Teaneck Research Fail

Whether you are talking about groceries or places to daven, moving means you need to find the best places again and start new routines.

In Buffalo, I spent a lot of time figuring out the best places for deals as well and I think I had a nice thing going.

Now that I live in Teaneck, new research has begun in earnest.  I now have a job so I have less time to do this research, but it will eventually get done.

My first tries at research have not been pretty:


Gas gift cards

• I have been looking to buy gas gift cards bought at the convenience store connected to a gas station.  Here's why:

• Most gas stations in NY and NJ have an annoying, but understandable, policy of charging more for credit cards than cash.  Gift cards are usually priced as cash.  An easy work around is to buy the gift card in the convenience store and use it to pay for your gas.  You are effectively paying with credit cards at the cash price.

• Chase Freedom and Discover are offerring 5% back on gas station purchases from July 1st until the end of September on up to $1,500 of purchases.  I won't spend $500 a month on even one card, but I can stock up on 5% cashback for gas for the rest of the year if I get gift cards.

• No luck so far
• I stopped off on Route 4 at the Exxon, Gulf and Lukoil stations and none of them sofl gift cards.
• I was excited to see that Sunoco was next.  From my experience in Buffalo, I know that at least some of their stores sell gift cards. They indeed sold gift cards but when I tried to pay they told me the dread words "cash only."  Fail!

I will probably end up buying gift cards at a Sunoco station that isn't near me and use them at the Sunoco near me, but stay tuned... More research to continue.

If anyone knows of any gas stations near Teaneck where you can buy gift cards with credit cards, please let me know and everyone wins.