How To Get Free Gas: 22 Gas Hacks You Need To Try

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If you are like many people, your eyes glaze over as you fill up your gas tank.

Even when gas prices are low, it still costs and arm and a leg to fill up your gas tank.

You’ve probably thought about how to get free gas, but believe it to be impossible.

But the reality is, it isn’t impossible.

There are many free gas hacks you can use to save money on fuel ups.

In this article, I share with you 15 ways to lower the cost of gasoline, and in effect, get free gas.

How to Get Free Gas: 15 Free Gas Hacks You Need To Try

#1. Upside

There are a lot of gas apps out there, but my favorite way to get free gas is to use the Upside app.

It’s a free app to download on Android and iOS.

Simply create a free account and you earn a discount off every gallon of gas you buy at participating stations.

It works by offering you cash back on every gallon you buy, effectively lowering the gas prices you pay.

I average a savings between $0.15 and $0.30 per gallon.

So for a 15 gallon fill up, that comes to between $2.25 to $4.50 in cash back I earn.

But here is a trick I use to boost my earnings.

I pay with a linked credit card I earn 3% cash back on my total gas money spent.

Depending on the price per gallon, I earn another $0.45 discount or more.

Upside also partners with restaurants and grocery stores to offer you even more places to earn cash back.

You can click the link below to join for free and get a bonus $0.20 off per gallon on your first fill up.

This means you will be saving between $0.35 and $0.50 off every gallon the first time you use the app.

#2. Join Gas Station Fuel Rewards Programs

If you are loyal to a certain brand of gas, then it makes sense to sign up for their rewards program.

Most gas stations have a mobile app that you download and get discounts on your fuel purchases.

For example, I use the Sunoco Go Rewards app.

With it I earn $0.03 off every gallon of gas I buy as long as I fill up my tank at least twice a month.

I like it because it also allows me to pay right from the app, so I don’t have to use my credit card and risk becoming a victim of identity theft.

And it’s not only Sunoco that offers discounts like this.

Here are a handful of other popular fuel rewards programs:

• Circle K Easy Rewards
• Pilot MyRewards
• Shell Fuel Rewards
• Speedway Speedy Rewards
• BPme Rewards
• Exxon Mobile Rewards+
• Maverick’s Adventure Club
• QuikTripQT Rewards

If you fuel up elsewhere, be sure to ask if there is a rewards program.

Many times you will find signs about the program they offer around the gas pumps.

#3. Earn Free Gas Gift Cards

Another great gas hack is to earn free gas gift cards.

You can do this a couple different ways.

First is by completing surveys online.

You will earn either points or cash that you can redeem for free gas station gift cards, like Exxon Mobil gift cards or Shell gift cards.

If you aren’t interested in taking surveys, you can still earn free gas cards by playing games online, watching videos, and more.

My favorite is Swagbucks, which offers many ways to earn free gas cards.

In fact, you can redeem your points for free gift cards from many other retailers as well.

Finally, you can earn cash back by shopping online.

When you use a shopping portal, you earn money on your purchase.

You can turn around and use this money for a free gas card.

#4. Free Gas USA

Free Gas USA is a non-profit organization that helps families in need of financial assistance.

They offer free gas vouchers and grants on gas cards with various values monthly.

The number of grants are limited and are based on the amount of donations the organization receives.

In order to be considered for their gas cards, you need to apply by visiting their website.

#5. Sign Up For A Gas Station Credit Card

Gas credit cards are an easy way to save money if you are brand loyal.

Many gas brands offer a credit card that earns you up to $0.15 off per gallon of gas when you pay with your card.

And to sweeten the deal, most offer cash back or rewards on non-gas purchases as well.

However, most times the rewards for non-gas purchases aren’t as good as credit cards that are not loyal to one particular brand of gasoline.

#6. Use Grocery Rewards

More and more grocery stores are partnering with local gas stations.

When you sign up for the grocery store rewards programs, you earn fuel points based on the amount of money you spend.

These points can be redeemed for gas discounts at participating gas stations.

For example, if you spend $100 on groceries, you earn $0.10 off per gallon of gas.

This is a great way to lower the cost of gas.

But there are a few things you need to be aware of.

First, not all gas stations participate.

For instance, in my area we have a couple of Sunoco gas stations and the grocery store that offers gas discounts only partners with one of these stations.

Also, your gas reward points typically expire after a certain amount of time, so you need to pay attention otherwise you forfeit your points.

#7. Get Gas at Warehouse Clubs

Warehouse club like BJ’s and Costco have their own gas stations and offer gas at incredible prices.

With Costco, you get the best price simply for being a member.

Of course, you can save a little more by using a rewards credit card to pay.

BJ’s also offers a low price, but you can get it lower.

You do this by purchasing items in store that are marked as a “High Octane Item”.

These items will get you a $0.10 savings per gallon when you fill up.

It works the same as fuel points when shopping at grocery stores except that only certain items qualify you for a discount.

#8. Use A Cash Back Gas Credit Card

I briefly mentioned this earlier when I talked about Upside.

There are many rewards credit cards and cash back credit cards you can use when you buy gas.

Depending on the card you choose, you could earn credit card rewards of 3% or more cash back or multiple points for travel discounts.

For example, if you get 5% cash back and gas costs you $3.00 per gallon, you are saving $0.15 per gallon.

And here is another trick to consider.

You can use reward credit cards buy a gas card at the grocery store.

For me, my credit card offers 6% cash back on grocery purchases.

When I buy a gas card for $50, I get $3 in cash back.

This is a better deal than the 3% cash back I get when I buy fuel at the gas station.

Of course, this only works if you earn a higher percent cash back or more points at the grocery store than at the gas station.

Click on the link below to research the best cash back cards you can use to save money on gas.

#9. Buy Discount Gift Cards

Another option to get free gas is to be on the lookout for discounted gas gift cards.

Every now and then, retailers like Walgreen’s and CVS will offer gas cards for 5% or 10% off the face value.

For example, a $50 gift card might only cost you $47.50.

You should also check out Sam’s Club, Costco, and BJ’s as these retailers tend to regularly offer gift cards at a discount.

Finally, you could check out eBay or online sites that resell gift cards.

Going this route will usually score you the biggest discounts on gas cards.

But if you buy off eBay, use caution as you want to make sure you are getting what you pay for.

#10. Enter Sweepstakes

There are a handful of sweepstakes you can enter to earn free fuel.

Of course, you need to win in order to get free gas.

If you go this route, just be sure the sweepstakes doesn’t ask you to pay to take part or asks for any sensitive information, like your Social Security Number.

To find these sites, type “win free gas”, “free gas sweepstakes”, or “free gas money sweepstakes” on your favorite search engine.

#11. Use Gas Buddy

Most people are familiar with the Gas Buddy app to find the lowest gas prices in your area.

Now they offers savings on your fuel ups with Pay With GasBuddy.

Simply sign up and link your checking account to your Pay With GasBuddy card and you unlock savings of up to $0.25 at 95% of gas stations.

The program is free to join and they run station specific promotions all the time, helping you to save even more money on gas.

#12. Salvation Army

If you are a low income family, consider reaching out the Salvation Army.

They sometimes offer free gas vouchers to those in need.

Just understand these gas vouchers tend to be in limited quantity and are reserved for those who are truly struggling financially.

#13. United Way

If the Salvation Army can’t help you, maybe the United Way can.

While most chapters don’t directly provide gas assistance, when you dial 211, you get connected to a specialist in your community.

They will know about the various charities and organizations that might be able to offer gas assistance and support in your area.

#14. Local Churches And Charities

Another option for low-income families is to reach out to local churches, charities, and other religious organizations.

These organizations are always offering help to their local community.

For example, in my town, the local Lions Club offers free gas cards as well as medical supplies for people in need.

Some people have reported great success when reaching out to catholic charities as well.

So make it a point to take some time to reach out to these organizations to see what kind of help they can offer you.

As a last resort, you can also search online for local charities and help.

Simply type “gas vouchers near me” or “get free gas voucher” followed by your zip code.

#15. Advertise On Your Car

The final idea is to advertise on your car.

Companies will pay you depending on where you live and how often you drive.

Once you partner with a company, you take your car to a service shop that will wrap it in the agreed upon advertisement.

All that is left for you to do is drive around and collect your money.

Use the money you earn when buying gas and you have essentially earned free gasoline.

Wrapping your car doesn’t harm the paint of your car and can actually keep your car in better condition as the film will protect your car from paint chips due to rocks.

Ways to Save Money on Gas

In addition to getting free gas, there are other things you can do to help you lower the price you pay at the gas pump.

Here are the best options to consider.

#16. Buy The Right Octane Gas

Some people think 87 octane fuel is cheap gas and opt for a higher grade, like 89 or higher.

The reality is, with modern fuel efficient vehicles, you are perfectly fine using the octane that is printed on the inside of the gas lid.

So when buying gas, if you pay $0.15 per gallon more on a higher grade fuel, you are wasting money.

#17. Be a Smarter Driver

Here are a handful of ways that being a smarter driver will help you with saving money at the gas pump.

First, drive at a consistent speed, and limit the amount of braking and accelerating you do.

Ideally, you coast to stop and slowly step on the gas at a stop sign or red light.

Another good idea is to limit the extra weight in your car by cleaning it out.

Finally, keep your tires inflated, as driving on underinflated tires can significantly reduce your mileage.

#18. Drive Less

If you live in a large metro area, see if you could take advantage of public transportation.

Obviously, the less you drive, the lower your gas costs.

Other options include riding a bike or combining errands into one trip instead of four or five.

#19. Keep Up With Routine Maintenance

While it costs money to pay for regular car maintenance, it will help you keep your fuel costs in check.

This is because a car that does not run at top efficiency is costing you money through poor gas mileage.

So no matter if you find the lowest gas prices in your area, you are still paying more money than you should.

Plus, if you don’t take care of your vehicle, it means you will have to buy a new one sooner, costing you thousands more.

#20. Carpool

Here is an outside the box idea for how to save money on gas.

If you live near co-workers, you can set up a car pool service.

Depending on how you want to do it, you have a few options for making it work.

• You always drive and have your co-workers pay you a small amount of gas money
• Alternate who drives and no money is exchanged since you both drive

There are more options too, just make sure whatever you choose is fair for everyone involved.

No matter which way you go, you will be driving less or earning some cash for the driving you already do, making the cost of fuel more manageable.

#21. Shop Around

As you drive around, pay attention gas prices at the local gas stations you pass and make note of who typically offers the best prices.

When you find the one that offers the cheapest gas, you can start the process of trying to see if you can get discounted gas at that station.

This could mean joining a fuel rewards program or earning free gift cards to the station.

#22. Ask For Gifts

Finally, you could ask for gas money around the holidays as a gift.

Additionally, if you use a particular brand, ask for a gift card, which essentially would act like a free gas card for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

A lot of people want to know about getting free gas.

Because of this, I get asked a lot of questions on this topic.

Here are the most common ones and their answers.

What is the best way to earn free gas?

The best way I’ve found to earn free gas is to use Upside.

I average between $0.15 and $0.30 off per gallon of gas.

I also use my cash back credit card to earn $0.03 off every gallon I buy as well.

Does paying cash for gas save money?

Some gas stations do offer lower gas prices when you pay with cash

Most times the amount you save by paying cash is around $0.05 per gallon.

They offer this discount as they have to pay merchant fees when you use your credit card to pay for gas.

These fees are between 2-3%.

By avoiding this cost, the station passes the savings on to you.

What gas stations have the best fuel rewards programs?

This is tough to answer as each gas station offers great sign up bonuses from time to time.

In most cases, if you see a program that offers $0.05 or more off each gallon of gas, it is usually a good deal.

Also, make note of the gas station that typically has the lowest gas prices, then see if they offer a rewards program.

Is there a way to get free gas cards online?

The best way to get free gas cards on the web is to enter sweepstakes or to use a site like Swagbucks.

Other sites sell discounted gas cards, which is also an option for saving money.

How to get free gas illegally?

There are a few ways to get free gas illegally.

Understand I do not recommend any of these, but will mention them and the risks involved.

First is siphoning gas from other’s cars.

This is harder to do with modern cars but is still possible.

Another option is RFID hacking.

Most people are familiar with Exxon Mobile SpeedPass.

There are ways to hack this RFID device to get free gas.

But it is not easy and there are camera’s everywhere so you will be caught.

Finally, there is pump hacking or pump skimming.

This is where a device is put over the credit card reader and steals the personal information of anyone who swipes their credit card.

Again, very risky and not worth it in the end.

What is the best way to earn gas money?

Free gas money is possible by advertising with your car, taking surveys, playing games online, and more.

If you qualify, local assistance programs provide free gas cards as well.

Should I buy a more fuel efficient vehicle to lower my fuel costs?

Buying a new car rarely makes sense if the goal is to save money on gas.

While a newer car with offer better gas mileage, the fact that you are paying thousands of dollars for the car eliminates most of the savings for years.

You are better off using these tips to find discounted and free gas.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever wondered how to get free gas, there are 15 legit ways to try.

If you take a little bit of time, you can figure out a strategy that works best for you.

Ideally, you can combine a couple ideas like I do to maximize your savings.

Whatever you do, don’t pay full price for gas.

You can easily reduce this cost and save money.