Is my math right?

[skives]

My local big box store about once a month offers 10,000 points for a $50 gift card purchase (most gift cards included). I buy $50 Apple gift card. Those 10,000 points can be used for $1 off per gallon of gas at the gas station up to 30 gallons so $30 savings.

gas is currently $3.519 per gallon. If I buy 30 gallons and the gift card at $50 am I correct in saying I’m saving 19% on Apple gift cards?

30 divided by 155.57 = 19.2%

[disneysteve]

You spent $50.
You got $80 of product for that: $50 at Apple and $30 at the gas station.
You saved $30.
$30 is 37.5% of $80. That's your savings.

If you want to look at it strictly from the point of view of the Apple card:
You paid $50 but got back $30 in the form of gas credit so the net cost for the Apple card was $20.
You saved $30 on the card.
$30 is 60% of $50. That's your savings on the card itself.

[Jluke]

Will you really be able to fill 30 gallons of gas or is that hypothetical?

[disneysteve]

Will you really be able to fill 30 gallons of gas or is that hypothetical?

Ah. Do you need to use the points all at once or can you get 15 gallons today and 15 gallons next week?

[skives]

Will you really be able to fill 30 gallons of gas or is that hypothetical?

Yes my tank is 22 gallons and my wife’s 15. We just both go at the same time and fill up.

[skives]

Ah. Do you need to use the points all at once or can you get 15 gallons today and 15 gallons next week?

It has to be done all at once.

[skives]

You spent $50.
You got $80 of product for that: $50 at Apple and $30 at the gas station.
You saved $30.
$30 is 37.5% of $80. That's your savings.

If you want to look at it strictly from the point of view of the Apple card:
You paid $50 but got back $30 in the form of gas credit so the net cost for the Apple card was $20.
You saved $30 on the card.
$30 is 60% of $50. That's your savings on the card itself.

Huh. I was looking at it from the point of I get $30 but I need to spend $155.57 because I don’t get $30 without buying the gift card or buying the gas.

[scfr]

Then I think you're saving up to 19% on everything, not just the card, but only if you're not paying a higher pre-discount price for the gas than you normally would.