Free, yes FREE gas for our SUV

[PineRidge]

My wife does most of the grocery shopping at Giant Eagle these days.

They currently have a plan called "fuel perks" in place where they give you value points toward each gallon of gas, dependent upon your total grocery purchase. Each time you purchase groceries you hand them your card and they update the card perks on the magnetic strip.

So the wife pulls up to their filling point the other day for the first time, scans her perk card, and fills the SUV. She walks over to the attendant and tells the man the pump malfunctioned that the dollar figure for a fill-up was 2 cents. He waves her on, tells her that she's free to go, and tells her that the fuel perks paid for the entire tank of gas. That's a $45-50. value

Hey a family has to get groceries some where, so why not purchase them from a chain that has a plan like this in place?

 

[ratter]

My wife does most of the grocery shopping at Giant Eagle these days.

They currently have a plan called "fuel perks" in place where they give you value points toward each gallon of gas, dependent upon your total grocery purchase. Each time you purchase groceries you hand them your card and they update the card perks on the magnetic strip.

So the wife pulls up to their filling point the other day for the first time, scans her perk card, and fills the SUV. She walks over to the attendant and tells the man the pump malfunctioned that the dollar figure for a fill-up was 2 cents. He waves her on, tells her that she's free to go, and tells her that the fuel perks paid for the entire tank of gas. That's a $45-50. value

Hey a family has to get groceries some where, so why not purchase them from a chain that has a plan like this in place?

Yep, it helps me afford to keep my Expedition in gas, for sure. The only downside is, I have to bypass my neighbor's fill station to go to a Get Go station...

 

[Bird]

We don't have Giant Eagle in this area, but that sounds like a good deal. I sometimes wonder whether Walmart is going to put all the rest of the supermarkets out of business, but I guess if they do, we can understand why. A couple of days ago, we wanted a particular Pillsbury cake mix that we had bought before at Walmart for $.93, but that day Walmart was out of that one, so we went across the street to the Albertson's and got it for $1.99. We used to really like Albertson's, but it's easy to understand why they're going under and recently sold. It's one thing to pay more for better quality, but to pay double for the exact same thing is a different matter.

 

[ronjhall]

Sure wish some grocery stores around here had that kind deal. We only have 4, Wal-Mart, Kroger's, Meijer's, and Farmer Jacks (A&P). When we were down in TN. Last week, they had Safeway. But the prices were a lot higher than the Wal-Mart Super Center. Also noticed Kroger had gas coupons.

 

[ratter]

It's a good deal. For every fifty dollars you spend at the grocery store, you get $.10 off per gallon of gas at your next fill up. So I wait until my truck is near empty and then use up whatever "fuel perks" I've accumulated. Usually it's $.30-.50 per gallon. It definitely feels better to pay $2.30 per gallon rather than 2.80. They also earmark certain items in the store, ie if you buy this item you get an additional $.01 or .02 tacked on to your per-gallon savings.

The very first time I tried it, I had accumulated $2.70 per gallon off. I thought for sure that it had to mean that they would just deduct a total of $2.70 from my fillup (which in my truck is usually ~$70.) But nope, it was PER gallon, so that fillup was totally free. I was dumbfounded.

Overall, it probably saves me ~$25 a month on gas...

 

[AndyM]

It's a good deal. For every fifty dollars you spend at the grocery store, you get $.10 off per gallon of gas at your next fill up. So I wait until my truck is near empty and then use up whatever "fuel perks" I've accumulated. Usually it's $.30-.50 per gallon. It definitely feels better to pay $2.30 per gallon rather than 2.80. They also earmark certain items in the store, ie if you buy this item you get an additional $.01 or .02 tacked on to your per-gallon savings.

The money going to the Fuel Perks discounts also apply to out of pocket prescription costs at the Giant Eagle Pharmacy.

Also, Giant Eagle has begun selling Gift Cards to other area restaurants and stores...
For example, if I need to make a $200 purchase at Best Buy, I go over to Giant Eagle and buy four $50 Best Buy gift cards before heading to Best Buy to make my purchase. This gives me another 40 cents off a gallon of gasoline!

I wait until we're over $2.00 off per gallon, and then I throw two 5 gallon gas cans in my trunk before I head to Giant Eagle. Last time, we were at $2.40 off per gallon, so we filled up up the car and two gas cans at $0.39 per gallon, saving almost 60 dollars!

Fuel Perks Explained

 

[PineRidge]

The money going to the Fuel Perks discounts also apply to out of pocket prescription costs at the Giant Eagle Pharmacy.

Also, Giant Eagle has begun selling Gift Cards to other area restaurants and stores...
For example, if I need to make a $200 purchase at Best Buy, I go over to Giant Eagle and buy four $50 Best Buy gift cards before heading to Best Buy to make my purchase. This gives me another 40 cents off a gallon of gasoline!

I wait until we're over $2.00 off per gallon, and then I throw two 5 gallon gas cans in my trunk before I head to Giant Eagle. Last time, we were at $2.40 off per gallon, so we filled up up the car and two gas cans at $0.39 per gallon, saving almost 60 dollars!

Fuel Perks Explained

Very good points Andy, thanks for sharing that.

 

[Doc_Bob]

She walks over to the attendant and tells the man the pump malfunctioned that the dollar figure for a fill-up was 2 cents.

What amazes me is what is missing from this conversation. Your wife (who I have met) is one fine person! How many folks have the integrity to go to a gas station, get the gas for nothing and then go tell the folks at the station that there is a problem because the charge is not enough? One fine woman, keep her.
Bob

 

[LBrown59]

But if you pay $50 more for groceries to save $40 on gas what have you gained?

 

[MikePA]

But if you pay $50 more for groceries to save $40 on gas what have you gained?

No one said they paid $50 more for groceries.