Every industry has their little secrets. Restaurants serve decaf if they are out of regular, your sheets are fresh at the hotel, but it may have been weeks since the comforter was washed, some people know the little quirks and inside information of different business, but for some of us a little privileged information could help us greatly. Today lets look at a business that you often hear people grumble about when you are waiting for your morning coffee, but you rarely think about if you aren’t in need-Gas Stations.

Over the past few years gas stations and their prices have seen a lot of scrutiny for their rapid price rise and snail-slow fall, but there are a few tasty tidbits of information that can help make the process of fueling up a little less of a chore.

In days of old, you would pull up to your local fueling station while a chipper and cheerful attendant would bound from the building fuel your car, wash your windshield and even check your oil. If you were having car trouble he would be happy to help you out and in fact he was extremely knowledgeable about mechanics and he could solve your problems and have you on your way in a jiffy. Well, those days are over, you have to pump yourself, the water to wash your windshield is likely to be dirtier than you’d like and if you are having car trouble, call AAA, the no-so-friendly attendant more than likely doesn’t know how to help. Now owners and operators of refueling stations are more concerned with their bottom line, and car service has given way to car washes and hot dogs, things that will increase income and traffic.

Another well kept secret in the gasoline industry is that most fuels are the same. Gas stations are chains of widely know oil companies, and a lot of those companies constantly try to find the competitive edge on making their gas sound like it is better for your car then all of the other fuels on the market. Yes, additives clean your engine and make it run stronger, longer and cleaner, but all gas has them. In 1994 the government requires that all fuels have detergents that prevent fuel injectors from clogging. The difference can translate to as little as a quart of detergent added to a 8,000 gallon tanker truck.

Many people, at least in my area, have noticed that prices vary from the sign at the road and what you are actually paying at the pump, because gas stations now run lines of credit and the posted price at the road includes their discount for being a cardholder. It may seem logical to get one of these credit cards, but make sure you read the fine print-APRs on those cards are high, some starting at as high as 20 percent, and they lack some benefits such as fraud monitoring and zero liability for unauthorized transactions.

There are a few other things that can save you money when you go to refuel. Many people if they are in a pinch will stop to pick up a grocery or too, beer, or maybe stop for one of those brain-chilling frozen drinks while on the road. Stations are looking more and more to maximize their convenience store buck. Most items are vastly overpriced when compared to the supermarket but there are a couple of things that are decent buys such as high volume goods like cigarettes and beer, and a decent (not amazing-decent) cup of coffee can be purchased for a fraction of the price because Frankie the attendant put it to brew instead to Pierre the barista.

The moral of the story, though, it seems is to simply do your homework. There are many sites out there in cyberspace not only ready, but also willing to do your bidding and tell you which stations are offering up the best deals. So before your next summer road trip, be wise and make plans ahead of time to stop at the exits with the best deals since you know you are going to be refueling, and perhaps check a site once or twice a week to know where the best deals in your neighborhood are.

Author Bio: “Your” Money Matters, by Carl Hampton From the Author of “From Credit Despair To Credit Millionaire.” Http://www.CarlHampton.com

Category: Business
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