The Petrol Patrol Parade

It was Thanksgiving weekend and everyone was home. We decided to get out and go somewhere together but everyone had to drive their own car. Sound strange?  I guess by now you realize we are an odd family. Where was the exciting place we were all going?  You guessed it - Kroger to get gas. Doesn't other families form a convoy to get a gas fill-up? Why were we doing this? This is why.

$1.149 per gallon after discounts

You read it right. $1.14 for gas (Dustin said, "Note the extra decimal place for accuracy"). No, there was not a gas war going on, although I wish there was. This month I had managed to accumulate 737 gas points from Kroger which gave me a $.70 discount for a one time purchase with a limit of 35 gallons. Since my car only holds 14 gallons, it is usually a waste of my time to bother with the program; however, if I can get everyone to join me, it would be fun.

Whenever I fill out one of the receipt surveys, I complain about being limited to a one-time fill-up. I invite everyone who reads this post to also complain when filling out your survey. It is time to revolt!

This is what I did. About a week before everyone was coming home, I texted them to let them know not to fill-up with gas. If possible, try to arrive home empty but not so empty that they would run out of gas on the interstate. They did such a good job of emptying their tanks that no one's car had enough gas to go and pick up Nana on Thanksgiving. We managed to find an opened station and did go get her.

Since I am paying for the gas (I am a such a good Mom) my car gets filled up first before the points run out. Notice my gas tank cap is on the passenger's side while everyone else's is on the driver's side. This is a problem. I pulled up to one side of the island and they lined up on the other. The hose nozzle would stretch across to the other side if you parked just right.

My car.

After my car was full, it was Reese's turn. There was no rule as to who went first after me. Everyone arrived at the station at the same time. The lot was full so it required maneuvering around to get all the cars lined up in order. Reese just happened to be first after me.

Reese's Truck

After Reese came Joshua. His and Dustin's cars are the same kind and they each hold only 10 gallons. My car holds 14 gallons so if my gas discount had only totaled about $.20 it would not be worth bothering to try to coordinate more than one car. Reese would use the discount since he drives more than I, and at the same time, also fill up the gas cans for the lawnmowers.

Joshua's car

It looks like we are filling up the same car again but they just look alike.

It was very important to not hang the gas nozzle back up between fill-ups because it would turn the pump off. If that happened, you wouldn't get any more gas at the discounted price. One person, usually me, would stand and hold the nozzle while others moved the cars.  

Dustin's car

To prove this is a true story and not one I made up, this is the total - $40.22 for 35 gallons for four cars. I win bragging rights!

$40.22 for 35 gallons

This is how I managed to accumulate so many Kroger gas points.

11/4     275 points earned      

I received a coupon from Kroger for 200 gas points if you spent $60. I decided to try and earn points for everyone for the Thanksgiving weekend. I ended up spending $75 for which I also got points.

11/5      50 points earned        

I filled out one of the receipt surveys and earned 50 points. I did complain about only being able to use points on one fill-up.

11/5     36 points earned         

I spent $36 on groceries. I don't remember what I got or why I went back the next day to buy more groceries. If I had a good memory, I would not have had to go back the next day.

11/17     25 points earned        

I spent $25 for groceries

11/23     200 points earned       

I downloaded an online coupon for 4xs gas points for buying a gift card. I bought a $50 gift card which was something I had already planned to do.

11/23     80 points earned         

Kroger was also running a special for 4xs gas points for purchasing a phone card. My phone minutes will run out next month so I purchased a card this month and earned 80 points.

.

11/23     21 points earned         

I spent $21 on groceries

11/25     50 points earned         

There was another receipt survey with the 11/23 grocery purchase. I took another survey, of course, I complained again.

Total points earned this month 737 and we used 700 of them. We got a $.70 discount which means 35 gallons times $.70 equals $24.50 saved.  

So when Dustin and Reese go back to college tomorrow morning and their professors ask them to write an essay titled, What I Did on My Thanksgiving Vacation, they can brag, Our Family Got Gas at Kroger.

Bragging rights - priceless