Money Fix: Cheaper gas is in the cards

Though the cost of gas on Long Island has been slowly falling, the average price is still above $4 per gallon. That can still take a hit on the pocketbook with summer driving season right down the road. So, now might be a good time to research credit cards offering cash back or fuel credits, based on gas purchases. Features vary greatly, so read the fine print and compare, says Bill Hardekopf, chief executive of LowCards.com, which tracks credit card features.

Gas company cards: They're issued by companies, such as Shell and Texaco, rewarding purchases at their own stations. They can be good deals for those who frequent a single brand, but you have to plan ahead, filling up well before you're running on fumes, stressed and casting about for any station, says Hardekopf. Some stations waive the added surcharge for paying by credit card if you use their card, says Jerry LaForgia of Lynbrook.

Credit cards: The ones issued by credit card companies let you tank up at any station -- and you get rewards on non-gas purchases, too. But, again, read the fine print. Some call for you to enroll for specials on various types of purchases, be they gas or groceries, that can rotate by quarter. Dave Winslow, of Brookhaven, says he gets 5 percent cash back on gas purchases with such a card, one that "will not pay up until $50 has been accumulated."

Caveat emptor: Even with some of these rewards, you'll be behind if you carry a balance from month to month, says Hardekopf. And station-branded cards have some of the highest interest rates around -- 21 to 26.99 percent, he says.