How do you pay for fuel?

[campin]

On any long camping trip we usually load up a few VISA gift cards to pay for fuel. My thought is, that my actual check card cannot get hacked with visiting so many stations in different states. The problem with that is, anywhere we go outside of Wisconsin is prepay only and it makes it a pain to use the gift cards this way. I could pay cash, but our last trip to the FL Keys and back was $1500 in fuel alone and I don`t want to have that much cash on me.


Also, 90% of the truck stops we went to declined the VISA gift cards at the pump, they also declined my actual check card(yes I notified the bank of our travel), is there something I`m missing?
We ended up just looking for regular Shell stations as they always took the card. It sometimes makes it a pain getting in and out with bigger trailer though.


So whats everyone's plan for paying for fuel?

[ben31]

Get a gas card. You usually get discounts at the stations you normally use and if it gets hacked, you aren't inconvenienced that much.

I have a Fuelman card for my diesel. I get the cash-price of the fuel as well as a good discount on top of that. Almost every truckstop and many regular fuel stations take it at the pump.

[SeaDog]

The Sinclare dyno card gives great discounts on fuel.

[5picker]

As mentioned, get a gas card... or... get a second credit/debit card to use just for trips and online spending.

Our bank allows a second account at no charge and we put several hundred dollars in that account (usually an online transfer from our main account-takes only a minute) before/during a trip.

If the account gets hacked, not only is it covered by the banks policy, the hackers ONLY have access to the few hundred dollars we put there and not our entire account. And, an instantaneous text message of a transaction shows us who is using the card for what.

The 2nd card, coupled with the Good Sam gas discount, serves us well.
We've been doing this about 14 years this way.

[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.

[Reverse_snowbird]

We just use one or more of our regular credit cards.... usually the one with the best cash back bonus.

We do let them know when we'll be going and when expected back.

They know our spending habits better than we do and we get a 'fraud alert' on our phone if we deviate from our usual spending limits. A phone call straightens out any hold on the account.

[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.

[countrywife45]

We have a dedicated credit card we pay off every month for all our fuel, including travel, and any expenses while traveling. We use an airline card and I get points to visit the grandbabies

[Librarianocnj]

1. Flying J/Pilot. 6¢ off per gallon. Pay off each month.
2. Gas Buddy card. 5¢ off deducted instantly from bank account.
3. Debit or credit card.

[ependydad]

Just use a credit card. Get one just for this if you're concerned about it being compromised. Most credit card companies are on the side of the card holder when it comes to fraudulent charges.

And yes, going back to the truck lanes- you often can't start the pump without a fleet card:


I like Pilot/Flying J because they have a RVer card that lets you start the pump and gives a discount on the price. It usually brings the price down 11-12 cents from the credit price. And we don't have to have anyone run in.

In the event that I'm at a truck stop that we have to pre-pay, my wife will just go in while I wait at the pump. She'll authorize the card for 10-20 higher than we need. When done, we just roll out and the gas station only charges the actual amount to the card. (I verify it periodically against what I record into Fuelly.)

[BriaBeck]

Originally Posted by 5picker

As mentioned, get a gas card... or... get a second credit/debit card to use just for trips and online spending.

Our bank allows a second account at no charge and we put several hundred dollars in that account (usually an online transfer from our main account-takes only a minute) before/during a trip.

If the account gets hacked, not only is it covered by the banks policy, the hackers ONLY have access to the few hundred dollars we put there and not our entire account. And, an instantaneous text message of a transaction shows us who is using the card for what.

The 2nd card, coupled with the Good Sam gas discount, serves us well.
We've been doing this about 14 years this way.

This is exactly what we do as well.



I'm an airline pilot, so I'm always eating out at different restaurants and I'm always concerned about those servers taking my card to the back register... works well... just have to make sure that you don't get the debit cards confused!!

[bubbles]

[QUOTE=ependydad;2064082]

I like Pilot/Flying J because they have a RVer card that lets you start the pump and gives a discount on the price. It usually brings the price down 11-12 cents from the credit price. And we don't have to have anyone run in.


Please elaborate on what card you use.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by bubbles

I like Pilot/Flying J because they have a RVer card that lets you start the pump and gives a discount on the price. It usually brings the price down 11-12 cents from the credit price. And we don't have to have anyone run in.


Please elaborate on what card you use.

This:
https://www.rvpluscard.com/

It’s a charge card and is payable in full af the end of each month.

[Grey Wolf 26RR]

We've started using this Mobile/Exxon App since you can pay at the pump without ever taking your card out Much more secure, but not always feasible for long rigs - depends on the location.

Video description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTschiP5ulY

[LDStaas]

Sam’s club MasterCard, 5% cash back on gas up to $6000.00, 3% cash back on dining and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Gas can be purchased at stations other than Sam’s. So on $3.00 gallon gas you would receive a 0.15 cent cash back per gallon.

[Scrapper]

Even with using a separate card you would be wise to get the Skimmer Scanner app for your android smartphone. It was created with the help of LEO's. It scans for bluetooth card readers that have been found on fuel pumps. It records the signal so you can report it to the station clerks and authorities if you wish but that brings some responsibilities you may not want. The Skimmer Scanner creator is working to making it available to iPhone users. The app has worked for DW and I when we travel, we just reported to the station manager and they checked the pump and removed the scanner, they did contact LEO while we were there.

https://wtop.com/tech/2019/02/data-d...ion-apps-work/

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/credit-c...an-too-hacker/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ammer&hl=en_US

[llevesque]

I use nothing but a credit card and avoid two-tiered stations . . . different prices for cash & CC. I never use a debit card for anything other than an ATM. My reasoning is that even though I am legally protected for fraudulent activity on either, your money is gone and you have to wait to get it back with a DC. With a CC, you just don't pay for fraudulent charges.

[LynnGlaze13]

I use a Sam's Club Mastercard so I get the 5% Cash Back on all gas purchases and 3% on all travel related and eating expenses.

[Scheinin]

We have been traveling the country now for 4 years full time. I have gas card for the 25 major gas stations. I get a discount no matter which gas station I use. I also have the Exxon app, where you do not need to insert card into reader. I also have gas buddy for the small gas stations that don't have their own discount card. This month I am using my Discover credit card which gives me 5% off all gas purchases. In 4 years I have spent $13,000 on diesel and saved about $500 using the discounts and gas savers cards.

[Wishbone]

Primarily I use the Costco VISA card, 4% off gasoline. Pay it off each month. Or Capital One card is 1.5% cash back. Also I use the Gas Buddy card. 5¢ off per gallon, but it's deducted instantly from bank account. NEVER use a debit card at the pump, gas pumps are the highest chance of encountering skimmers, and they deduct from directly your checking account. Always use a Credit Card and push the risk to the credit card company and their $0 liability policy.