CatIntheHat

This quarter for Discover It Cash Back the 5% category is Gas Stations (Q2 2019.) And I am in my first year with them, so it's essentially worth 10% to me since they match your cash back for the first year.

So I've been buying gift cards for Amazon, Ebay (which can be used for any eBay seller that accepts PayPal) and Netflix at gas stations.

Many gas stations also sell gift cards for chain restaurants (but never fast food since that would cut into their own sandwiches and soda sales). They also have gift cards for Home Depot & Lowe's and some have cards for prepaid cell phone service. Each gas station chain has a different selection of cards. You can also purchase gift cards for the gas station chain to use at a later date (after the quarter is over.)

In my experience, gas stations will let you buy a gift card with a credit card, but you can't buy a prepaid debit card unless you are paying with cash (or possibly a prepaid debit card.)

Some Rutters & Sheetz in PA have begun selling beer and wine.

tmiw

My one experience with gift cards and gas stations didn't go well, so I'm fairly hesitant to try again. (It wasn't even a VGC or MGC, just a $25 Amazon GC.) I'm not sure if it was just that one gas station or if they generally don't allow any GC purchases with credit cards here.

But yeah, that's basically more detail than I went into in my last post. ^

mroseman13

YMMV per gas station. Go to another and try there. If they don't accept CC for GC purchases, walk out and go to the next one - no reason to be hesitant, you're not doing anything wrong. I went to several before finding any in my area that allowed it.

nookanaya

I've been to several 7-11s in the Portland, OR area that don't sell gas and they all code as gas stations. I've never had problems buying GCs with a credit card there either.

Caution on Ebay though--you can't use GCs to buy any other GCs or anything classified as coins, paper money, or bullion. I was sitting on $1000 in GCs for 8 months after I missed that change in the T&C, though I eventually used them on a camera.

LUVs_2_Fly

I have a CIC and get 5x on plenty of GCs at office supply stores, and all my streaming services. My CF strategy is to only use it where I cant already get 5x. So in this case that means gas stations, and of course I don't use 1500$ of gas in a Q. I was thinking that if its possible, i would grab Kroger GCs in the store, and take them to the gas station and see if they can activate them there. This would code as gas (all gas in the past has), and then I could use the GCs for groceries, as I dont have any grocery multiplier cards. Anyone know if Kroger gas stations can activate and sell GCs?

CatIntheHat

Locally, Rutters won't allow me to buy a gift card (or a VGC or MGC, naturally) with a credit card. It *must* be purchased with cash or a PIN-based debit card (store signage states this.)

But my local Sheetz gas station (which operate in the same towns), will accept credit cards for any gift card (just not a VGC/MGC.) I just bought a $300 Amazon gift card at Sheetz earlier this afternoon, on my Discover It Cash back. They didn't bat an eye...

So don't give up!

CatIntheHat

I agree... In the Netflix app you can change the credit card that they bill monthly, but if you want to prepay for the service, you will need to buy a gift card from a store. I've done this a number of times... It's painless.

snic

That list is indeed complete, according to the Chase Freedom FAQ that you can see when you log into your account.

vanillabean

No Prime, CBS All Access or MHz then apparently. Or Hoopla or Kanopy. But maybe I should try Apple Music.

radonc1

That is a lot of driving or else your premium gas is costing you $5 a gallon in a Lincoln Navigator
I drive about 600 miles a week but have a car that gets 30 MPG, so at $3 a gallon, I am still only spending about $250 a month on gas.
However, I found a gas station that sells Amazon GCs using CCs and Discover coded it as gas ^

Now I need to test my Freedom card to see if Chase will code a GC purchase as gas also.

ToastedSi

I noticed this in the Western NY region. I don't go to 7-11s often though, but I should check to see if they sell GCs

storewanderer

Small gift card transactions at gas stations can work. In Nevada, 7-Eleven tends to be fairly okay with small ones, like $25.

Have not had good luck in CA with Quik Stop (signs posted say cash only), Circle K, or with Chevron Extra Miles.

The more rural area you go to the better luck you will have.

jamflyer

I do...

elcraig

I am an new holder of the Chase Freedom card. For the current period, gasoline purchases are the 5% bonus, excluding warehouse stores. I have seen this same language with my Discover and with Citi Premier accounts, but those two cards still give the bonus, labelling the purchase "gas." Have anyone noticed that the gas station at Sams is treated separately from the warehouse store with Chase Freedom?

garykung

Gas purchase is always different from whatever the brands are associated, due to how the card readers are coded.

You have nothing to worry about.