Do You Get a Gas Receipt?

Here's an interesting question for today:

When you get gas and pay by credit card, you usually have the option to get a receipt or not. Do you get one? Why or why not?

Personally, I get a receipt because I like to know where my credit card charges stand at all times. Every couple of days or so I put any charges I have into Quicken and I know exactly what I owe.

I thought most people asked for a receipt until my brother-in-law told me he NEVER gets one -- he simply waits to get his credit card statement and the charges are listed there.

So, what do you do -- and why?

Comments

[Josh]

I do get a receipt, only because I pay at the pump and want to make sure I am on camera grabbing the receipt in case there is any confusion over a drive off or not (probably me being paranoid -- but when pay at the pump was new there I heard of some people having problems with this). I just shred the receipt when I get home.

[John]

I get the receipt for two purposes. To have a record of that day's expenses and to keep track of my car's gas mileage (I record the miles traveled on that tank, divided by the number of gallons).

[Rae]

I get one mostly for the same reason as Josh.

For a while I used Fuelly to track my average mileage, which requires inputting the current mileage and # of gallons of gas (and you can add in price too). So it was handy then.

Now I mostly just take it, end up with a stack in the car and shred them once every couple of months. Granted, I only have to fill my tank once every two weeks or so.

[Strick]

The whole reason why I love Quicken is so I no longer need to do account balancing things like get a receipt to record transactions. It all downloads automatically in a couple of days anyway.

[Crystal @ BFS]

I never get one. I log in to our credit card accounts 3-4 times a month to make sure I know the balances and all the charges are valid.

[Robert Muir]

I'm with Crystal, I never get one; it would be yet another piece of paper to handle and track. Total waste of time. I use Quicken to check up on my Amex account on a regular basis.

[Jani]

I use Mint to balance all CC account, but still get receipt and hold it till it appears correct amount in CC account

[Jani]

also, printing receipt ensures that pump is 'off' and your CC transaction is completed

[Josh]

I never get one, I just use my credit card statements...

[IBC]

Credit card statements...

[Tuan]

I get it so I can have a physical reminder to update my pearbudget spreadsheet with it.

[Sage]

Like Jani, I never get one and simply track our expenses in Mint.

[Jeremy]

I always get one, but then I don't do anything with it. lol

[Christina]

I used to get a receipt, but figured that it was redundant because I can check my statement. I use the same credit card for all my gas purchases, and I keep a logbook of miles driven, price per gallon, gallons bought, price paid, and location.
Like Rae, I use Fuelly to track my mpgs. It's great for seeing how my car's mpg has fluctuated as it's aged and for tracking gas prices.

[tllstaco]

We always get a receipt. Like others, we track our mileage on Fuelly. At the end of the month, we use the receipts to check every transaction on our credit card statement. That allows us to see if we have any fraud on our account.

[KH]

I always get a receipt...I like having a record. I either enter it into my spreadsheets or use it to double check my credit card statements as they show up in Mint.

It always annoys me if I have to pay so much for gas, but the pump is out of paper. If I'm buying something the least they could do is give me a receipt.

[Matt]

I get one only to prove to a cop that I did not drive off without paying.

I don't do anything with it after that.

[Jonathan]

I get a receipt and write down my odometer reading - later, I put the gas information into an excel sheet I made to track auto expenses, then throw the receipt away. It's interesting (to me, anyway) to go back now after owning my car for 4.5 years and see the graphs that the spreadsheet generates - total cost, net cost after work mileage reimbursements, cost of gas, etc. It also tracks gross and net cost of ownership by day/month/year and by mile, and the incremental cost of driving a mile in terms of gas and maintenance costs.

[jim]

I get a receipt so that I know what I spent for my own records and just in case there is an error in the billing then I'll have the receipt to back it up.

[Cindy]

I don't get one. Once it had run out of paper and I had to go inside, the clerk had no idea what to do and I didn't know if my info was available for him to see, or when they did put the new roll of paper in, if it'd start printing off all the receipts then.

[Mike Hunt]

I get the receipt.

I also used to try to use an odd number like XX.08 to ensure there was no mischarging as I heard this is a good way to keep track of your purchase.

Often the receipts that are printed fade as they are on thermal paper.

-Mike

[Ben E.]

I never get a receipt. Never had a problem.

[Todd]

What kills me was that Mint tracked the Shell Platinum Citibank MC, but Quicken (who bought Mint) and just got "updated" for 2011, does NOT! So, now I have to enter those gasoline purchases manually.

[Kristennicole2]

I make it a rule of thumb to never walk away from a machine without a receipt. Be responsible and keep track of your stuff!

[Mike]

Yes because I track my gas mileage every fill-up in my own spreadsheet

[MattJ]

Like others, I use the receipt to track my mileage & costs. I still have every receipt for every gas purchase for my truck since I bought it truck in 2007, except for one that the cashier couldn't provide me.

They fit in a single envelope.

[Holly]

I get the receipt for 2 reasons:

I once got charged 2x for the same gas purchase and I was able to dispute the bill since there is NO way my car could take that amount of gas 2 minutes apart

I operate on a cash system so when I get home the actual cash goes from one envelope to the charged items envelope. After the bill is paid the cash is moved into the extra cash envelope and redistributed the following week/month.

[Money Beagle]

I rarely do and I've never had a problem. I check my balances almost every day so I know what the charges should be when they finally get listed on the transaction register. I hate having all the paper cluttering my wallet and turning me into George Costanza.

[Laura in Atlanta]

Oh, I get the receipt. Definitely.

A number of years ago, I pulled in a station, bought gas, paid by card at the pump, got my receipt and pulled out and went on my merry way. About 2 miles down the road, I was pulled over by a cop, who said that he was at the same gas station and that the clerk there said that I got gas and left without paying. I showed him my receipt and moved on . . .the clerk had pointed out the wrong car to the cop.

I also track my spending, and collect most receipts in my day to day transactions. So, I sort of do it automatically without thinking about it.

[Carl]

I always get a receipt from Shell. It's good for double points at Kroger, and when you get 100 points you get 10 cents per gallon off your gas.

[Amy]

The main reason I get a receipt (other than checking for fraud on my statement) probably only applies to a fraction of us -- I'm a self-employed actress and often have to drive to various jobs and auditions. Gas is deductible as a business expense against my 1099s.

[Chris Parsons @ Small Business Dreams]

Never. I use Mint.com to track my finances, so I see the charge the next day. What would I need a paper receipt for?

[VEC]

I get a receipt because I like to write it down in my check book, otherwise I would probably forget. For me it's a good way to keep track of my expenses.

[John]

It only takes being charged the wrong amount once to ensure you will always get a receipt... One fill-up that charges at the entire hold amount not the amount you filled the tank at. This did actually happen to someone i work with. Has not happened to me but i get a receipt that a check against what my credit card shows online. Then i toss the receipt.

[Lulu]

I get a a receipt because (like many posters above) I enter my purchases on my spreadsheet, as well as compare it to what shows up in Mint. I trash the receipt once it shows up correctly in Mint.

[PDubbs]

Wow, never thought about the drive off proof. Never used to get one and now always will for that reason only. I check all my accounts online every couple days so no need otherwise.

[Jo]

I always get a receipt.

My husband does all the cash management and inputs all CC expenses weekly based off of the receipts. Then cross references every transaction when he gets the CC statement, and staples the receipts to the CC statement. In his mind No receipt = No purchase and he will call and fight it (unless of course we know for a fact that we did actually make that purchase but must have lost the receipt.) What can I say hubby is an accountant and pretty anal about cash management.

[Georgia]

I guess I am amazed that so many people don't take their receipt and those that do use the computer to check their expenditures, mileage, etc.

I get every receipt. I have a check register and holder for each of my cc's. I immediately note it in the register and put the receipt in the back of that checkbook. When I balance at month's end, I destroy all my gas receipts. When I get gas I have a Big Little Book in my car where I put the mileage, cost and gallons right then and there and figure the mpg. I also keep all other car expenditures in this book. I have all the info from this car and books for all other cars I have owned. At the end of each month I keep a record in the back of the book of the monthly average of expenses. Someday I'll ditch them.

I guess I have used my own brain for so many years that I find it hard to comprehend that so many people let the computer do their figuring for them. Why would I want to wait until I got home, turn on the computer, look up the site and then put all the info in?

I do check my accounts-banking and 2 cc's - daily, as I have had both my cc's highjacked. But luckily, I found both quickly and it was no bother because the cc companies were so helpful.

Someone once asked me how I knew within a few cents what my purchases cost at the grocery store. I just informed them that I had over 65 years of practice.

[Alex]

I get a receipt. Why?

In the area of Southern California where I live, we've had huge issues with credit card theft at gas stations. The FBI actually arrested several people last year who had defrauded over 40K victims at 60+ area stations.

I experienced a fraudulent charge this past November. Fortunately, my card agency (Cap 1) fraud department immediately called and notified me, so I could stop payment.

As a result, I never use a standard credit card anymore at gas stations; only my gas card, and always get receipts to reconcile monthly. It's critical to me to check regularly given the identity theft issues that are so unfortunately commonplace.

[Leigh]

I don't understand why people wait for their credit card statements. Do people not have online banking? I use that to see up-to-date transaction information throughout the month.

I get a receipt and write the current total odometer and trip computer value on it. The next time I go through my receipts, I put this data into my Excel spreadsheet.

I'm curious about these gas credit cards that you talk about. How do you get these?

[George]

You can use your statement for your bank, but, I find it easier to put all my receipts in a file folder when it relates to a certain deductible activity.

If I forget, or loose, I just get the item from my statement and reprint the receipt on other websites.

But, make sure you can prove it, or make it for cash.

[Steve]

Old thread but this has not been said yet.
If it's for strictly PERSONAL use then you can get away with your credit card statement just for tracking for your own purposes although, it would seem wise to have a paper backup in case you are erroneously charged, without it you have no leg to stand on.

If you claim any gas as an employment or business expense you MUST GET A RECEIPT. Not just the VISA receipt either, it MUST show the product purchased (gas, unleaded, super etc) and the amount in gallons/liters etc along with the price and often any included taxes. If you ever get audited you will quickly learn that statements as proof of fuel purchases will be disallowed! The reason I was given is that if you have only a visa slip or a CC statement you could have purchased anything, chips, groceries, lottery tickets etc. I learned the hard way on that one.