New discount program at Flying J

The Flying J RV card no longer gives a 1 cent discount on all gas purchases. A new Program started as of February 1, 2008.
Now to get any gas discount you have to buy $10 in the store or restaurant that will give you a 3 cent discount but only up to 100 gallons.
Spend $30 in the store or restaurant & you get 5 cent discount.
Same thing applies to Propane discounts but with Propane there is no limit on how many gallons you can buy in the month.
If you want to see the new program here is the link to it.
http://www.flyingj.com/programs/rvclub.cfm

I read that as up to expenditures, but it's not really clear.  If you spend up to $10, including nothing, then you get the minimum discount.  Spend more and you get the progressively higher discounts.

Hi Ned, Wendy's Dad called today to tell me about the change & he said he got no discount so he went inside & saked and was told he had to spend $10 to get any discount.
Mike

Hm, thanks Mike.  I'll find out in a few days when we fuel at Anthony.  We sometimes have breakfast after fueling, but I doubt they'd give the discount retroactively

Well, I was wondering why I got no discount the other day.  I just never got around to calling.  If one ate there, or spent other monies in there on a regular basis, that would be a pretty good deal I guess, but for me, I normally only buy gas there.  Occassionally other stuff, but rarely.  So it kinda negates the discount I was getting just by being a loyal customer!  I don't think I'll get enough gas to offset the money I would spend in the store.

I also just read that "8. RV Real Value gasoline discounts will be applied up to 100 gallons per month and diesel discounts will be applied up to 300 gallons per month. "  So anything over 100 gallons I don't get the discount for anyway???

Okay, so now let's do some math (dem I hate math!!!).  My truck has a 29 gallon tank.  I "normally" put somewhere around 25 gallons in it when I fill up (makes it dang convenient for rounding off! and ease of math!).  At $3.05 a gallon, that's 76.25 each fill up.  Multiply that by 4 (the approximate number of times I fill up in a month), and that is $305.00.  Apply the 3c per gallon discount, that's $3.00.  So my final price is down to $302.00.  But wait, I had to spend a minimum of $10.00 to get the discount, So now my total is $309.00!  So I end up with a net loss of $4.00 on the deal.  And that's just my truck.  This doesn't include my wife's car, which would put us over the 100 gallon limit anyway!  Hmmm, is my math that bad, or is their new discount program not for me!??

Greater fuel discounts, but in the end, you have to spend more to get less.  I sure hope there's some better mathematicians out there that can show me the error of my ways!  I really liked Flying J because even the 1 cent discount wasn't much, but it was some, and I have to pass right by them going to work, or just about anywhere else I go from my house. 

The non-fuel money we spend at FJ is usually breakfasts, and we would eat those someplace anyway.  I'll continue to use FJ even without the discount as I still get the cash price with my credit card, and that's worth $.03-.04/gallon.

We've filled up at several Flying Js the past two weeks.  Using a credit card we always got the cash price plus a 1 cent per gallon discount. 

Jeannine

Jeannine, did you have other non-fuel purchases on the card from the previous months?  It reads like the credits roll forward if not used.

It probably makes sense to buy stuff in the store since I'm already there and I can get a much better discount. I already buy a cup of coffee or some snacks or something like that. It wouldn't make sense to just buy something to get the discount. That's how my math works.

The problem is we usually just go to the fuel island and fill up, clear the pump, go inside and pay at the fuel desk, then go eat breakfast.  Also, it seems that any non-fuel purchases apply to the NEXT months fuel purchases, so breakfast or other purchases that day wouldn't apply anyway.

I like breakfast at Flying J but I am not sure .70-.80 cents per fueling will be enough enticement for Sue to join me. ;D ;D

Jeff, I hear you.  We do enjoy the food at the Country Markets, and the $.01/gal. isn't a big deal.  I more appreciate the cash price with a credit card, as we get back 5% (going to 3%) on the fuel purchase from MC.

We put 74 gallons of diesel in the coach yesterday at the Ehrenburg, AZ Flying J. No 1? RV Club discount. The credit card surcharge and AZ truck tax of 8? were still taken care of automatically. As long as I stay under 75 gallons I get my 5% rebate from AMEX. With a fuel bill of over $250 not getting a 75? discount isn't very material. The fact that there was no line and backup at the station was much more important

Ned:

Does that MC mean MasterCharge?

Any MC card will get you a cash price?  I assume we also show the Flying J card for a credit card to get cash price?

Smoky

Ed, Your math is fine but you took the long way 'round. Easy way - if you have to spend $10 in the store to save 3-cents a gallon on a max 100-gallon purchase, then you're spending $10 to save $3. Yippee. Now, if you're going into the store or restaurant and spending money, then it's kind of a nice bonus. And a lot of times, Flying J is one of the easiest places to get into and out of when you need gas which is worth a lot more than the pennies a gallon.

Wendy
San Onofre SB

We fueled today at the FJ in Anthony and didn't get the $.01/gal. discount, just the cash price with the credit card.

Smoky, our MasterCard from CitiBank has a 5% cash back on gas and diesel, groceries, and restaurants, up to $300/year.  Different cards have different terms.

To get the cash price with credit card at FJ, swipe the RV Fuel card first, then the credit card.

wendycoke said:

Ed, Your math is fine but you took the long way 'round. Easy way - if you have to spend $10 in the store to save 3-cents a gallon on a max 100-gallon purchase, then you're spending $10 to save $3. Yippee. Now, if you're going into the store or restaurant and spending money, then it's kind of a nice bonus. And a lot of times, Flying J is one of the easiest places to get into and out of when you need gas which is worth a lot more than the pennies a gallon.

Wendy
San Onofre SB

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Yeah, well, like I said, me and math don't get along too well.  I always get there, but always make it look "interesting".  As for using Flying J, I agree, it is easy to get into, it's right by my house, and I'll still use them.  And the penny a gallon wasn't much, but it was there without having to go out of my way to "earn" a discount.  So life goes on, and so will I!

We filled up at Flying J in Kingman, AZ today and did receive the discount along with cash price and less the truckers tax.  Our last visit to Flying J was 26 Dec when we filled up North of Houston on Rankin Road.  Have no idea what determines who gets the discount.

Got unsolicited today a packet from Flying J with a new card and a couple of pamphlets announcing the new program and a Spring-Summer Travel Plazas booklet.  The latter is arguably the best thing in packet.

We filled again today at the Flying J in Rock Springs Wyo and received the cash price as well as the $.01 discount.  Don't know what is going on but doesn't look like anything has changed to us.