Gasoline might be cheap right now but couponers can get it for free

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Dec. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- Grocery chains across the nation offer fuel perks or fuel points, discounts on gasoline offered on select products as an incentive to get you to shop. When gas prices are at the $4 mark, savvy couponers shop those deals and frequently accumulate enough points to get a free tank of gas. But accumulating fuel perks has become less important with gas prices under $2.50 and that's a big mistake.

Jessica Crowe, CEO of The Happy Couponer Marketplace (http://thehappycouponer.com/) in Columbus, Ohio, understands the value of those fuel perks. “I traveled almost 600 miles to spend Thanksgiving with my grandmother and the gasoline for the trip didn't cost me a cent.”

When gas prices are hovering in the $4 range, that's a huge incentive to take a little extra time planning your shopping list so you can match it up with coupons. In fact, according to Valassis Chief Financial Officer Robert Recchia, gasoline prices have a direct effect on coupon usage.

“Every time we see gas prices going toward $4, we see more increase in coupon use,” Recchia said.

But what happens when gasoline prices drop?

According to a December 3, 2014 report on the AAA website, the national average price of gas is currently $2.75 a gallon, with some states pricing it under $2.50. AAA estimates that Americans are saving about $200 million per day compared to a year ago and gasoline prices are expected to continue to drop (http://newsroom.aaa.com/2014/12/aaa-monthly-gas-price-rep...) in the near term.

It stands to reason that if coupon usage rises along with gas prices it must also drop when the price of gasoline drops. The big question is why. If you can still save money on gasoline and groceries when you use coupons, what difference does it make what the gas prices are?

Crowe thinks she knows the answer. “It all comes down to time and commitment to saving,” says Crowe. “It takes time to match up coupons and deals to get the most savings but it takes additional time if you're also going after the fuel perks. I've noticed a change in my own couponing habits over the past few weeks and I didn't realize it until I saw the Valassis report.”

Crowe worked diligently to rack up enough fuel perks to make her Thanksgiving trip free but now that she's home and gasoline prices are under $2.50 a gallon she's stopped worrying about accumulating those fuel points and admits that's a big mistake.

“After reading that article it occurred to me I'd stopped focusing on getting the fuel perks every time I shop and I thought, 'How dumb is that? Just because gas is cheaper doesn't mean it's free. I still need to focus on fuel perks because I still need to save money everywhere I can.”

“It's all about buyer perception,” says Crowe. “When you're used to paying $4 a gallon for gas and you see it drop to below $2.50 you think, 'I'm already saving $1.50 a gallon and that's awesome. Thank you, gasoline company. Now I don't need to bother with fuel perks anymore!'”

Crowe wants to remind couponers not to lose sight of their savings goals. Even though gasoline may be relatively cheap right now it's not free. You still have to pay at the pump and every dollar you save means another dollar in your pocket.

Jessica Crowe is the CEO of http://thehappycouponer.com, a coupon clipping marketplace specializing in grocery and manufacturers' coupons located in Columbus, Ohio. For more information, contact her at jessica@thehappycouponer.com.