Shell Rewards Just Got Better

Cutter's Log – Stardate 3102.72.20

I hate it when gas prices go up. As publisher of a sports website which involves plenty of travel, I know all about the burden that high gas prices can do to a hobby or a business. We're always trying to find a way to curb the amount we spend at the pump.

Shell and Johnson Oil Expresslanes are starting a new program as a part of Shell's “Fuel Rewards Network.”

Spend $25 inside the store and save $0.05/gallon at the pump!

How does it work?

When you visit Johnson Oil Shell Expresslanes, ask the clerk for a Fuel Rewards Card (if he or she hasn't mentioned it to you already). You will need to register the card online at fuelrewards.com to redeem these rewards.

Accrue $25 worth of goods (sales tax not included) purchased in the store using this saver card - and you can do so over a period of time. Once you have reached the $25 threshold, you can use that saver's card to save $0.05/gallon of fuel. The maximum amount of gallons per transaction is 20, so your rewards will terminate after the twentieth gallon and you'll pay the full price for subsequent gallons.

This “$25-$0.05” deal is stackable. Meaning, if you accrue $50, you can save $0.10/gallon on your next fuel purchase; or if you have accrued $350, you can save $0.70/gallon. Remember that once you redeem your rewards, your balance starts over at $0.00.

What can get you to $25?

*25 $1 newspapers
*20 cups of coffee
*18 cups of cappuccino
*17 20-ounce Pepsi products
*21 20-ounce 7up products
*21 small candy bars
*71 small packs of chewing gum
*14 16-ounce Monster drinks
*6 large bags of potato chips
*50 50-cent Little Debbie snacks
*4 6-packs of beer

Are there exceptions to what you can purchase for rewards? Yes; fuel itself, cigarettes (packs and cartons), lottery, gift cards, money orders, and fax services are not eligible purchases for rewards. (Also, all Johnson Oil BP locations are not included in this program, as this is a Shell promotion.)

That's right. Beer IS included in the rewards program. Two big cases can already get you the $0.05/gallon rewards.

Your little things can, and do, add up. Do you buy milk every two days? At $3.50/gallon, two weeks worth of milk can get you the $0.05/gallon fuel savings. Do this for a month, and you can save $0.10/gallon – and that's not including whatever else you buy.

Are the savings worth it? My car's gas tank holds 13 gallons. If you're like me, and fill up when your stick reads “E”, a nickel savings adds up to $0.65. While that may seem like pocket change in regard to a fill-up, ask yourself this: Where else could I have received ANY savings this way?

With your eligible rewards, you don't have to pay full price for gas. If the Shell sign reads “$3.79” and others along that stretch of road read the same, think to yourself “$3.74” if and when you accrue $25 in in-store goods. Or “$3.64” if and when you have a $0.10/gallon savings. And so on.

Do my rewards expire? Yes. On the moment you reach the $25 threshold, you have until the end of that current month PLUS one additional calendar month to use your rewards. For example: If you get the $0.05/gallon savings on May 4, you have until June 30 to use that savings. If you keep building up the savings and reach the $0.10/gallon savings on June 15, you have until June 30 to use the $0.10/gallon savings and until July 31 to use the $0.05/gallon savings.

I have reached the point where I can save $0.20/gallon on my card. Can I use $0.10 now and $0.10 later? No. When you use the card, you redeem all you have at that time in that one transaction.

Is is possible to get a tank of gas for free? Not entirely, but whatever is left will be a minimal payment (no more than $0.10). Say your gas station has its regular gas for $3.50, and you have reached the point where you have $3.50/gallon savings (meaning $1,750 worth of in-store purchases tallied on your FRN card, with it all yet to expire), all you pay is that minimal payment of no more than $0.10.

Can I use the FRN rewards card in addition to my Kroger/Hilander card or Hy-Vee card? No. Only one saver card can be used per transaction.

However, there are other ways to stack savings on top of your FRN savings. Shell offers two credit cards that provide additional savings. The Shell “Drive for 5” credit card can save you $0.05/gallon on your final bill. The Citi Shell Platnium MasterCard can save you $0.10/gallon on your final bill. Shell also offers a Saver Card for debit card users – when linked up with a debit card, you can save an additional $0.02/gallon, which would be reflected on your bank statement.

Are there other ways I can build rewards on the FRN rewards card? Absolutely. You can link your FRN rewards card with a credit or debit card online, and you can rack up additional rewards by shopping at FRN's “Online Mall,” dining at participating reward-eligible restaurants, grocery shopping at reward-eligible grocery stores, and through MyCokeRewards.

For dining, if you use your credit or debit card – if linked to your FRN rewardds card – at Manny's Too in Fulton, Fried Green Tomatoes in Galena, Gene's Place in Rockford, and Happy Joes in Geneseo (the only northwest Illinois diners that are in the program), you can earn $0.10/gallon savings when you spend $50 or more. In addition to northern Illinois, several restaurants in the Iowa Quad Cities area are also included: Sneaky Pete's in LeClaire; The Clubhouse in Bettendorf; Rudy's Tacos and Winner's Pizza in Eldridge; and
11th Street Precinct, Cafe Indigo, Jersey Grille, Rookie's Sports Bar, and both Rudy's Tacos locations in Davenport.

Grocery shopping at participating reward-eligible grocers (Jewel-Osco in northern Illinois) can result in a saving of $0.05/gallon for every $50 spent using your Jewel-Osco card - which needs to be linked with your FRN rewards card before redemption. Shopping through FRN's “Online Mall” can result in a savings of $0.05/gallon for ever $50 spent.

Savings can also be done by cashing in on MyCokeRewards points. For every 40 MCR points, you can save $0.10/gallon. See the MyCokeRewards webpage for more. As far as points go: plastic bottles are worth 3 points, a 12-pack is 10 points, a 20-pack is 18 points, and a 24-pack is 20 points. So two 24-packs alone can get you $0.10/gallon off savings.

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Shell Expresslane locations are scattered throughout all of northern Illinois and parts of eastern Iowa. You can also use your FRN rewards card at other participating Shell stations as well for additional savings.

Are you a regular customer at any of the Shell Expresslanes? You can discover the full fuel savings per year by doing the math with what you buy every day. Saving money on fuel has never been better!

Stop by and talk to me at the gas station, or message me, if you have any additional questions about how much you can save by using the FRN rewards card.

Remember, you MUST activate your FRN rewards card online in order to redeem any rewards on fuel purchases.

-Cody