Hypermiling - Weeks #6 & 7 - Reaction

Well at the end of Week #6 and beginning of Week # 7 of my hypermiling experience I drove over 900 miles in 4 business days. I will just combine receipts and report MPG on the total. I also misplaced the one right before those and forgot to write down the miles on the fuel-up receipt today.

I did get a 50 cent discount per gallon on my fill-up at Safeway today though! I really like their new PowerPump Rewards. Instead of getting a single 10-cent discount for each transaction over $50, you get a 10-cent discount for each $100 in groceries spent, regardless of the number of shopping trips it takes. If you spend $200 in one transaction you even get two cumulative discounts, etc. Even better, you can combine the discounts in one gas purchase. Before you could only get 10 cents off, period. I can't tell you how many times I came to the end of the quarter and still had accumulated discounts left on my Safeway Club card. I tell you, that extra discount really helps the budget, maybe even as much as the new hypermiling tips I've been following now for nearly 2 months.

Another great help in the budget is going to come from Free Bee Gas. I responded to one of those car dealership promotions where you are guaranteed to win one of 4 prizes (assuming you get there before they run out, as I have seen that happen several times). Of course, there are usually significant prizes, like $10,000 cash or similar. I don't remember what the big prizes were, but it really seemed worth the trip across town because the SMALLEST prize was $150 in free gas. It turns out it's a card from Free Bee Gas

The way it works is you actually have to save receipts and send in $100 in receipts for $25 gift card (for the gas station brand you select, unless they don't make one, in which case you get a VISA brand gift card) each month for six months (=$150 total). You also have to buy all of your gas from the same brand of gas. I chose Sinclair because the list of stations on their website showed more locations I regularly travel for my work. And pay $5 to set up your account which it says is reimbursed on the last $25 gift card. I suppose they hope to make a little extra money when people don't stick with it for six months.

Seems this post didn't really end up having much to do with hypermiling after all, but it certainly has to do with gas savings, which is what hypermiling is all about in the first place. I hope you find the info about these two programs useful. I recommend going to your local car dealer next time you get a promotion that says you can win the free gas, because I think it's going to be a great savings for us. By the way, you can use the gift card for anything in the convenience stores as well (or anywhere if you choose one that doesn't have their own store-brand gift card).

Happy hypermiling!