As with the economy, gas prices often fluctuate. If you watch the stock market you will see the Oil prices go up and down all day during the market’s open hours. These oil prices highly affect our pocket books as we reach for them to pay for fuel. The higher the price per barrel of oil goes up we see that price change reverberated through to our finances when using fuel.

Looking for local gas stations near you that offer rebates or discounts is a great way to start saving a little money when refueling your car. Some gas stations offer cash discounts usually approximately 10 cents per gallon cheaper then paying by credit cards. So keep those gas cards and credit cards in your wallet and use your cash.

People often assume with their rewards gas cards they are actually saving money however, this is not always true and most often is not. Typically you may ear 2% to 5% and you end up spending more in interest rates. Some cards are 8% but can range up to 23% or even higher, depending upon the lender’s rates.

Some cards have contingencies, for example if you pay the card each month in full there won’t be interest charged to your account, but if a payment is missed or late, then interest rates and late fees will be charged. Some have a grace period for 1 year before charging interest. It is always best to read the fine print on the contracts for these rewards cards before applying for them.