There is nothing quite like hitting the open road in an RV. You can set your course and be as flexible in your journey as you wish. There are no airport check-ins, no set-activity schedules to adhere to, and no reliance on buses or taxis to get from place to place. It’s merely a matter of charting your course and getting on the road, all on your own time.
However, like any form of travel, there are costs involved. With the combination of fuel, supplies, and equipment an RV road trip can put a dent in your wallet. This article discusses three great rewards cards that can help an RV enthusiast save money and get cash back while on the road. It discusses three rewards cards for three different types of inevitable expenses that RVers run into: Fuel, Restaurants, and Groceries.
Prior to discussing our top RV card picks, it should be highlighted that credit cards are serious financial tools and should be used responsibly. This guide aims to help you put money back in your pocket using credit cards on your RV trip, not the other way around, so please adhere to the following.
- Only spend what you can afford - Treat these cards like debit cards. Do not spend more than you can afford to pay back in full when the bill is due.
- Pay your bills on time - If you pay your bills on time, these rewards cards won’t cost you anything as they have no annual fees. Instead, they will get you cash back on some of your trips purchases, effectively saving you money on your RV road trip.
Cards with no annual fees have specifically been chosen for this article. In the context of saving money specifically on an RV road trip, a card with an annual fee would likely not be worth it.
Without further ado, let’s get started on our top picks for fuel, restaurants, and grocery rewards cards for your RV trip.
Best Fuel Rewards Card: Ducks Unlimited Rewards Card
Who’s this card for?
With a large 5% cash back on every gas station purchase and no annual fee, this card is for every RV enthusiast. This is a great card for RVers who partake in a number of activities on their trips due to the 5% cash back at sporting goods stores.
Ducks Unlimited Rewards Card: The Facts
- 5% cash back for every purchase made at gas stations
- 5% cash back in sporting goods stores
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Donates a portion of every purchase to help fund wetland conservation
- Visa Card: Comes with additional Visa protections and benefits
- Credit Score Requirement: Good Credit (approximately a 670+ FICO 8 Score) or better
Ducks Unlimited Rewards Card: The Summary
There are very few universal truths in this world. These few universal truths include:
- Day will eventually turn into night
- If you drop a piece of toast with jelly on it, the jelly side will hit the floor
- RVs use an enormous amount of fuel
When contemplating how to save money on an RV road trip, the best place to start saving is sometimes the most obvious. Fuel is an expense that is not avoidable. However, there are a number of gas rewards cards that put money back in your pocket every time you stop at the pump. While there are several decent gas reward cards on the market, there is one that soars above the rest.
With a 5% cash back on purchases at gas stations, The Ducks Unlimited Rewards Card is one of the best gas cards on the market. This card can help you cut road trip costs by putting cash back in your pocket for every pit stop and gas station restock.
The 5% cashback at sporting goods stores is also a massive boon for the activity driven RVer. The Ducks Unlimited card can help cut costs when stocking up on equipment like fishing rods, hunting gear or clothing for hiking. Many larger sporting goods stores also stock RV trip equipment, so this is a great reward card for setting up for your trip also.
Finally, using this card will also give a donation to wetlands conservation with every purchase you make.
In summary, the Ducks Unlimited Card is a gas rewards card that flies above the competition. It gives you 5% cash back on gas station and sporting goods stores, it supports conservation, and has no annual fee attached.
Best Restaurant Card: Uber Visa Card
Who’s this card for?
- The RVer who loves to dine out. If you are planning on frequenting restaurants during your travels, the Uber Visa Card can help put cash back in your pocket.
- The International RV enthusiast. The Uber Visa Card has no foreign transaction fees if your trip brings you over country borders.
Uber Visa Card: The Facts
- 4% cash back on dining (including Uber Eats)
- 3% cash back at airlines and hotels
- 2% on online purchases
- Cell phone protection
- No foreign transaction fees
- Visa Card: Comes with additional Visa protections and benefits
- Credit Score Requirement: Good Credit (approximately a 670+ FICO 8 Score) or better
Uber Visa Card: The Summary
When on a road trip, one of the best things to do is explore the cuisine of new areas. This could be poutine from Quebec, lobster rolls from New England, or just McDonalds every day for every meal. However, eating out regularly can drive up the costs of your road trip substantially. A restaurant rewards card can help put cash back in your pocket each time you dine out.
If you are looking for a rewards card for dining (or even getting delivery to your RV, if you wish), the Uber Visa Card is hard to beat. It offers cardholders 4% cash back on dining, including Uber Eats delivery. While not exactly RV centric, it is also a decent general travel rewards card, offering 3% cash back at airlines and hotels. The 3% cash back at hotels can come in handy if you are planning at stopping at a resort or two during your time on the road. If you are planning on staying at a hotel or motel at some point on your RV trip, it is worth researching different travel/hotel cards on the market.
There are also two nice benefits attached to this card. The first is cell phone protection, which can come in handy while hiking over rough terrain, rafting down rapids or any other activity that can detrimentally affect the life expectancy of your phone. This is activated when you pay your phone bill with your Uber Visa Card. Secondly, there are no foreign transaction fees with the Uber Visa Card. If your road trip brings you over foreign borders this is a hugely valuable benefit.
On a final note, this all comes with no annual fee.
Best Groceries Card: American Express Blue Cash Everyday
Who’s this card for?
For the RV enthusiast who wants to cook on the road as opposed to dining out all the time.
Blue Cash Everyday: The Facts
- 3% cash back at US Supermarkets, with a $6000 per annum cap
- 2% cash back at US gas stations and selected department stores
- 1% cash back for all other purchases
- $150 sign up bonus for spending $1000 in the first 3 months
- Credit Score Requirement: Good Credit (approximately a 670+ FICO 8 Score) or better
Amex Blue Cash Everyday: The Summary
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday offers a solid 3% cash back on supermarket purchases, which is its main rewards category. It then offers 2% cash back at gas stations and selected department stores. As a whole, the Blue Cash Everyday offers one of the best suites of rewards of any no annual fee card. As an RV-centric card, it shines in terms of its supermarket cash back. In terms of fuel cash back, it is outdone by a number of cards, including the previously discussed Ducks Unlimited Rewards Card.
Note: The Blue Cash Preferred does have an upgraded version, the Blue Cash Preferred, with increased cash back rewards. The most notable of these upgrades is the 6% cash back in supermarkets. It has a huge cash back percentage of 6% at supermarkets, making it one of the best grocery cards on the US market. However, the Blue Cash Preferred comes with an annual fee of $95. In the context of saving on an RV trip, the Blue Cash Preferred’s $95 annual fee will likely not be worth it. If you are an individual who spends a lot in department stores and groceries throughout the year, the annual fee may be worth a consideration.
Smart usage of these RV centric rewards cards paired with some intelligent budgeting can help you dramatically cut the cost of your RV road trip. The next time you’re doing the financial planning for your trip, it may be worth looking into some of these cards. They can help you put some cash back in your pocket from your trip’s bigger purchases. Happy travels!
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion and ideals of Jayco Inc.
