Credit Cards, Cash or ???? for fuel

[ColoEd]

I was wondering how RV'rs get around the dollar limits set on credit cards for fuel pumps. It looks like most have a limit between $75 and $100, which sure doesn't buy much fuel at current prices. It certainly, won't make much of a contribution to a 150 gallon fuel tank.

I have had to start the pump a second time on occasion when I had a F350 and 5-wheel. But now, with a MH and current prices, I would likely have to restart the pump several time in order to get a fill-up.

Hope this isn't a stupid question but I just read something about it being a problem even for regular cars at times and it hit me that I am going to have a major issue with the mh.

[DRosedale]

I have had to restart pump to complete the fill up and found this to be no trouble. I even use the same credit card. A friend of mine pays cash for everything and he just goes inside the station, gives them a couple of hundred dollars and tells them he will pay balance when finished or come back for his change. I don't suspect he gets any change with the prices as they are today. He did tell me once he had the station cut him off at $200.00, he just sent DW in with another $100.00 and they turned the pump back on. Didn't ask if that filled it up or if he got an change back.

One other thing I do, is stop more frequently for gas, usually between half and quarter and if the pump shuts off at $75.00 or $100.00, then thats all it gets, if not full puts me pretty close.

[Chuck 1935]

For the toad I use a credit card, for the diesel I use cash for the cash discount. Every little bit helps !!

[Route 66]

CC, always.

[UFO Pilot]

I use my AMEX card as much as possible because it gives me a 4% rebate for gas purchases. The 4% beats any cash discount I can find and I don't have to carry so much cash. I used to just swipe the card 2 or 3 times, now I take the card inside and tell them to pre approve $300.

[goldwingerx2]

Always use CC most stations will allow the CC to be swiped twice, which fills my tank most always. If a 3rd swipe is needed use a different CC. We care the 3 major ones so we can always use one. I always try to fill when the tank is about half full, it gives a good break for both of us.

We never carry much cash, CC are much safer and so widely accepted that we have never had trouble using them. Lost or stolen just call and cancel.

If you don't like the possible limit just have the DW tell them you want to fill using a CC and most will allow it, some without even seeing your CC.

[Roy W.]

I have a topper on my truck and have to crawl inside to access the auxiliary 60 gallon fuel tank. To prevent all the stop and start stuff I just go inside and leave them my card and tell them I have a "fill up on pump number XX" and they'll turn it on until I'm full, then process the card when I'm done. Other times when I go inside they'll ask me to estimate how much it'll take to fill up. I'll give them a dollar number, they'll swipe my card with that amount on it and give me my card back, set the pump, but don't process the card. When I come back in, they process it for the exact amount. I was a little leary of this process at first, but haven't been burned yet, and I can usually guesstimate my fill up on the high side within a few dollars.

[GaryKD]

Hi ColoEd,
I use AMEX CC. It gives me 5% back on fuel, food and pharmacy. In addition to this if I purchase fuel at a Pilot or Flying J and have their Frequent Fueler card (registered) with them I get the cash price and a .03 discount (diesel) and very high cc cutoffs at the pump. Go to Hi I'm Lynsay from Pilot Flying J . Read the OP and lean more.

[Cat320]

CC...upon returning home and if at a local station, I go in and they let me fill it up. On the road, just keep reswiping it, or the D/W goes inside and gives them the card (stays with it) and tells them we want to fill it.

[DonnaB]

We USED to do Flying J truck lanes exclusively. However with the changes after the buy out, they are hopelessly expensive. So are most truck stops. We have come to find that Wal-Mart typically has the cheapest gas in an area. We have the Discovery Owners overlay for Delorme maps that show those with fuel and diesel.

We go to Wal-Mart and check out the in & out possibilities. Once we drove on to another 15 miles down the road as we decided we couldn't negotiate the turns, but we've only done that once. We buy a Wal-Mart reloadable shopping card and put about $400 at a time on it using our credit card that gives us airline miles. One fill-up and maybe one or two more for the jeep is all we will get for that $400. Sometimes less. However, using the card gives you 3 cents off the listed price so it is then a lot cheaper

[ralper]

I hav 2 credit cards that each give me a 5% rebate on gas, groceries and Rx and 1% on all else. I do not care that I need to restart the pump. I always use the credit card.

When you have used your CC at a gas pump, press clear when you are finished. If you do not then an inside clerk who is sharp can fill up on your CC.

[Lindsay Richards]

I had a problem years ago when a gas station employee used my credit card number and the 3 digit code on the back when I left it in there. He was caught and I got my money back. In these days of drugs, some people will do anything to get a fix. I won't leave my card inside unless my wife stays right there with it. I have had the pump not accept the third transaction and just used the pump on the other side. The hose will reach.

[puttin]

I was told by an attendant once that you have to call your bank to have the limit increased. I never did so I don't know if this works. We try to fill up long before it reaches empty and we have a gasser that only holds 75 gals, so this practice works for us.

[Bob and Inga]

Puttin, it is not the bank setting the limit. The gas station has picked an amount that they pre-authorize before allowing you to pump. I am sure the amount is good for 90% or more of CC users. If they set the amount too high, they run the risk of it being denied and losing a customer. Lots of people with low credit limits, so they just can't do pre-auths for hundreds of dollars.

FWIW we have a Shell MC which gives us 5% off on Shell and 1% off on other purchases. The credit is earned one billing cycle and automatically credited in the next billing cycle with a Shell gas purchase. So we do nothing to receive the credit. In FL we get the cash price if lower AND the 5%, but in SC I saw we paid the higher price for CC's even though the station was coded correctly as a Shell station. Still got the 5% though.

Our Exxon/Mobil MC gives 15 cents per gallon on gas, 2% on other purchases and works almost the same. But it credits the amount in $10 increments.

Our third card for gas is the BP Visa card. Works similiar, but we need to earn $25 and then go online and request it. Several payment methods are offered, but we just get a BP gift card and use it at the pump or inside.

I am going to look into the AMEX that was mentioned, sounds like a good one to have when the above stations are not available.

Bob