Ravenna resident Shannon Stevens recently filled up her gas tank for less than $2 a gallon.

So did Alan Balog, also of Ravenna.

What’s their secret?

Both Stevens and Balog took advantage of Giant Eagle supermarket’s Fuelperks! program. Fuelperks! offers customers a chance to fill up for less by buying groceries using their Giant Eagle Advantage Card. Customers earn 10 cents off each gallon for every $50 they spend at Giant Eagle. The discount is only available on one fill-up, and then the total savings automatically restart.

Balog saved 60 cents a gallon, and Stevens saved 95.

Fuelperks! discounts are offered at any Giant Eagle in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania or Maryland. But the discounts can only be redeemed at GetGo, a Giant Eagle-owned gas station. GetGos are only located at specific Giant Eagles — the closest ones are located in Ravenna, Cuyahoga Falls and Tallmadge.

Many customers beside Stevens and Balog have saved big at the pump since the program began in early 2004, said Brian Frey, Giant Eagle spokesperson. Frey said the program was created for two specific reasons.

“One is customer-focused, and the other is business-focused,” he said. “We reward Giant Eagle supermarket customers for their shopping loyalty by offering a valuable program that pairs necessity items of food and fuel. At the same time, we developed a program that helps drive supermarket sales.”

With the recent gas hike in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, consumers are packing their shopping carts in order to lower the pain at the pump.

Balog said he wasn’t an avid Giant Eagle shopper in the past, but he has become one recently. He added that he will continue to shop there more if gas prices continue to climb.

Frey said Balog’s philosophy continues to be a growing trend in the northeast Ohio region.

“With the Fuelperks! program pairing the routine purchases of food and fuel, demand and participation in this program is strong and growing,” Frey said, “especially during periods of higher fuel costs.”

However, with the deal comes a few catches. Frey said the discounts expire three months from the last day of the month in which the discounts were earned. This means, for example, any discounts earned in September will expire at the end of December.

Customers can then earn additional money off by spending another $50 before the expiration date. Frey also said some purchases, such as tobacco and alcohol, do not count toward the savings.

While the discounts make it possible for GetGo to be considerably cheaper than other gas stations, Frey said local gas stations are remaining very competitive. An employee of Sunoco gas station in Ravenna would not comment on the Fuelperks! program or on how Sunoco is fairing against its competitor.

With the Midwest average still hovering just over $3 a gallon, Frey said Giant Eagle is looking for ways to expand the discounts to a larger crowd.

A complete list of GetGo locations is available at http://www.gianteagle.com/fuelperks.

Contact public affairs reporter Joe Murphy at [email protected].