The world was shocked months ago when the news about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was reported. It is the first land war in Europe since World War Two, and even now, months later, fighting rages on.
Of course, this is a very serious problem. A matter of life and death should never be taken lightly.
But even if you are lucky enough to not have friends or family members directly affected by Putin’s actions, you are probably noticing an effect closer to home.
One of the results of this war is that fuel prices have skyrocketed worldwide. Filling up your tank might cost double what it did at the beginning of this year. Click here for more information about gas rates in Norway.
If you are a person who has to do a great deal of driving, this could be causing you much distress. Is there any way for you to come out ahead when it comes to petrol?
Unfortunately, there’s no magic wand you can wave to take you back to the beginning of this year. (And really, if you had a magic time-travelling wand, wouldn’t you want to use it for something more fun than escaping high petrol prices?)
That doesn’t mean that there is nothing you can do about it. If you play it smart, using a petrol card can be to your advantage. Of course, there are pros and cons to consider carefully. If you’re not careful, you may find that your card has cost you more than you’ve saved.
In this article, we’re going to help you avoid the pitfalls of choosing the wrong petrol card for you by discussing the pros and cons to look out for.
Table of Contents
Check the Terms
The first thing you’ll want to do when you begin your search for the perfect petrol card is to take note of what, exactly, each one is offering. While they all offer some incentive related to gas, they can vary between cards.
Some cards only offer discounts at specific stations. You’ll want to be sure that you have easy access to the right station before choosing to open that kind of card. It would be preferable to have a station located both close to your home as well as your workplace. That way you can refuel whenever you need to without missing out on any perks.
You may want to use a site like this one: https://www.kredittkortinfo.no/bensinkort/ to help you compare quickly and easily across different brands.
Some of these cards even offer up extra perks to loyal customers. This could be any number of things, from free car washes to price breaks on popular snacks inside the station.
Remember to take this into account when considering a card. But be honest with yourself: Do you already wash your car on a regular basis? If so, then the card could offer you another way to save money. But if not, then you’re actually spending more money, not less, in order to get a perceived discount.
Don’t let your enthusiasm run away with you. You have to be critical if you’re going to see the benefits of using a petrol card.
Bountiful Benefits
Not all cards offer discounts on petrol. Some of them offer instead to give you cash back points on each kroner you spend at the pump. This means that you’ll pay full price for your petrol, but you’ll see some of that money returned to you later.
This option might be beneficial for you if you have an irregular travel schedule. If you never know which petrol station you might be near, you may find that you prefer this type of card.
Another thing to keep in mind is that these cards may have a yearly limit. Once you hit that limit, you are no longer eligible for the offered benefit, whether it be cash back or a discount on fuel. You’ll have to keep track of this in order to best maximize the benefits of your chosen card.
Location, Location, Location
Another thing to keep in mind is where your potential card is going to be of the most use to you.
Some cards are available to use internationally and will accrue points anywhere you use them.
Others are more limited, and can only be used at select locations.
And some offer discounts even beyond those you see at the pump. There are even cards that offer cash back on groceries – another commodity that has become more expensive this year. Again, you’ll want to do the math on this one. It may be that this is the best benefit for you.
It pays to plan ahead when it comes to taking out a new line of credit.
If you’re not careful, you could watch a balance accrue and end up spending more on interest than you have saved through your careful planning. Click the link for more information about credit cards.
That’s because any balance left on your card is subject to an interest payment. That means that a percentage of your balance is added on as a service fee to the company that provides you your card. Credit cards have one of the highest interest rates of any type of loan. They can be as high as thirty percent. This can add up quickly. If you leave a balance on your card, it could easily become a high bill you have to pay in the future.
On the other hand, if you watch your spending carefully, you may even want to take out several cards in order to maximize your benefits. You could save hundreds of kroner this way each year.
Earlier in this article we discussed limits on how many points you could receive for any given card. If you’re a frequent petrol consumer, you may find that you pass these limits each year. If you have multiple cards, you can continue to use and save.
Taking out a credit card can be tricky. Do your research and find the one that works best for you!