How do you pay for fuel?

[Wildwood Danny]

Use Costco 4% discount for fuel. Have Good Sams card for Pilot/Flying j, but even with money off per gallon the price is higher than a lot of other brands even before the 4% even just across the street sometimes, so just need to keep your eyes and mind open for the best deal, be flexible and adaptive.

[Philkaty]

Originally Posted by NJKris

Hmmm, never considered this. Being there are so many ways for your card to get hacked, I figured why bother. But a gas card sounds like a good idea if you tend to use the same gas stations. But that would required seeking out a particular brand of gas every time you fuel up, sounds like a PITA when traveling. How does one get the Good Sam gas discount? I have a membership they gave me when I bought the trailer in November.

call GS and ask them for the card for pilot / flying j.

[rk06382]

I use Fred Meyer (Kroger) Rewards Credit card. I earn both money and fuel reward points with it. With the fuel points I can get upto $1.05 off per gallon at Fred Meyer Fuel Centers (Max 35 gallons). Website says Rewards are good at Shell but I have never tried it. Last week I filled up at $1.719 per gallon.

Fred Meyer Fuel Program

The program has limits so I have a fallback GasBuddy App to find the cheapest gas.


It is peer based and lists stations in the US & Canada. You can also earn GasBuddy fuel points for posting the current fuel price of a station. The GasBuddy app helps me find the cheapest gas prices based on gps location. There is also a new section in the app to record your fill ups & mileage. I have used GasBuddy for over ten years to find the cheap gas stations when away from home.

[GGandPoppaT]

I added an alert on my card so that every time we use the card I get an alert. This way if I get an alert and it wasn’t us I can contact Capital One. We travel all the time and have never had an issue.

[pyoung]

I mirror your concern for security. As an added measure, I use the name of a random pick out of the phone book and usually wear one of those Groucho Marx disguises.

[GypsiesAtHeart2016]

I use a Good Sam discount card and credit card at Pilot/Flying J's. Or just the credit card at other stations.


Sign up for text notifications for purchases over $1.00. I get a text for a $1.00 pre-approval before I even start pumping and another text with the total before I get back in my truck!


Obviously if I get one and it's not me, call and cancel card and you're not liable and a new card will be delivered in 48 hours.


Safe travels.

[poppiemike]

I just carry a Costco visa Plenty space for large rigs and Costco almost everywhere. I never carry cash.

[desuhu]

Originally Posted by spock123

I check my credit cards every day when traveling, I don’t worry about someone hacking my card. I use Bank of America rewards card and PenFed cards, both are great discounts on gas and campgrounds fees and eating out. Do you worry when paying your bill at a restaurant with a card and the server takes your card and goes away and brings your card back and the receipt. Do you worry when paying a bill at a store and you hand your card to the clerk. My card has been hacked a time or two but I catch it and call my credit card company. Sometimes they call me if they think suspicious activity on my card poops up. I carry cash to pay for restaurants and some campgrounds but everything else is paid for with a card.

Ditto on the PenFed credit card. We use it for all our fuel (pay it off every month) and get 5% off every gallon if you swipe at the pump. It saves us quite a bit every month.

[Jayhawker]

In addition to cash back credit cards such as Costco/Citi, Discover Card, American Express and Chase Freedom, I use the GasBuddy App on my cell phone. Free down load and you can save your "Favorite Stations" for price comparison.

[IsItFast]

I never use my check/debit card for anything but the ATM. While you are covered just like a credit card if unauthorized charges occur, it is much more a PITA to get things back to normal. If your checking account gets wiped out from a hacker and you have outstanding checks or autopay it can cause credit problems for you since they don't clear on time. On a credit card all you have to worry about is checking the statement when you get it. If there is stuff on there you didn't personally charge they can reverse the charge almost instantly but you aren't out any of your actual money or have the overdraft issues. Plus these days most credit cards send me a text and an email instantly if I charge something suspicious so I can respond right away.

[Alan F]

I primarily use my Pilot Flying J Card and look for Stations (with the app) that have RV Lanes. With the card I receive 6¢ off per gallon, discount on Dump station also. Many have Denny’s, and my AARP gets me a discount there. I also carry a Sunoco and ExxonMobile Card just in case. Really, if you get skimmed, you are not liable with a credit card. The only time I had a problem was using my credit card at a restaurant in Bar Harbor. I noticed charges on my account (I check it daily) that weren’t mine and called the credit card company. They sent me a new card overnight to my next stop. I use a United Rewards Card for all purchases other than fuel. Camping is costly. I only use payments that either reward me with discounts or points. I carry cash and extra cards in a safe place for emergencies only. Unless you have some other benefit to using the gift cards, I would toss them and use something that works for you.

[SunseekerFunseekers]

Kinda confused; WHY don't you simply use a credit card & get the perks/miles/whatever benefits??

[Scrapper]

I would pay with my good looks but I've been told I'm uglier than sin.

[ArkRVHog]

We live in Kroger (Grocery Store) land and build our fuel points via our shopping. But periodically, you can buy their gift cards too (Target, Amazon, and a hundred others) with a 4-1 bonus. It takes 1000 points to get $1.00 of your fill-up (max 35 gallons.) So spend $250 and get $35.00 off that next fill-up...that's a $.14 return on every dollar! Of course only good in where they offer Kroger Fuel stations.

[jeffnick]

We use Discover for everything. I have it set up so I get a text every time the card is used. I'm not in with the 'discount seeking' crowd. When we need gas we buy it - period...no driving out of the way or making special plans to save 70 cents on a fillup.

[cbcg710]

A lot of stations will put a $75.00 "hold" on your debit card, over and above the price of your fuel. It can stay on your account for a couple of days. I use the same MasterCard for all my fuel, whether at home or on the road, with the exception of my Pilot/Flying J card...they give you a discount for using their card. I've never had a problem.

[The Boys]

We use 3 debit cards and 1 checking acct...…. We transfer money as needed from main acct "that has no cards or checks in use".

1 Fuel & Camping $1000 avg daily bal
2 Restaurant $500 avg daily bal
3 All other expense $1000 avg daily bal
4 Checking $500 avg daily bal

All acct are checked every 1-2 days via the internet.

Very easy to see any fraud issues and the daily bal will keep monthly fees at $0 and any losses fairly low if they should occur. This was a suggestion from our bank and they highly recommend no "Cards or Checks" use from main acct. Has worked very well for 8yrs

[Crossfire8207]

I have bank account set up through phone app for CUMBERLAND FARMS no need to slide a card and save 10cents every fill per gallon