89 cents was what one consumer paid, while $1.09 was what another paid for a gallon of gas. You can find out how buyers have cut their price of gas to crazy levels. They used the same strategy used when they purchased non gas items. This explains how.

In Ohio, Marion paid $1.09 per gallon when she bought gas. She was able to fill her Jetta for $12.45. The same week Kellie paid 89 cents per gallon when she filled up. You may be asking yourself how that is possible? Marion and Kellie paid those remarkable prices because they looked at gasoline prices like smart consumers look at other items.

The reason that those consumers, Marion and Kellie, could purchase gas at those prices is because they bought gas like they would buy any other item. They found a frequent buyer program that enabled them to lower their gas price. They shopped around and they found a way to buy gas at a place that had the absolute lowest price. They found it at Giant Eagle markets,a chain of supermarkets.

Giant Eagle does business in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. Recently Giant Eagle added a new component to their frequent shopper program. It is called Fuelperks. It is a program that offers discounts on gas at Giant Eagle’s own stations for shopping at Giant Eagle using their frequent shopper card.

For every $50.00 of purchases using the frequent shopper card the consumer will get a 10 cent reduction in the price of gas for one tank fill up. Purchase $100.00 worth; get 20 cents off a gallon. Purchase $500.00 worth and get $1.00 off a gallon. Buy enough groceries and you can get gasoline for free.

A large family that has to buy a lot of groceries every week will very quickly earn large discounts at the gas pump. The prices at Giant Eagle are in line with most of the other groceries in the area and their regular price on gas is in line with other gas stations so you really are getting a legitimate discount on gas.

What if you don’t have a Giant Eagle store where you live? You can still apply the same principle to the way you approach buying gas and still find yourself with significant savings. You need to be a price conscious buyer. You need to do your research.

If you approach your buying gas the same as other items that you buy you can save. Look for the lowest prices for gas as you would look for the lowest prices on other items you buy. Look for frequent shopper deals in your area that might include savings on gas. Where ever you see a pump be sure to look for gas discounts and frequent buyer programs . Many gas stations now have frequent buyer programs that are new. Other places to look for bargains are places in your locale that are new to selling gas.

Many stores have started selling gas that never sold gas before. They need to do that in order to compete. Because of this new competition convenience stores that sell gas are beginning to use frequent buyer programs. Like Giant Eagle they realize that discounts on gasoline is an incentive to the consumer to shop in their stores. This helps you buy gas at a discount.

According to the Food Marketing Institute, just 18% of grocery stores built in 2003 had gas pumps; last year, more than 60% of new stores were built with gas stations. They have seen the value of offering gas to their customers as a loss leader.

The mega stores like Wal-Mart / Sam’s Club are getting into the gas business in a big way. Putting gas pumps at every Sam’s Club is what the VP in charge of fuel for Wal-Mart is looking to do. That means lower gas costs for all of us.

Treat gas like anything else you buy. Comparison shop all the time. Be on the look out for deals, and low prices. Find the stores that have the best program for you. Look for low gas prices at non traditional places like grocery stores or big box retailers. If you do your homework you might be able to buy that tank of gas for 89 cents.