Since 2021, life has become noticeably more expensive: the increase in the prices of the main products and services, the famous inflation, has reached record levels, and people’s pockets have felt it. And among the goods whose prices have risen the most, fuel stands out. Since the end of 2023, inflation has finally slowed down and even gasoline prices have given drivers a break. But in this situation, prevention is better than cure: that is why we are going to talk about gasoline cards for individuals: which ones have the most discounts and why it is advisable to use them.
What are fuel cards for individuals?
As the name suggests, they are cards similar to bank cards, but used to pay at gas stations. In exchange, the customer receives some advantage, such as discounts, offers or rewards. Therefore, it is like a debit or credit card, but only used to buy fuel or other products at a service station.
Many of these cards are usually issued by a gas station company, which uses them to build customer loyalty. But they can also come from financial institutions, which offer them as an added benefit for their customers with cars. In the latter case, to access their advantages, it is normally necessary to be a customer of a specific bank and to have your salary paid directly into your account.
In addition, there are companies that give this type of card to their employees as part of the benefits offered by the Human Resources department. Obviously, its use is more common for people who work with a vehicle, such as carriers.
Advantages
For both individuals and transporters, these cards offer two main benefits: the possibility of keeping a more efficient control and follow-up of fuel expenses, as well as simplifying billing procedures; and access to discounts and promotions.
How to choose a fuel card?
In Spain there are more than 40 cards offering discounts and promotions at gas stations. To choose the most suitable one for specific needs, the driver must take into account the following:
- Mainly, his consumption habits: if he always refuels at the same gas station of a specific brand, if he travels all over the country or moves mainly through a single city, if he consumes a lot or little fuel… Depending on these habits, he will be able to evaluate which card suits him best and if he prefers it to be one with bank linkage or not.
- The type of fuel. There are usually different cards for gasoline, diesel or a combination, so this is another aspect to evaluate.
- Credit limit and ability to pay. Many of these cards work like a credit card and allow you to buy, even if you have no funds at the time. However, you will then have to pay that money back, plus interest, so be careful not to abuse this feature.
- Discounts and special promotions. In this section, there are as many options as there are cards: it is best to compare and choose the one with the most convenient advantages according to your consumption habits.
What are the main ones?
Among the most used, the following stand out:
- The gas station operators’ cards: Repsol Más Visa, Mi BP and MasterCard Cepsa Gow. These three offer a wide range of discounts and promotions. To give a few examples:
- The Repsol card, according to the company, “offers an immediate discount to all customers of 3 cents for every liter of Diesel e+ Neotech and Efitec 95 Neotech fuel and 5 cents for every liter of Diesel e+10 Neotech and Efitec 98 Neotech fuel, at Repsol, Campsa and Petronor stations”; in addition to a “bonus on the card fee of up to 45 euros through the Solred fuel check, if the customer exceeds 500 liters per mobile year”. It also gives a 5% discount on articles in the stores and on washes.
- The Cepsa card, for its part, allows savings of “up to 8 cts/liter for refueling at Cepsa”, and also accumulates credit to spend on “refueling, electric charging, stores and washes”.
- And the My BP card, in addition to giving points earned on fuel purchases, gives “exclusive discounts on a wide range of selected brands in categories such as: technology, travel, leisure plans, restaurants, beauty” and in stores such as “Apple, Booking, Iberia, VIPS, and many more”.
- Cards associated with banks: for example, Abanca’s Visa Gold and Visa Platinum cards, which give a 5% discount on fuel at Galp gas stations; or ING’s cards, which give a 3% saving at Galp and Shell stations, only for customers who have this financial institution’s Salary Account.
These five cases are just a small sample of the enormous number of options available in this market, and are recommended for hauliers or intensive vehicle users who appreciate any discount or promotion after spending on fuel.