How to Get Free Gas Cards: 9 Legit Ways to Save on Fuel

Owning a car has long since transitioned from a luxury to a necessity. In fact, in 2022, over 94% of households in all US states had access to at least one vehicle. But the added convenience of having a car comes with its own price tag, one of which many of us struggle with every day – gas prices.

Unpredictable gas price changes can catch all of us off guard, so it’s natural to look for ways to reduce how much we spend on gas. And one of the best methods to save money on gas is free gas cards. There are many different ways to get these gift cards, but let’s explore the top 9 methods. 

What Are Free Gas Cards?

On average, an American household spends around $200 per month on gas alone. This translates to an extra $2400 per year you have to spend together with all other expenses. That’s why, to help with the increased costs of living, some gas stations offer free gas cards.

Definition

A free gas card is a prepaid gift card from a specific gas station that can be used to pay for fuel at that gas station. You can get these cards as part of a customer rewards system, a promotional campaign, or other incentive programs.

Some of the most notable gas station chains that offer branded gas vouchers are Shell, BP, ExxonMobil, and Circle K. You can redeem these cards at any chain station that’s specified on your gas money card.

Gas vouchers, on the other hand, are similar to gift cards, but they’re usually entirely paid for by different charities and non-profit organizations. These associations have become extremely popular, especially in less fortunate communities, offering to lessen the financial burden on transportation costs.

If you’re interested in gas vouchers, you can get started by simply getting in touch with your community center. Additionally, you could also contact different church charity programs or even your local Salvation Army for help.

Just note that these programs are in high demand, so the free gas vouchers can disappear quickly.

Benefits

Besides providing financial assistance with saving money on your gas, cost-reducing initiatives like gift cards or free gas vouchers offer other great benefits as well.

• Usability: Once you have a gift card or a voucher, it’s pretty easy to redeem it. You don’t have to worry about cash or other additional steps, simply notify the gas station and start filling your tank.
• Flexibility: Chain gas gift cards can be used at any location, giving you the freedom of choice. Also, many of these cards come with additional perks like car washes or even snacks.
• Budget-friendly: Saving money on gas means you get to dedicate this money towards something you need more, like medical attention or much-needed repairs.
• Wide availability: Gift cards and free gas vouchers can be used in most major gas stations across multiple locations.

Legitimate Ways to Get Free Gas Cards

There are numerous different programs dedicated to helping low-income families and gas company incentives that keep their customers coming during gas price changes.

1. Sign-Up Bonuses from Reward Programs

One of the simplest ways to get a free gas card is to sign up for different rewards programs. The best part is – they don’t have to be gas-related! Rewards platforms are great options where you can play games, complete surveys, watch videos, other tasks for monetary rewards and gas gift cards.

Tips for Better Earnings

If you’re new to rewards programs, here are some key pointers for you to know before you get started:

• Focus on high-paying tasks only like signing up for trial offers or referring friends.
• Consistency is key so the more time you spend on these platforms, the more points you accumulate, increasing your chances of getting free gas cards faster.
• Once you accumulate enough points to cash them out into rewards, a good thing to keep in mind would be to cash out free gas cards on promotional discounts, allowing you to save points for future rewards.

2. Credit Card Rewards

Most of us have debit or credit cards, but we’re not all aware of the benefits that come with a credit card. Depending on your bank provider and contract terms, you could have access to VIP lounges, a bundle of different discounts for sports clubs, shops, mobile apps, and activities.

One specific feature that you could take advantage of for free gas is the cashback feature. Lots of credit cards give you gas rewards or cashbacks you can later redeem for free gas. Here are some examples:

• Citi Custom Cash Card: With this card, you can earn 5% back (up to $500 per billing cycle) on your top spending category, including gas.
• Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: You can earn up to 6% cashback on groceries, streaming applications, and %3 on gas and transit expenses.
• Discover It Cash Back: This card also offers flexible rewards, you can get 5% back on everyday purchases like grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations.
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: Costco’s visa can get you 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases.

3. Gas Station Loyalty Programs

Gas stations have been around for a long time, so there’s no wonder that they also offer incredible loyalty programs you can use to save on gas money.

Typically, these loyalty programs reward you for being a customer and offer increasingly better rewards the more you use their services.

• ExxonMobil Rewards+: Earn points on every gallon of gas and in-store purchase to later exchange these points for rewards like snacks and fuel. You can even get rewards by referring friends and family.
• BPme Rewards: BPme also has a points system where you accumulate points by purchasing items and buying gas. For every 1L of fuel you buy, you earn 1 point, and once you reach 200, you can get £1 off. As a bonus, you can also exchange your earned points for vouchers at popular shops.
• Shell Fuel Rewards: With Shell’s rewards program, you can choose between 3 tiers, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, which offer distinct cents-per-gallon rewards and savings on everyday purchases like dining and shopping.
• Circle K Easy Rewards: Circle K offers two types of memberships, Member and Premium Members. Depending on which you choose, you can save from 3¢ to 5¢ per gallon and enjoy other perks like every day fuel discounts, in-store purchase discounts, and premium offers.
• Speedway Speedy Rewards: Earn 10 points per gallon of fuel and 20 points per dollar spent on merchandise. Like with other points-based programs, you can redeem these points for good at Speedway’s stores and for gas money.

Getting Started

It doesn’t matter who you are or what your financial situation is, if you drive a car, you should join the most popular gas station loyalty programs that offer amazing rewards that result in substantial savings. To join, all you have to do:

• Step 1: Visit the official gas station website or download their mobile app.
• Step 2: Sign up with your email and basic details to create an account. Some chains offer tiered membership, so make sure to choose the one that fits your needs best.
• Step 3: Start earning rewards every time you fill up on gas or make a purchase.

4. Rebates and Cashback Apps

Mobile apps have become the modern wallet for most of us, eliminating the need to carry different physical cards in exchange for a few simple swipes on your phone. Luckily, apps for saving on gas money are the same. Great examples include:

• GasBuddy: This app is especially popular because it does the research for you and displays the cheapest gas stations near you. As a bonus, GasBuddy also allows you to earn cashback for any purchases you make using this app.
• Fetch Rewards: Fetch is another app that offers discounts on more than just gas. With this app, you earn points every time you fill-up the tank and play games! Once you get enough points, you can redeem them for gift cards including free gas cards.
• Upside (formerly GetUpside): This is another free app you can get right now to start earning on every purchase you make, whether it’s stocking up on groceries or paying for gas. Frequent users have reported to earn an average of $290 per year with this app.

Tips for Maximizing Earnings

People often think that if they use different apps at once they’ll easily start earning rewards. In reality, it’s a bit different. If you want to make the process more efficient and usable in the long term, you should:

• Choose an app that covers your basic needs and is easy to use for you.
• Go for high-value offering apps and make sure to stay consistent in using the app for better returns.
• Combine cashback from these apps with credit card rewards or loyalty programs to increase savings.

5. Participate in Market Research & Surveys

Customer feedback and market research are some of the most valuable methods for improvement and further development of services and products. That’s why different companies organize online surveys with great rewards like gift cards or cash rewards to attract people.

These surveys can be extremely varied, ranging from taking only a couple of minutes to several hours to complete a single survey.

Pawns.app

Pawns.app is a platform and mobile app that focuses on making it easy for anyone to join and earn money in their free time. While the platform offers different activities, it also includes paid surveys you can choose from.

The great thing here is that there’s a variety of different online surveys you can take. Usually, paid surveys target a very specific audience, but on Pawns.app, you’re bound to find a survey that fits your profile.

The rewards you can get rely heavily on the surveys you take and how much time per day you spend on this activity. On average, you can earn up to $15 per day and withdraw money once your earnings hit $5. Most surveys don’t take long, so you can complete them when you have spare time, and use the rewards to pay for gas expenses easily.

PrizeRebel

PrizeRebel is a popular rewards platform that allows users to earn points by completing surveys, watching videos, and engaging in other online activities. It’s known for its user-friendly interface and a wide range of reward options you can choose from.

You can get started for free by signing up and choosing a survey to complete. As you accumulate points, you can later redeem them for free gas cards from well-known fuel brands.

Vindale Research

Vindale Research is another great platform that focuses specifically on paid surveys and product evaluation. To get started, you need to sign up for their platform and start taking surveys that are available for you. Since Vindale Research needs specific data, their surveys are usually geared towards specific demographics.

For rewards, Vindale offers cash rewards which can be deposited to your bank account and later withdrawn easily as well. This gives you the perfect opportunity to earn extra money on the side to compensate for immediate expenses like gas.

6. Promotional Offers and Giveaways

Promotional offers and giveaways are excellent ways to earn free gas cards with minimal effort. Gas stations, car manufacturers, and financial institutions offer different incentives to attract new customers or reward loyal ones. Here’s how you can take advantage of these opportunities:

• Sign up for newsletters & enable mobile app notifications. Companies often share promotional information via email newsletters and push notifications on mobile apps.
• Check rewards programs. Some loyalty programs, like Shell Fuel Rewards or BPme Rewards, offer recurring promotions that include free gas cards or discounts.
• Visit deal websites. Groupon, Slickdeals, and other specialized forums often post information about gas-related promotions and giveaways.
• Review bank promotions. Just like credit cards offer unique perks for using them, some banks give free gas cards with other bonuses as a welcoming gift for opening an account with them or referring new customers.

• Research holiday promotions. During holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Christmas, gas stations often run promotions to encourage travel by offering fuel discounts or free gas cards.
• Look for back-to-school or summer offers. Kroger or Safeway sometimes work with fuel brands to offer gas card rewards when you spend a certain amount on groceries.

7. Referrals and Sharing Programs

Referral and sharing programs are great for getting tangible rewards like earning free gas money or gas gift cards to save money. A lot of companies reward their customers for their loyalty and awareness, bringing in new customers.

Typically, to become a part of a referral or sharing program, you have to join a platform like ExxonMobil Rewards+ that offers referral rewards. Once you sign up, you can get a unique referral link and share it with your friends and family.

Just note that it’s important to have a unique code, otherwise, your rewards won’t be tracked. Once you successfully refer people, you’ll be rewarded with points, cash, or gift cards you can use to save money on gas. Other notable companies offering referral opportunities include:

1. Uber.
2. Lyft Driver.
3. Upside.
4. Shell.
5. Kroger.
6. Safeway Fuel.
7. Credit card companies.

8. Use Social Media and Online Communities

Social media platforms and online forums are probably the best tools to find the best, newest, and hottest opportunities, which also include gas gift cards and free gas vouchers. People all over the world are sharing tips, tricks, and updates on promotions and giveaways constantly.

Moreover, gas stations and fuel brands like Shell, BP, Chevron, Speedway, and Circle K often use their social media channels to announce exclusive giveaways and promotional offers. To enhance visibility, they also partner with popular influencers and YouTubers to bring in new customers.

Additionally, online forums could be great places to find fuel-saving opportunities, especially if you’re used to navigating them. Whether it’s discussing deals, products, services, or tips on how to save money on gas, forum communities have it all.

• Reddit: Try subreddits like /r/freebies, /r/beermoney, and /r/frugal, people regularly post about free gas card deals, cashback apps, and other hacks to save money.
• Facebook Groups: Join groups like Couponing or Daily Freebies where users share tips and active promotions, just know that it might take some time to zero in on free gas gift cards.
• Local community pages: Nextdoor is a great neighborhood for posts about nearby gas station promotions or local events offering free gas cards.

9. Trade-In Rewards or Unused Gift Cards

Last but definitely not least, we have trade-in rewards. Gift cards have become increasingly popular in recent years. But sometimes, we don’t get something we need.

If that’s you and you have unused gift cards lying around, you can list them on popular exchange, swap, or gift card selling platforms. Some of the most popular platforms where you can sell your gift cards include Cardpool, Raise, and ClipKard.

Before you go ahead and start selling your gift cards, make sure they’re still valid, otherwise, this could turn out to be quite the problem. Another thing to consider is where the gift card is available to be redeemed.

What to Avoid When Trying to Get Free Gas Cards

While there are plenty of legitimate ways to earn free gas cards, there’s still a risk of scams and other malicious activity. To make sure you get your free gas vouchers or gift cards safely, it’s important to be aware of the most popular scams.

Scams to Watch Out For

• Fake websites promising free gas cards in exchange for your personal or even bank information.
• “Too good to be true” offers like unlimited free gas cards or rewards where scammers try to get information from you.
• Phishing emails or texts claiming that you’ve won free gas cards and provide suspicious card-redeeming links.
• Upfront payments where scammers request you to pay for offers.

How to Identify Legit Offers

• Verify the source and engage with reputable companies or well-known platforms only.
• Make sure the website’s URL begins with “https://” which includes a standard safety protocol.
• Read reviews and testimonials from past users before engaging with any platform.
• Avoid giving sensitive personal information as legitimate offers never ask for your Social Security number, bank account details, or passwords.
• Pay attention to spelling and grammar errors, these often indicate scams.
• Trust your instincts, if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Wrapping Up

Looking for new ways to save money or cut back specifically on your gas costs can be a challenging process, but not if you strategize which saving methods to use. With the right mindset, a bit of research, and dedication, you can start saving on not just fuel, but other daily expenses. Just know that patience and steady efforts are key, so choose a method that works for you!

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