Oil and gas companies provide petrol cards in an effort to give a discount on petrol prices. Consumers can also use standard credit cards that offer cash back or perks for purchases. The varied cards are often quite similar, with differences that make them distinct.
Many credit card issuers want a place for consumers who purchase petrol, and they, therefore, choose to offer the incentive to allow the use of their cards at the stations. You’ll find many of the issuers’ reward cards now offer cashback on petrol.
The suggestion is you can get more cash back from petrol purchases ranging as great as 3% than on other kinds of purchases often limited to as little as 1%. A benefit of reward cards is the fact you can get funds back on many other purchases aside from just petrol but with petrol; you’re not restricted to one specific brand.
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Oil Company Cards
Oil companies issue bensinkort (translation: petrol card), often partnering with a bank. Many, if not most of the oil companies, offer these and some have many to select from. There are incentives with some brands, especially for new cardholders with a decent number of cents of each gallon, plus it’s typically a habit for each carrier to offer roughly 6 cents off each gallon as a regular reward.
Some of these cards offer their clients other rewards aside from mere petrol as well. They provide perks in travel expenses like airlines, car rentals, and lodging. There’s usually no annual fee, but the interest rates can be high when compared with other credit often exceeding 20% and often you can only have use of these at the petrol pump.
Which Type is Best
The critical thing to remember is regardless of whether you apply for a standard card or petrol card, a band will be issuing the terms and conditions. Oil and gas companies don’t make those determinations, nor do they give credit.
They partner with the financial entity that will help them service their clients with adequate cards with sufficient benefits so they can build a loyal customer base who will be faithful to their brand of petrol.
Whether a standard or a petrol card is the most ideal depends on the number of purchases the card will be used for; solely for gas and how much will go on other things as well.
Gas cards do tend to offer bonuses for signing on, giving an additional discount or more perks within the first several months when you reach a spending amount.
When debating whether you need a petrol card or a traditional credit card, the gas card typically provides petrol purchase cash back at a much higher rate but a lower rebate for other purchases like those in restaurants, supermarkets, and other places.
If you see you’ll be making many more of these kinds of purchases than gas, a standard card with a feature of consistency in cashback with no restrictions on the sort of purchases these can entail.
Traveling a majority of the time or commuting for long hours is a reason to look at a card specific to the purpose of petrol. These might be easier to bet if you have a questionable credit history, more so than a regular bank card, albeit likely with a lower limit.
Some cards expect a full payoff each month; otherwise, the interest could destroy potential savings and create financial hardship. There are also cards with annual fees. It’s vital to read all the fine print before committing to any card and understanding what it’s saying.
Are Gas Credit Cards Worth It
If you find yourself on the road a lot and hope to earn some cashback when getting petrol, a gas credit card is worth the effort. Aside from earning perks on gas, some of these will give incentives for other purchases like lodging, flights, even groceries.
These are traditional cards that the bank issues. To find out whether it makes sense to get a petrol card, consider the following:
Consider how much you spend on gas
If you find that you spend nearly $500 on petrol in each given month, there are cards available that you can earn almost $300 back each year on gas alone. If you believe you spend more than that, savings will add up
Do you need an interest-free period
Some cards come with a 0% APR intro period in addition to earning perks on purchases. While these generally come with a lower rate for rewards for those interested in saving interest along the way, it could be the ideal option for you.
Do you need rewards for gas and travel perks
Some travel cards are available on the market, allowing higher rewards on petrol purchases than you would see with another card. It can come in handy if you want to use them for lodging or other travel perks.
Who Should Avoid Avoid The Gas Credit Card
A petrol card might not be the best solution for everyone in certain situations.
Busy traveler
If you often fly throughout the year and travel in this way or stay in hotels that don’t offer perks on gas purchases, a gas card would likely not benefit you.
Less than ideal credit
It’s not often credit-building cards offer rewards. The suggestion for individuals in this situation is to begin the process with a secured card to work on establishing a history first.
Once you reach a good score that would be no less than 680, getting a card will not be challenged that offers petrol rewards on purchases. Find out if a gas card can help build credit at https://www.greenpath.com/gas-card-can-help-build-your-credit/.
Benefits of Petrol Credit Cards
Among the varied cards, available features are unique; some of the benefits you will find with many of them include:
Rewards
Most petrol cards allow earning cashback, while some provide either points/miles or discounts on purchases. You’ll find that you’ll get perks on not only petrol purchases but other classes like dining, groceries, and more.
Sign-on bonus
These sorts of cards allow new users to earn a bonus for signing on when specific spending requirements are met within a certain timeframe. The value depends on the card and can be as great as $300 in perks.
Redemption options
Most of the petrol credit cards are cashback, meaning you can redeem the funds as a deposit to your account or as a credit. Other choices include merchandise, gift cards, and occasional travel options.
Additional features
Some petrol cards will come with a 0% APR introductory time frame for purchases and any balance transfers. There is also the possibility for purchase protection, travel insurance, zero liability, and so much more.
What To Be Mindful Of With Petrol Cards
As with everything, you’ll find incredible features with gas credit cards, but there are also downsides to consider. Read here a few cons on gas cards. Some of these include:
Annual fee
Many gas credit cards have no annual fee, but you’ll find some cards can range as high as $95. Make sure the value you get with the card is more than any fees that come with it.
Interest rate
Rewards cards, as a rule, will offer a higher APR than other cards. It’s essential with all credit to pay the balance in full each month to avoid getting stuck with accrued interest. If not, you could destroy the value of the perks.
Restrictions
Some cards, but not all, will restrict you to specific petrol brands in order for you to receive the best rewards. That’s not the case with all of them, and it’s wise to read the fine print so you can avoid those that make this a practice.
Final Thought
There are many reasons to choose a petrol card if you drive long distances or commute many hours through the week. The discounts and perks provided for the gas alone are beneficial, but some providers also offer other rewards like travel incentives, lodging, flights, restaurants, even groceries.
It’s crucial to weigh the options whether this type of card is right for you or a standard card would be more advantageous. If you tend to travel by flight much of the time, stay in lodging, and drive very little, gas rewards will do little for you. A regular card will be much more helpful in your specific situation.
The idea is to look at your situation and determine where you’ll see the most significant benefit – and then do that.
