Gas: Cash is King

[Plum Crazy]

How can they get away with this?
The station I went to is NOT a Mom and Pop station.
They would probably get more sales if they only accepted cash.

I wonder if that same law applies to charging me more (like $10more) to pay a bill over the phone.
They charge me to use my debit for cable and my truck payment.
I have made some orders over the phone where they have charged me for using my card. I don't use my card at all anymore.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Strike_King

A guy here in Burlington does the same thing with his station for cash customers..


http://www.boston.com/business/artic...count_for_gas/

After reading that--it doesn't seem like it's illegal here for stations to give a discount for cash. It's the oil companies' policy that prevents it. This bill would require oil companies to allow franchisees to offer a cash discount.

Most people aren't carrying $80-$100 dollars in cash--they pay at the pump with a debit or credit card. Let's say, you need gas, no cash, and your bank doesn't have one of its own ATMs in the area. So you use another bank, or a machine in some convenience store, pay that transaction fee on the withdrawal, and in addition, the fee your own bank imposes for using a non-network ATM. Then you have the inconvenience of having to hand some third world attendant cash, walking back to your vehicle, pumping the gas, and walking back for your change (if any) and then counting it to make sure old Mr. English as a Third Language has given you the correct change. Thinking that you saved $2 by paying cash to save 10 cents a gallon on a 20 gallon fill-up, without realizing that your ATM transaction fees cost you $3.

I'll just pay the credit price, thank you.

[Plum Crazy]

That is so wierd that we were talking about it and it hit the news last night.
Maybe the credit card companies will smarten up and stop charging for "EVERY SINGLE LITTLE THING"
I always pay cash for gas. I hate paying before hand though.
Just a pet peeve I guess. I hate handing over money before I have my product.
We have the drive -offs to thank for that!
I always start out at $100 but my truck always takes more so I have to go back in and pay again.
It just sucks all the way around and there is no winning.
I am still buffaloed by how people like the cable company can charge me an extra $10 by paying over the phone with my debit card.(I know, off subject, but it got me thinking) How can that be right?

[The Iceman 6]

As follow-up, now 3-4 gas stations in my hometown are doing the same thing. I'm pretty lazy and like paying at the pump but now I'll walk the extra 10 steps and pay cash..

[Jimbo]

It is a pain to have to go to an ATM where you don't get charged a fee to get gas at the cheaper price. NJ has the gas cheaper for cash than credit, but there's Velero and maybe some others if you use their credit card you pay the cash price. On the Cape I do like the idea that you can use your receipt from Stop n Shop for .20 of per gallon at Christies. That helps.

[Mike P]

How often do you hear of people getting robbed at gas stations nowadays, as compared to getting robbed in supermarket/convenience store/bank parking lots?

Once the discount for cash goes in, expect that to change, too

[Swimmer]

Someone with a few extra minutes should call the A.G.'s office in Boston and asked them. They will tell you straight up about a difference in price per gallon, cash v.s. credit card.