Other credit card companies will offer you gift certificates to popular restaurants or area amusement parks. This is done to reward you for signing on with that credit card.

These additional perks are offered because credit card companies know that you’ll end up spending more money on gas than the value of the perk. Plus, they’re counting on you letting your balance roll forward and earning additional revenue off of your interest each month.

Two of my favorite parks are 0% interest for a period of time and travel perks such as air miles, a ticket to a popular destination, or hotel or travel package discounts.

While these perks are nice to have and seem like a good deal for signing up with a credit card, keep in mind that you are signing up for revolving credit. If you allow your balance to roll forward every month, you will end up paying more in interest than you save with your cash back. Keep your head about you and use your gas credit card wisely.

When people fall on hard times, they look for specials and deals. On everything. Even credit cards. And that’s why gas rebate credit cards could be making a comeback. People love rebates.

Gas rebate credit cards are popular among people who travel or purchase a lot of gasoline. Of course, the deals on these cards vary. But if you’re like the average American, you want the best deal you can get.

Rebates allow you to see some of that money you’ve spent on products and gas purchases come back to you. Naturally, you don’t want to part with your money any sooner than you have to. I understand that. Which is why a gas rebate credit card is something you should consider. You might part with your money for a time, but you can get some of it back.

Rebates are a way for the gas companies to encourage you to purchase more gasoline and point of purchase items. Things like sodas and candy bars, which you’ll probably purchase anyway. But you can get money back on those too.

If you’re like me, you love rebates. Gas rebate credit cards are the perfect rebate vehicles. Spend money you’re already spending, and then get it back again at the end of the month.

Some analysts are saying it’s possible. Still others are saying it won’t happen. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is one of those saying it isn’t likely. Can we take that to the bank?

I think a lot of that depends on how the Middle East reacts to Osama bin Laden’s death. It will likely have a positive impact on gasoline prices worldwide. But what will it do at the pump?

Americans’ travel patterns will likely be a bigger factor in pump prices this summer. If fewer Americans travel, particularly by privately owned vehicle, then fuel prices will likely stabilize. If Americans continue to travel by car, spending their money on the rising gas prices, then that will continue to drive prices higher. Then we could see $5 per gallon gasoline.

So the question is, will Americans travel more or less? I think less. As prices rise, Americans travel less and buy less gas. They don’t fill up as much and that steadies fuel prices.

That’s the average American’s experience. Same amount of income. More money for gas. And you aren’t driving any less either, are you? Where’s that money going? Right into the gas tank. And you don’t have any recourse. Well, almost no recourse.

About the only thing you CAN do is apply for a gas rebate card. It’s not much, but that 3%-6% you earn back in cash on your purchases can be a big deal. It can make a big difference.

Just imagine spending $100 on gas and getting $5 of that back. You’re likely spending 2-5 times that much on gasoline every month. If you spend $40 on gas and drive 200 miles in one week, that’s $160 per week on gas. But most folks are driving more than  200 miles per week. You’re likely doing about 300 miles, eh?

Any way you look at it, you’re spending more than you should on gasoline. Gas rebates are a way for you to get some of that back. And most gas rebate cards pay cash back on purchases other than fuel. You really have nothing to lose.

One way to establish your credit rating is with a gas rebate card. You can use your gas rebate card to make your gas purchases throughout the month, then make your payment each month as you establish your good credit rating.

It only takes six months to establish a credit history. If you received your gas rebate card early in the summer, you’d have a reputable credit rating by winter of the same year.

Here’s the best way to ensure you establish a good credit rating using a gas rebate card.

• Find a card with 0% APR in the first 6-9 months of usage.
• Do not purchase any more in one month than you can make payments for. In other words, if your budget allows for $150 monthly payment, then don’t purchase more than $150 on your gas rebate card in any one month.
• Pay off your card each month. Don’t let the balance move forward at any time.
• When you reach your minimum payout balance on your card, ensure that you request your cash back. That money will be extra money in your pocket as you establish your credit history.

You can establish your credit history using a gas rebate card. Do some pre-planning and don’t make hasty purchases on your card.

A student credit card will give you purchasing power right now and allow you to learn how revolving credit works.

Many student credit cards offer cashback incentives just like gas credit cards. In fact, one of the items that you can get cashback on is gas. Other items include food purchases – restaurants and grocery stores – travel, department store purchases, and other types of purchases. In essence, just about anything that a college student would spend money on can earn you a cashback payout.

The best student credit cards offer an introductory period of no APR. That’s Annual Percentage Rate. If you have a 0% interest rate for a period of time, then you can make any amount of purchases and it doesn’t cost you anything. Of course, if you don’t pay your credit card balance off each month, then you’ll eventually have an interest rate so use good common sense and financial savvy when using your credit card.

If you have applied for and received a gas rebate credit card thinking that once you reach your payout minimum you will receive a check in the mail, you should go back and read your contract again. Read your credit card statements. Somewhere in the fine print should be your instructions for receiving your rebate. Chances are, you’ll have to ask for it.

There’s nothing wrong with that, actually. If you have issues with your credit card or customer service challenges to work out, you can often mention those in your request for your rebate. Just say, “Send my rebate check, please.”

It’s best to put it in writing, but many gas rebate credit card companies allow you to make your request by phone. If they have an ‘in writing’ option, do it that way so that there is a record of your request. It’s best to play it safe with that record in case you need to pursue legal action.

It’s not likely you’ll have to go that far, but it never hurts to be safe. Just say, “Send my rebate, please.”

Gas rebate cards allow drivers to get some of that expense back at the end of the month. And the best gas cards offer cash back incentives on purchases other than gasoline.

Gasoline cards typically offer rebates in the range of 3%-6% of purchase. That means for every $100 in gas purchases, if your card offers a 5% cash back rebate, you’ll receive $5 in cash back rebates.

Many cards pay their cash back when you reach a minimum purchase level. And some of your rebates on non-gasoline items are lower than your gasoline rebate offer. So your convenience items might only pay out at a 1% or 3% rate. Some cards, however, do not distinguish between fuel and non-fuel purchases – you get the same rebate no matter what you buy.

It’s easy to see the benefit here. If you are paying out $4.00 per gallon and you get a 6% cash back rebate, then your fuel is effectively costing you $3.76 cents per gallon. That’s a nice 24 cent per gallon savings. And if you also make non-fuel purchases often, then your fuel consumption is even less. You could bring it down to the $3.50 per gallon range.

These benefits of gas rebates are a great incentive to applying for a gas rebate credit card. Find one near you now and take advantage of your cost savings. You’re buying gas anyways, right?

The benefit to having more than one gas rebate credit card is that you can still shop for the best gas prices based on the terms of your competing cards. For instance, let’s say you have a gas rebate card from Service Station A and one from Service Station B. Station A offers 5% cash back, but the current gas price is $3.85 per gallon and you’ve still got $50 to go before you reach your cash back payout margin. On the other hand, Station B offers 6% cash back and the current gas price is $3.87 per gallon; you’ve already reached your payout limit with Station Bs credit card. Where should you buy your gas?

You might be tempted to purchase your gas at Station A and take advantage of the lower gas price. However, you have a higher cash back rate at Station B. Plus, you’ve already reached your payout on the cash back feature so go ahead and get your gas at the higher price. Then you can request your cash back and it is likely that you will be getting your most recent fill up for less pump prices.

Gas rebate credit cards are all different. They all operate under different terms. If you have two competing service stations in your area that both offer a cash rebate card and their gas prices are competitive, take out both cards. You can still shop competitively with your cards.

One way to deal with rising gas prices at the pump is with a gas rebate card. A gas rebate card will give you money back on your purchases. And that money back is not always related to gas purchases.

Many gas rebate cards also offer you money back on your in-store purchases. Since most service stations today also sell convenience items such as snacks, drinks, and toiletries, you can get cash back on those purchases. They are often the bread and butter profit items for service stations whereas gasoline is the main focus of competition to draw in customers. Some service stations even offer made-to-order sandwiches and hot meals.

Cash back on your purchases effectively reduces the price you pay per gallon on your fuel pump purchases. While that is not the ideal, it can alleviate the impact of inflation at the pump.

The Energy Information Administration said Monday that gas prices climbed last week to $3.88 a gallon, up 81 cents since the start of the year. That is the highest pump price since August 2008, before the financial meltdown.

Some of us are paying as much as $60-$75 at the pump for a full tank of gas. Because of the high prices, people are starting to go out less, and if they have things to do, then they get them done all in one trip.

Volunteers who use their cars to give back to the community may also have to cut back on how much help they can give. Restaurant owners are seeing a price hike on the gas surcharge to have their meat and produce delivered.

The airlines say for every penny per gallon fuel goes up, they lose $175 million a year. Rising prices are decimating their profits, which means higher ticket prices and added fees for travelers.

People are saying the only way to bring the price of gas down is to drive less often. More people are looking to hybrid and fully electric cars.

Pump prices are the highest in Southern California as of last week. Some are saying that the overall objective is to keep us focused on things like the national debt and gasoline prices so we won’t notice that there is reduced funding from Medicare and Social Security.

Gas credit cards are an excellent way to lessen the blow of spending for gasoline each and every week. Depending on your situation, there may be a few options that suit your gas purchasing needs.

The Capital One No Hassle Cash Rewards card is a straightforward cash back card that earns 2% cash back on gas and groceries and 1% cash back on everything else. The card comes with a 0% introductory APR offer on purchases until July, and there is no limit to the amount of cash that can be earned.

There is no annual fee on the Capital One No Hassle Cash Rewards Card. Because it is a Capital One card, any purchases you make internationally will not be charged a foreign exchange fee.

Excellent credit is required to obtain this card, however, good credit can acquire you the same card minus the introductory offer and a $39 annual fee.

Capital One also offers other cards including the Capital One No Hassle Cas Rewards credit card. This is a very good card for anyone who is serious about bulking up on travel miles with no limit to the miles you can earn, no expiration, and no restrictions. You have the freedom to use your card when, where, and how you want. This includes redeeming your miles however you choose.

How many people do you see gassing up at a service station with gas at $3.39/gal compared to a gas station with gas at $3.45/gal? I’d be willing to bet that the one with the lower gas price gets up to twice as many customers as the other.

With this card you can redeem rewards points for cash, travel with no blackout dates, hotel benefits, car rentals, merchandise, unique experiences, gift certificates, and more. Rewards start at 2,500 points and there is mo limit to the number of points you can earn each year.

Bank of America’s BankAmericard Cash Rewards Visa Signature sneaks into the top 5 cash back credit cards–but there is one catch.  In order to achieve this level of performance, you’ll need to redeem your BankAmericard rewards in increments of $300 or more (that is, receive $300 in rewards payouts) in order to get a 25% boost in your cashback percentage.

BankAmericard rewards are redeemable in the form of statement credit, check, deposit to the checking or savings account of your choice, or payment of a mortgage loan serviced by Bank of America.  There is no annual fee, however, the rewards expire in 5 years.

The introductory offer is 0% APR only for purchases for your first 12 billing cycles and after the introductory APR ends, a rate between 12.99 and 20.99% variable APR will apply.  With all the rewards this card offers along with a checking account you cannot beat, why not chose the BankAmericard.

The International Energy Agency said that they see signs that consumers are using less fuel as prices rise.  Retail surveys by MasterCard show that motorists have cut back on gasoline purchases for weeks.

Oil rose Wednesday as the dollar lost ground to the euro, the British pound, and other major currencies.  Oil, which is priced in dollars, tends to rise as the dollar falls. That makes crude contracts cheaper for investors holding foreign currency.

Refineries used more crude to produce gasoline and other products while crude imports declined. The decline in imports suggests refiners were unwilling to bring in higher-priced foreign barrels.

The national average increased slightly on Wednesday to $3.837 per gallon. A gallon of regular is 28.8 cents higher than it was a month ago and 97.8 cents higher than a year ago.

Experts believe pump prices should increase a little more this summer as refineries switch more expensive gasoline blends. Summer blends already account for roughly 80% of the gasoline sold.  They do not believe the price of gas will reach $4.00 a gallon, and if it does it will be short lived.

Heating oil added 6.29 cents to settle at $3.2214 per gallon and gasoline futures increased 4.42 cents to settle at $3.2773 per gallon. Natural gas gained 4.8 cents to settle at $4.310 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The drop in gasoline supplies may have more to do with many refineries along the East Coast being on hold for routine maintenance and other issues.  Nevertheless, gas prices are hitting American’s pockets harder than ever.

No matter where we end up, one thing is clear — we’re going to be paying more. It’s time to start getting creative. You already know that carpooling and shopping around for the best price will save you money, so I gathered a few tips to help you save money.

If you are going to use the air conditioner, use it sparingly. Open windows burn a lot of gas, particularly when you’re traveling at highway speeds. You can reduce your fuel consumption by up to 10 percent by keeping the windows closed.

If you hit a lot of traffic on your way to and from work, this is an option you want to explore because all that sitting and driving in stop-and-go traffic wastes a ton of gas. Try to leave a little later or go in a little earlier.

It takes more energy to get a car moving from a complete stop than for it to continue to accelerate at a steady speed. Start obeying the speed limit. Traffic lights are timed to your advantage.

If you’re spending a lot on gas, it might pay to get a rewards card that will offer you a cash back bonus for your dollars provided you pay it off every month. It is important, however, to do your homework when choosing a card.

The heavier your car is the more gas it burns, so it’s time to get in that trunk and see what you’ve been hauling around. And, finally, sitting with your car running burns approximately a gallon of gas an hour. This is particularly true if the car’s already been warmed up.

Try some of these useful tips and you’ll start to see the savings. Every little bit helps. With gas prices so high, anything is worth a try!

First, you need to ask yourself if you pay off your debt every month or if you typically allow your credit debt to revolve. Gas credit cards tend to have higher percentage interest rates, so they may not be a good bet if you let your debt build from month to month.

Do a quick estimate of the number of gas stations you’ve visited in the last month. Is it a random assortment of stations—whichever happened to be closest when your empty tank light went on? Or do you tend to go to the same station every time you buy gas?

If you’re a devoted customer to one gas station, a gas card at that station may be the best idea. That’s because gas cards tend to give higher rebates at their stations compared to other purchases.

If you shop at a few gas stations, you may want to narrow down your card selection to the company with the best rebates. Say, for instance, you usually buy gas at Shell, Texaco, and Gulf. Get information on all three companies’ credit cards.

If one of the three credit cards has a 6 percent rebate on its gas while the other two have 4 percent, that kind of savings is a major reason to pick the card with a 6 percent rebate, especially as gas prices keep on going up and up.

Gas cards can also be very convenient if the gas station has a convenience store. Those rebates also extend to merchandise other than gas. If you visit a particular gas station convenience store for necessary items such as milk and lunch, the 6% rebates can add up quickly.

For those who have trouble budgeting and keeping track of expenses, whether for personal or small business reasons, a gas card can be a way to organize without even trying.

This card has a $25 annual fee, but it boasts lots of money-saving perks for the consistent traveler. The annual fee could pay for itself with discounts for hotel rooms, car rentals, and airfare.

Cardholders can also enjoy free American Express Traveler’s Cheques and some extra security measures. Premium cardholders (if in good standing) can get $200 wired to them in case of emergency or if cards are lost or stolen.

Chevron credit card services will also report any other credit cards that are lost or stolen to the appropriate credit card company. This no-annual-fee card provides the same basic conveniences as a standard credit card and is perfect for the average commuter.

Frequently, Chevron and Texaco run specials when you apply for a Chevron card, like $12 credit for 12 fill ups made in the first 90 days or $.05 a gallon for the first ninety days. If combined, that could save you $.17 a gallon.

They provide 24/7 online account access where you can conveniently make your monthly payments. You can also access your account from your Smartphone.

It is accepted at over 8,000 Chevron and Texaco locations and offers 24/7 cash access. This card also provides zero fraud liability.

Always remember to read the fine print with any credit card offer. The Chevron card is subject to credit approval. Apply online now and reap the rewards!

After 90 days, cardholders will earn a 4% rebate on Wawa purchases and a 1% rebate on all other purchases. For those who frequently purchase gas at Wawa, this is an excellent way to reduce fuel expenditures. This card also offers cardholder benefits such as online account access, purchase protection, auto rental insurance, and travel accident insurance.

The card has a reasonable interest rate for purchases and balance transfers (for those who qualify), no annual fee, and a 0% introductory rate on balance transfers for the first six billing cycles. Those who frequently purchase gas at Wawa, plan to take advantage of the reward program, and qualify for the lowest rate offered will benefit most from what the Wawa Visa® Card has to offer.

There is no limit on the amount of rebates you can earn with this card. You are also provided with free online account access. The Wawa Visa card also features the BlinkSM technology from Chase. This feature lets you pay with your credit card at Wawa and other participating merchants without ever giving your card to a cashier. Just swipe your card in front of special readers at checkouts and gas pumps and you’ll be on your way in seconds!

The card is also a great way to save gas money if you live in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Virginia. However, the interest rate is not ideal for carrying a balance, so you’ll want to make sure you pay off your monthly bills in full. As with any card, remember to read the fine print and ask about any information located in the terms and conditions that you are not sure about.

This card has over 15 bonus reward categories and the ability to switch from cash back to a point-based reward system. There is no annual fee for this card and it also offers purchase security and a warranty manager service.

It’s a Visa card and also comes in a MasterCard version, which means it’s accepted almost everywhere. What makes the Chase Freedom card even better is that if you have a Chase Checking account, through their Chase Extras program, you’ll get 3% back in the top five categories, not just the top three.

You earn 1% or 1 point for each $1 in purchases. You’ll earn an additional 2% or 2 points for purchases made in the top three bonus categories where you spend the most. When you accumulate $200 in cashback, you can claim a check for $250.

Chase also has an online account website where you can check your monthly cashback earnings. You can set up personalized alerts to get notification to various email accounts or they can send the alerts as text messages to your cell phone.

However, like many rewards credit cards, the Chase Freedom has a higher interest rate. Any cashback you earn would be lost if you don’t pay your bills in full and accumulate interest. Bonus cashback is also limited to $600 in spending per month.

As with any credit card offer, read the fine print and do your homework. Not all credit cards are right for everyone’s financial situation. When you choose a card like the Chase Freedom credit card, the possibilities are endless.