Comments on: PSA: Print Gas Pump Receipts

By: EN

EN — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:59:12 +0000

Hmm…I never gave much thought to it actually. I just print them out of habit and just so I can double check with my CC bill online later. I guess it’s just my mentality of getting receipts for everything just in case.

By: Cap

Cap — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:51:24 +0000

Their reasoning is a little silly but you should make it a habit to get a receipt. As Ben said, not all gas stations are honest. I was charged $50 (exact amount) once when I only pumped about $4 worth of gas. It was middle of the night and the self-serve terminal was coincidentally out of paper.

Days later my credit card account showed the $50 charge and Upromise showed that I had pumped 25 or so gallons at the gas station. Quickly disputed of course, but Bank of America eventually determined that it was a point of sale terminal and I didn’t have any proof to what I actually pumped or didn’t pumped (no receipt).

The whole thing was pretty annoying…

By: CK

CK — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:21:38 +0000

This article is part of the absurdity of Consumerist. I don’t print my receipt unless I’m figuring the mileage. I like Nickel’s thinking though.

By: Glenn Lasher

Glenn Lasher — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:03:26 +0000

I do print my receipts, because I pay by debit card and need to enter the correct amount in my cheque register later.

I do not top off, because you will induce a leak when the fuel expands in your tank. I do, however, round up my entries in my cheque register to the next highest whole dollar, an accounting trick that causes there to build up a cushion in my account averaging 49.5 cents per transaction. It has the same anti-annoyance value, without doing any environmental harm and while saving some money aside.

By: fivecentnickel.com

fivecentnickel.com — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:59:10 +0000

I print mine out as an alibi in case I’m ever accused of murder in another part of town.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:45:52 +0000

I usually end my fill ups on a specific number, usually 5 or 0. It isn’t that hard because once the pump shuts off automatically just “top off” to the next number.

I have found the free service at http://www.fuelfrog.com a great way to track my mileage and MPG.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:35:43 +0000

Ha, I always print mine out just to keep the gas stations honest. Make sure my bill matches the amount of gas I put in. Silly habit I know, I guess it does waste paper.

By: jim

jim — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:34:47 +0000

djfarout: I don’t think it’s extreme, I think it’s cautious and not a bad idea. Sometimes it’s hard to get it to end at a certain digit though.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:31:02 +0000

I always print my receipt so I can enter it in Quicken later. That and the gas station I frequent most often prints it automatically and has a little sign that says “If your receipt didn’t print, your purchase did not go through. Please pay cashier inside.”

By: djfarout

djfarout — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:14:36 +0000

I don’t print receipts when I get gas cause I pay by credit card. And a quick phone call to the credit card company would confirm my purchase.

Now I did have a person pull up right behind me a several years ago and add gas to my bill. So I read somewhere that you should end your gas bill with a set number $xxx.x5 or $xxx.x9 this way people like me who don’t print receipts can verify the charge is correct. It can be a bit extreme but it works!