|
Post by darkduke on Jan 6, 2012 5:56:08 GMT -6
Let me start of by saying, I don't mind saving a penny here or penny there, especially when it comes to fueling up my vehicle. However, I realized this morning what a scam the earning fuel points by buying gifts cards really is.
I am going on a trip in a few months and decided that I would purchase a few of the Visa gift cards to use to purchase some items I would need for the trip. By purchasing gift cards to use towards those items, I could rack up the points towards my fuel since you get 4x the number of points for buying the cards.
After I started looking at the activation fees for these cards and computing the math, I realized that I would be spending almost $20 to activate these cards, not including tax. The amount that I would have earned to save on a tank of fuel would of been only $17, therefore I would have to spend $3 more then I would get in savings on the fuel.
Just wanted to let everyone know to not forget to add in those "hidden" fees when you are purchasing said cards with the assumption you will save fuel.
|
|
|
Post by mamaof3_lil_girls on Jan 6, 2012 6:31:42 GMT -6
I don't know about the Visa Gift Cards but I purchased a couple of Barnes & Noble gift cards and got the 4x points... no activation fee for that.
|
|
|
Post by Mrs. Tall on Jan 6, 2012 9:40:11 GMT -6
Yup. Usually store gift cards don't have activation fees, but Visa or AmEx do. What's really a shame is that Kroger cards aren't part of that promotion.
|
|
|
Post by Pantera on Jan 6, 2012 9:52:43 GMT -6
Thats just how it is no matter where you purchase a prepaid credit card. They always have an activation fee associated with them and some have a $5 a month maintenance fee as long as you have money on that card. Regular gift cards don't have those fees.
|
|
|
Post by dumdave on Jan 6, 2012 10:03:00 GMT -6
Don't forget to use your Kroger card for pharmacy purchases.
I got a BUCK OFF/gal my last fill up & fuel was $2.18/gal for me.
We/SHE meet our max deductable around May. Then rx's for my roomie are free after that. Getting to that max is ....brutal,......... but no choice.
|
|
|
Post by Lucky1 on Jan 6, 2012 10:07:42 GMT -6
I agree darkduke - don't buy the visa cards. I bought store cards for Christmas gifts and got the 4x points with no activation charge. I love Kroger fuel discounts.
|
|
|
Post by dumdave on Jan 6, 2012 11:45:26 GMT -6
I agree darkduke - don't buy the visa cards. I bought store cards for Christmas gifts and got the 4x points with no activation charge. I love Kroger fuel discounts. LIKE! Never have bought gas anywhere else. Never paid full price either. Krogers is great for this offer. Blue showed my how this worked when I moved here. Even let me borrow her card! Thank You!
|
|
|
Post by darkduke on Jan 6, 2012 12:19:38 GMT -6
Yup. Usually store gift cards don't have activation fees, but Visa or AmEx do. What's really a shame is that Kroger cards aren't part of that promotion. I have purchased the regular gift cards before too and gotten my points. However, because I need to purchase things here and there, could not justify doing the buy a $25 Ebay card for a $5 purchase there, $50 gift card to Old Navy for a $35 purchase, etc.
|
|
|
Post by 2B4GIVN on Jan 6, 2012 12:24:39 GMT -6
The most money we've ever received off per gallon has been (.20 ). I'm trying to figure out how you are able to get " a buck off per gallon." Even when our points roll over to the following month, it's usually due to prescriptions. We've never received more than a .20 (cent per gallon) discount. The pump will ask if we want to use all of our points to receive .20 or if we want to save points toward our next fill up. For this to happen you have to accumulate at least another 100 points, this rarely happens for us in the time before they are considered void. I thought the only way to receive " 4x's points" is by using a KROGER Visa Card. Lord knows I spend too much money at Kroger's as it is. If I'm missing something that's keeping us from saving, PLEASE someone enlighten me. We can't afford anymore $$ Losses. Have things changed with the Kroger Gas point system recently? We gave up using our Kroger Card and use our phone number. We got tired of swiping cards in the winter and having them fail. For those who may not know you can do this, it's much faster than swiping a card that fails 50% of the time.
|
|
|
Post by Mrs. Tall on Jan 6, 2012 14:12:45 GMT -6
Yup. Usually store gift cards don't have activation fees, but Visa or AmEx do. What's really a shame is that Kroger cards aren't part of that promotion. I have purchased the regular gift cards before too and gotten my points. However, because I need to purchase things here and there, could not justify doing the buy a $25 Ebay card for a $5 purchase there, $50 gift card to Old Navy for a $35 purchase, etc. Yeah, I think the only card I could justify would be a Circle K or grocery card. I haven't looked in a long time, but I don't think most of the ones I remember are really logical for people like you and me to use on a daily basis.
|
|
|
Post by darkduke on Jan 6, 2012 16:06:11 GMT -6
The most money we've ever received off per gallon has been (.20 ). I'm trying to figure out how you are able to get " a buck off per gallon." Even when our points roll over to the following month, it's usually due to prescriptions. We've never received more than a .20 (cent per gallon) discount. The pump will ask if we want to use all of our points to receive .20 or if we want to save points toward our next fill up. For this to happen you have to accumulate at least another 100 points, this rarely happens for us in the time before they are considered void. I thought the only way to receive " 4x's points" is by using a KROGER Visa Card. Lord knows I spend too much money at Kroger's as it is. If I'm missing something that's keeping us from saving, PLEASE someone enlighten me. We can't afford anymore $$ Losses. Have things changed with the Kroger Gas point system recently? We gave up using our Kroger Card and use our phone number. We got tired of swiping cards in the winter and having them fail. For those who may not know you can do this, it's much faster than swiping a card that fails 50% of the time. It might be because for work I am based in a large metro area on the east coast and they have to compete with both Giant Eagle and Meijer with fuel discounts. I think each Kroger division area does it different. Here it is set up, so for every $100 you spend or every 100 fuel points you earn, you get 10 cents off up to a max of 1000 points or $1/gallon. $100 or 100 points = .10 off $200 or 200 points = .20 off $300 or 300 points = .30 off ..and so on down the line. The catch with the east coast fuel points is you have to use them by the end of the following month, so points accumulated in November have to be used by end of December, December points by end of January, etc.
|
|
|
Post by capncrunch on Jan 6, 2012 18:08:57 GMT -6
Even that is a scam. I easily use $600 a month on groceries at Krogers. But the majority of the time end up only getting 30 cents off on a gallon. One time I actually did get 70 cents off on gas. So you do have to watch that also.
|
|
|
Post by kaycee on Jan 6, 2012 18:41:11 GMT -6
I bought a ton of gift cards during that 4x promotion...earned over 8000 points by the end. Thats 8 discounts of $1 each..we get about 30 gallons per fill up so that is saving me $240!!!!! We did alot of shopping at best buy this december n purchased the gift cards ahead of time for 4x points. Everyday you get 2x the points for the third party cards (stores, restaurants)....some rx scripts earn 50 per script which is nice. You don't earn points on liquor or cigarettes but they add up .... i'm more than willing to save a $$ any way its offered. We still have plenty of Mcd's gift cards and pizza hut. Plus i bought some gift cards to put up for as my son helps around the house and does special things without asking i am going to surprise him with a gift card...i love shopping online with them. Kohls ran great deals all Christmas season with 20% off total order and earn kohls cash plus free shipping and i used my kohls gift cards i purchased with 4x points. You can call 1800krogers anytime and they will tell you how many points you have earned and exactly when they were used and how many at the gas station. I have never had a problem with my points and i love redeeming them!
|
|
|
Post by Lucky1 on Jan 6, 2012 22:12:04 GMT -6
It always shows the points on the bottom of your receipts too.
|
|
|
Post by 2B4GIVN on Jan 6, 2012 22:46:29 GMT -6
I know the points show at the bottom of the receipt, I can't figure out how we almost always lose points because they come up uneven and they are redeemed by 100's? Maybe we don't receive enough points to total enough points... We receive no less than 150 per month from prescriptions. Every time I walk out of the doors my total is rarely less than $75.00. That is Food and Groceries. No alcohol or cigarettes. Do you have to use a "Kroger Credit Card" to receive the 4x's points? If that's the case, we don't have a Kroger Credit Card and that explains the points issue.
|
|