While opening a gas card may sound like it will save you money at the pump, the rates are among the highest in the credit card industry.
Shell's card has a 24.99% APR for everyone, even if your credit is squeaky clean. Plus it has a $25 annual fee.
While other petroleum cards, such as Conoco and Citgo, have similarly high APRs, they don't charge an annual fee.
"This is a high interest card that you are lured to as a consumer because they'll say you can get 5% back on certain purchases, so you think `Hey, cool,' said Bill Hardekopf, credit card expert and CEO of Lowcards.com. "But they forget to tell you that, by the way, the interest rate is 25%. So you might be saving 5%, but you're going to be more than paying for it with that APR."
Only when you absolutely never carry a balance does the card start looking like a better deal.
A spokeswoman for Shell said the credit card, which is issued by Citibank, "offers good value for consumers on the go," offering 10% cash back on certain hotels and 5% cash back on some airline and car rentals, along with a travel reservation service and discounts at certain hotels.
"If you're a frequent traveler for business, you may get some good rebates, but for the average person that doesn't travel a lot, this is definitely the worst gas card option," said Hardekopf.
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