Giant Eagle Credit Card Review
Is the Giant Eagle Advantage card a good way to save on gas or not?
Do you live in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland or West Virginia? If so, then you’ve probably heard of Giant Eagle Fuel Perks – a program where you can earn gas discounts for spending money at their stores. But are the savings actually worthwhile? You need to take a closer look.
Here’s a brief overview of how it works…
- You have to apply for a Giant Eagle Advantage card and get approved for it
- Each time $50 is spent on the credit card, a 10 cent per gallon discount is given
- Each gas discount is only valid for one fillup, for one vehicle
- Discount only applies to GetGo gas stations
At first glance the Giant Eagle credit card rewards don’t seem like a bad deal. But once you do the math you realize it’s really not a good offer at all. Here’s why…
10 cents off isn’t much with today’s gas prices
Think about it… with $3 gas you are only saving a bit over 3% per gallon. With $4 gas it’s only saving 2.5%. There are plenty of gas credit cards on the market that save you at least this much, if not more.
Do the math to see how little you are saving
Let me give you an example as to why the savings you get with the Giant Eagle Advantage card really stink.
- Let’s say you spend $50 at the Giant Eagle store. That earns a gas discount.
- You spend $30 at their gas station and with the discount, you would be saving about 86 cents total with $3.50/gallon gas.
- That means your total credit card savings after spending $80 ($50 on groceries, $30 on gas) equals out to only be 86 cents… you would have only earned a little over 1% on your spending!
How bad is this “deal”?
Well, when you consider just about any run-of-the-mill credit card gives 1% cash back, the Giant Eagle Advantage discounts on gas no longer seem like a very good deal, do they?
Because the Giant Eagle credit card is NOT a Visa/MasterCard/Discover/American Express, it can only be used at Giant Eagle and their affiliated GetGo gas stations. Is it really worth hassling with another card that can only be used at a couple places?
Another pitfall is that the meager rewards can only be redeemed at their gas stations. Because prices can vary so much from station to station, you got to shop around – as you know the cheapest station this week may be different than the cheaper station next week.
A better way to save money (sponsored offer)
Instead of fooling around with the Giant Eagle Advantage, you will be much better off by going with a high cash back credit card. There are several that give up to 5% cash back at all gas stations and grocery stores. To sweeten the pot, sometimes they give cash signup bonuses of $100.00! Go here to compare the current cash back card offers available.
I have a Giant Eagle Advantage card and its a rewards card, not a credit card. I am guessing they also have a credit card but I think you have the 2 mixed up. The point you are missing here is that you save 10 cents per gallon for EVERY $50 you spend. I have a family and spend quite a lot at Giant Eagle. I also have a car that holds about 25 gallons. It’s a bit of a game to make sure we go to Giant Eagle when its empty so that we get the full benefit. I usually get about 60 cents off per gallon. I just moved to OH and in only a few months I have saved over $200. So yeah, get the math and the facts right. Its irresponsible journalism not to do so.
Credit Card Guru- Giant Eagle allows you to bring tanks to fill up to 30 gallons. You indicate my math does work, I will break it down for you:
spend fuel points
150.00 .20 per $50 $0.60
credit card bonus .04 per $50 $0.12
Cents off per gallon $0.72
30 gallons 30
Savings per gallon $21.60
Food Perks 1% per 10 gallons
30 gallons 3%
food perks saving up to a $300 order $ 150
savings for food perks $4.50
Total Savings from $150 purchase $26.10
Initial purchase $150
% savings 17.4%
If you give me your email, I will scan you a copy of my rolling 12 months savings from a recent Giant Eagle receipt to prove this is legitimate.
Mr guru not sure what you have against giant eagle did they fire you. Have you ever heard of gas cans yes a little incovient but for a extra savings (fuelperks = $3. and if i have to put 20 gallons of gas in gas cans and put it in may car or lawn mower later not a problem equals 60 dollars in savings. each time. ) not a bad trade. about the 30 gallons do it all the time matter of fact when I go there thate is at least one other person with gas cans. I saved a couple of grand last year on gas.
Giant Eagle is known for letting people fill up their tank(s) and then additional containers to get to the 30 gallon cut-off. Their terms might not state this, but my husband has never been stopped from doing it. We always wait for the 20 cent fuel perks special and use that time to buy gift cards to places we are already planning on spending money at. We use our BP card which has some added perks. (We have to use the advantage card but it for us, it isn’t a credit card.) I don’t typically shop for groceries at Giant Eagle. Even when I build up to food perks, I still don’t think I’m saving money compared to shopping at Wal-Mart. But the gift card deal really does pay off.
oh credit card guru get your facts strait. and tell them all
I totally disagree with this article. In Central Ohio we are getting 20 cents per gallon for every $50 spent at Giant Eagle. PLUS if you use the Giant Eagle credit card you get an ADDITIONAL 4 cents per gallon bring your total to 24 cents for every $50 spent at Giant Eagle. You can obtain up to 30 gallons of gas when redeeming your fuel perks. Giant Eagle also has FOOD PERKS which gives you 1% off food for every 10 gallons. Here’s an example:
Spend $150 at Giant Eagle, earn 72 cents off 30 gallons= $21.60 savings. Take 3% towards food perks (1% for every 10 gallons and in this example we pumped 30 gallons) results in additional $4.50 in savings. There for the savings is $21.60 + $4.50=$26.10 or 17% savings on the $150 worth of groceries purchased. Based on buying gift cards to purchase items at other stores, I have not paid for fuel for over 18 months. The Giant Eagle program is well worth it.
I am not sure but you are wrong you get 4 cents per 50 dollars you spent with the credit card which is (30 gal. time .04 is 1.20 or 2.40 for every hunderd dollars you pay with you credit card. Which works out to 2.4% Which is a good return and I do not have to fill out any paper work or buy some crap I do not want. Now when you add the 20 cents you get for using thier store card you are now talking 6 dollars savings for every hundred dollars spent And if you wait till they have the specials with the gift cards you get 12 off for every houndred dollars. so with the credit card bonus and the gift card bonus (20 cents off each 50 you spend) that is 48 cents off a gallon which is 14.40 saving on each 100 dollars you spent with is 14.4%
Your math doesn’t add up, review the fine print terms and conditions for yourself on Giant Eagle’s application. And 30 gallons in one fill-up? I don’t know of any car that has a 30 gallon tank! Most will be lucky if they can squeeze in 12 or 14 gal and that’s only after they’re running on fumes.