Caltex - QF points instead of fuel discount

[Mr_Orange]

I think the OPs point still stands (for non-subsidised fuel). Even if you use a maximum earning payment method (eg a 5% discount WISH card with a Plat Edge to get some extra MR points and maybe some extra Myer points), you are still valuing QF points at over 1.7c each which is on the high side

I guess, it all depends on whether you consider the discount to be worth it. On a tank of fuel for me it is a saving of $2.60. I save more with the 5% discounted WISH card, therefore the points are free as far as I am concerned. It's not as if the price of fuel/l increases when you select the points option.

 

[andye]

I guess, it all depends on whether you consider the discount to be worth it. On a tank of fuel for me it is a saving of $2.60. I save more with the 5% discounted WISH card, therefore the points are free as far as I am concerned. It's not as if the price of fuel/l increases when you select the points option.

I was assuming you used the same payment method if you chose QF points or 4c discount

 

[burmans]

I was assuming you used the same payment method if you chose QF points or 4c discount

Agreed, the use of the wish gift card and the CC apply regardless of whether you take the points or the discount so shouldn't be taken into account in comparing the two.

 

[Deleted member]

I haven't bothered to do the calculation.
I get the points instead of the discount, I pay with Amex, and I get a tax break being self employed.
I'm guessing that it could go either way?

 

[ProggerPete]

I guess, it all depends on whether you consider the discount to be worth it. On a tank of fuel for me it is a saving of $2.60. I save more with the 5% discounted WISH card, therefore the points are free as far as I am concerned. It's not as if the price of fuel/l increases when you select the points option.

I don't follow this logic at all. The points are not free, you are paying $2.60 to buy 130 points. If you think that's good value that's one thing, but to write off the minimal value of the $ saving to get an even smaller value in QF points is putting on the blinkers.

Assuming you fill up once a week your points will get you a one way flight BNE-SYD for around $50 and 8000 points in 62 weeks. Alternatively you could have $160 dollars in your pocket and use it to buy you and a friend a return ticket on sale.

In about 6 years you'll have enough for a higher value award like a one way business class upgrade BNE-SIN.

Unless you are already paying 2c per point elsewhere, consider that good value and need every point you can lay your hands on I can't see any reason to take points over cash.

 

[coles525]

I personally fill either fortnightly or less (diesel). 10-26 fill ups per year, which takes into going on overseas trips for 5 weeks / 9 weeks a year in annual/purchased leave.

I'd rather the points then the small savings.

 

[Mr_Orange]

I don't follow this logic at all. The points are not free, you are paying $2.60 to buy 130 points. If you think that's good value that's one thing, but to write off the minimal value of the $ saving to get an even smaller value in QF points is putting on the blinkers.

Assuming you fill up once a week your points will get you a one way flight BNE-SYD for around $50 and 8000 points in 62 weeks. Alternatively you could have $160 dollars in your pocket and use it to buy you and a friend a return ticket on sale.

In about 6 years you'll have enough for a higher value award like a one way business class upgrade BNE-SIN.

Unless you are already paying 2c per point elsewhere, consider that good value and need every point you can lay your hands on I can't see any reason to take points over cash.

YMMV. The tiny $ saving means nothing to me, so I don't view it as 'buying' the points. In fact, I never view it as buying points no matter where they come from, unless I am pumping and dumping a credit card sign on bonus.

AFAIAC, the points come through my everyday life style. Buying points to me is AAMiles or LifeMiles, etc where you actually buy the points.

Like I said though, YMMV.

 

[burmans]

YMMV. The tiny $ saving means nothing to me, so I don't view it as 'buying' the points. In fact, I never view it as buying points no matter where they come from, unless I am pumping and dumping a credit card sign on bonus.

AFAIAC, the points come through my everyday life style. Buying points to me is AAMiles or LifeMiles, etc where you actually buy the points.

Like I said though, YMMV.

Exchanging money for points sounds extraordinarily like buying to me!

 

[Mr_Orange]

Exchanging money for points sounds extraordinarily like buying to me!

No, the money exchange is for the fuel. The docket I get from shopping for food at Woolworths gives me a choice of a small $ discount or QFF points. I choose points.

 

[exceladdict]

No, the money exchange is for the fuel. The docket I get from shopping for food at Woolworths gives me a choice of a small $ discount or QFF points. I choose points.

IMHO, the debate is effectively (as mentioned above) whether you exchange the 4c per litre discount for two points. The prior action (buying fuel) is effectively a pre-cursor step you'd be doing anyway (your car needs petrol) so I rule it out of the equation.

I personally buy on 5% wish cards so CC spend is irrellevant. But if you do go for the 4c discount and normally spent on a CC, you're foregoing the 1-4 points you'd get by not paying the extra $3 or so.

My QFF redemptions are almost always ~5c so I might switch over to the points earn after this debate has prompted me to think about it I think the key in this one is YMMV as per almost all point valuation discussions.

 

[Dmac6345]

I have a work issued Motorpass card and fill up my company vehicle at least every 4 days. Motorpass will not accept the discount loaded on my rewards card but they will allow me to swipe my rewards card and issue double points if there is any loaded. Works very well!!

 

[Mark3000]

No, the money exchange is for the fuel. The docket I get from shopping for food at Woolworths gives me a choice of a small $ discount or QFF points. I choose points.

Whether it is a cost or a saving doesn't really matter, you are still effectively buying those points for 2 cents each.
At the end of the transaction, if you choose points instead of the 4c/l saving you end up with, for example, $2.40 less money in your bank account and 120 more points.

 

[JohnK]

From my rough calculations, it seems very poor value if you have to give up the fuel savings:

Say a standard 60 litre tank, a saving of 4 c per litre would save $2.40
2 points per litre would be 120 points

That gives 120 points / 240 cents, ie 0.5 points per cent
Am I reading that right?

There was a time where I would value QFF points at >2c/QFF point and with the discounts on offer at the time it was a nice haul of QFF points. Not anymore. Although in saying that I would probably take 60 QFF points for 30 litres of fuel rather than a $1.20 discount.

But what has happened since the value of fuel discounts decreased is I don't go out of the way to buy Caltex petrol preferring to buy from local discount petrol stations.

 

[burmans]

No, the money exchange is for the fuel. The docket I get from shopping for food at Woolworths gives me a choice of a small $ discount or QFF points. I choose points.

Yes I understand, you get a small discount (in money) or you get points, to me that's an exchange of money for points! It may not seem like buying but has the exact same effect!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

As an aside, wonder if there is bonus FF points for non petrol purchases at Caltex outlets.
And if using QCC, bonus would make it 1 point:$1 spent, rather than 0.5 points:$1 spent.
Or is the bonus only on fuel, as it the EDR card.
So far haven't tried QCC at Caltex as yet, under this new reward system.
Reason I mention, is that as a non driver, I sometimes go into Caltex for the very expensive food stuff.
There is a Caltex close to where I work. Further away is a supermarket.

 

[exceladdict]

As an aside, wonder if there is bonus FF points for non petrol purchases at Caltex outlets.
And if using QCC, bonus would make it 1 point:$1 spent, rather than 0.5 points:$1 spent.
Or is the bonus only on fuel, as it the EDR card.
So far haven't tried QCC at Caltex as yet, under this new reward system.
Reason I mention, is that as a non driver, I sometimes go into Caltex for the very expensive food stuff.
There is a Caltex close to where I work. Further away is a supermarket.

I believe the points from EDR work like the discount, being on a per litre basis.

So no discount or points on non fuel items.

Your method of payment, QCC or otherwise, may reward you through its own schemes.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Ah, oh, so its like EDR where only car drivers gain.
Thanks for that.
Yair, pity that QCC only gives 0.5 points:$1 spent.
Apart from EDR (Woolworths food non fuel spending (non car driver), ING which gives 2 cents:$1 spent per pay pass transaction, QCC and VGW are my only gains).

 

[albatross710]

On a value basis the discount offer has become more relevant now that fuel is lower. With fuel the other week at $1.00 per litre, 4c/ltr discount is far more valuable that at $1.70 litre.

 

[exceladdict]

On a value basis the discount offer has become more relevant now that fuel is lower. With fuel the other week at $1.00 per litre, 4c/ltr discount is far more valuable that at $1.70 litre.

No Matter what the price of petrol is, the discount stays the same at 4/l...

Though I suppose relatively it might seem like a bigger proportion of the total cost.

 

[medhead]

I generally take the points if I buy the coughpy fuel from woolies. Comparing to the value of the discount is pretty much irrelevant. The points gained from fuel purchases are so few in the overall equation that the cost averages down pretty quickly.

I do the points all the time and you can generally tell if the previous person on the pump did if the total litres are rounded off rather than the dollar figure.

The discount is 4 cents per litre. So it pays to round for the litres in both situations.

Assuming you fill up once a week your points will get you a one way flight BNE-SYD for around $50 and 8000 points in 62 weeks. Alternatively you could have $160 dollars in your pocket and use it to buy you and a friend a return ticket on sale.

You might have made a mistake. I doubt it's possible to buy 2 return tickets BNE-SYD for $160, except perhaps on TT or JQ. In which case, I'm not sure why QFF points even come into it.