‘While also keeping fees off your card’: Expert shares little-known hack to avoid overpaying at the gas station
A TikToker known for sharing hacks has posted a tip to help people save at the gas pump—something many can appreciate as gas prices continue to pinch wallets.
TikTok user Ceith Griffith (@ceithgriffith) shared a video showing how to avoid extra fees and overcharges when filling up your tank.
“So if you’re at a gas station, make sure you do this,” Griffith begins in his video.
Standing by a gas pump, he demonstrates the steps.
“At the gas pump, click '1785' and then hit enter. This is gonna bring up this screen.”
He shows a prompt where customers can enter a specific dollar amount. “You can put in whatever amount you want," he explains. "And this is gonna keep them from overcharging you while also keeping any fees off your card."
He signs off this portion of the video with, “Enjoy and I’ll see you all in the next video.”
In the same clip, Griffith also reveals a hack on how to kill poison ivy and sumac.
Does the gas pump trick work?
As Griffith explained, his hack claims to let customers preauthorize the exact amount they want to spend on gas. This way, consumers can avoid pending transactions that can tie up funds.
Gas stations often place a pre-authorization hold on cards, which can range from $1 to $175, as reported by the Drive. These holds, the site explains, are there to make sure there are enough funds to cover the purchase.
However, they can temporarily reduce a customer’s available balance until the transaction is finalized, a process that may take several days.
Some experts recommend paying inside using cash and specifying an exact amount to bypass these holds, according to Money Crashers.
However, the specific method of entering “1785” at the pump hasn’t been widely documented, leaving its effectiveness unclear.
A similar post appeared on Reddit about nine years ago, where a user claimed that pressing the ‘enter’ key on the gas pump keypad brings up a screen allowing consumers to enter an exact dollar amount.
Commenters under the post claimed that the method works, though it’s unclear if it applies to every gas station.
@ceithgriffith #DIY #cartricksandtips #tipsandtricks #cartrick ♬ original sound - Ceith Griffith
The Daily Dot has reached out to Ceith Griffith via TikTok and Instagram messages.
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