase your gas savings even further!