A huge bonus at Bi-Lo is the Fuel Perks they offer. However, I do not think many people fully understand how to utilize these benefits. Must people know the basics--For every $50.00 you spend, you earn $0.05 off a gallon of gas (up to 20 gallons). Now, if you coupon well and save half on your groceries by coupon, the average (family of 4) monthly spending would be about $200-$250. In other words, that only averages out to about $4.00-$5.00 off a 20 gallon tank of gas ($0.25/gallon off). That's really not a huge savings on gas.
Therefore, you must understand how Bi-Lo works. Some times you will find in the Bi-Lo sales paper "Double Fuel Perks" during such and such days. Or, you will see "Fuel Perks Rewards." This is where you can score BIG!! By big, I mean I have earned in three weeks $1.70 off EVERY gallon of gas (up to 20 gallons). That equals out to $34 of savings in a tank of gas in THREE weeks!!
How do I do it?? Well, let's take this week's sales paper for example and my $4.97 spending that earned me $0.20 off per gallon.
If you purchase THREE Products listed in the paper (there's about 12 listed--charmin toilet paper, pampers baby wipes, Tide, Tide Stain Release, Crest Toothpaste, Crest Month wash, etc.)
Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste: $3.89
Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste: $3.89
Tide Stain Release Large: $6.99
Total: $14.77
With Bi-Lo Card:
Toothpaste: $2.49
Toothpaste: $2.49
Tide Stain Release: $5.99
Total: $10.97
Toothpaste Coupon: $0.75 (doubles for $1.50)
Toothpaste Coupon: $0.75 (doubles for $1.50)
Tide Stain Release: $3.00
Coupon Savings: $6.00
Total: $4.97
Fuel Perks: $0.20/gallon
Did I NEED toothpaste--not at the moment, but it was good toothpaste for only $1.00 and you can never have too much toothpaste!! It is always needed, plus it helped earned me fuel perks!
Friday, I also went to Bi-Lo and earned my first $0.20 off a gallon with the same reward, but I bought CHarmin Ultrasoft 18 roll tissue (mega rolls), toothpaste, and Tide Stain Release. My total for those three items were $12.47 and I earned $0.20 off a gallon (so in three days, I earned $0.40 off a gallon and spent $17.44). Again, this is ALL the stuff I use! And again....maybe it was not needed RIGHT now--well, I needed toilet paper and Tide stain release--but it will be used.
A huge concept to couponing well (and utilizing fuel perks) is to STOCK up on things while they are on sale AND you have a coupon for it. For instance, I have 12 tubes of toothpaste (Crest Pro-Health), 7 SETS of shampoo and conditioner, 5 razors (GREAT razors, the new ProGlide 5 blade razors), 4 shaving creams, 4 men's body washes, 6 women's body washes, and 4 tooth brushes in my upstairs closet. I can guarentee you that ALL that was less than $20 together!
