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I received several messages in my inbox from people who didn’t know you could buy prepaid gas cards. My last post I really was just randomly posting about my own thoughts on how prices have gone down so drastically that I am now paying over $50 less at the pump than I was about 3 months ago. I really should have taken more time to do some research on the subject so that I could have supplied more information about this topic. Let me just say, when my husband and I sat down and did the math about the savings we were surprised, but not at the same time…if that makes ANY sense.  I knew there would be a ginormous savings…but when you actually see the numbers for your own eyes it’s kinda crazy and unsettling that we as hard working consumers, get subjected to astronomical prices that make the owners of oil companies filthy rich while we suffer for it.

OK. I’m stepping off my soap box now!!! Sooooooo, I did a little research and I hope this answers the questions some of you had.

The main thing many people said was “If you buy a gas card at today’s prices, later you are only using a gas card and paying those current prices.” That would be true if you were just buying THAT kind of card.  Those kinds of cards are similar to gift cards. Those are not the cards I’m talking about. That’s not what THESE prepaid cards are. The ones I am talking about allow you to purchase GALLONS. There are several companies out there that you can sign up with, pay a membership fee and purchase gallons of gas at whatever the current rate in your area is. Then when gas prices go up you can use your card to pay for the gallons. The company that you are signed up with will actually pay the gas station for your purchase and will deduct the GALLONS from your account.

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This image reminds me of just a couple months ago and how it felt to put gas in our truck. (We have a Ford Expedition) When gas prices were about $3.90ish..it cost me around $107 to fill up if I let it go to empty. Prices had been so high for so long that I got a HUGE reality check when I went to fill up today. It was $1.99 for Unleaded!!!! Big difference. Quite frankly I don’t even remember when it was below $2.60 last out here. When I filled up today, it cost me $52.00. That is a difference of $55.00!!!!! NO wonder why our monthly budget was so mangled. We fill up 1 time a week…so $55.00 times 4 is an extra $220.00 a month we were spending in gas alone. Considering we didn’t get a raise we had to take that money from elsewhere. That meant less road trips, less eating out or if we did it was fast food and less extra ativities that you have to pay for like bowling or theme parks. My husband and I are considering buying a bunch of gas cards with these prices and leaving them in a drawer somewhere so that when prices hike back up to $3.60-and you know they will!-we will have prepaid gas at a much easier price to swallow. Go buy some gas cards for yourself!!!!

What did you have to cut back on while prices were so high?