Which reward programs will save you the most on gas?

Pumped-up gas prices The price at the pumps is heading upwards, but just how high will it go? Heather Senoran finds out.

Gas prices have reached a nine-month high in much of southern Ontario, including in Waterloo region, hovering at around 1.72 cents a litre on Friday.

The cost went up by about 2 cents overnight after rising about 4 cents earlier this week.

“I think it's absolutely ridiculous. I am struggling as it is,” one person filling up in Waterloo told CTV Kitchener Friday.

REWARD PROGRAMS SAVINGS

Kalleigh Lane, from the website MoneyGenius, said her team analyzes ways Canadians can save money when it comes to gas prices.

There are many different types of reward programs but she said PC Optimum is one of the best. She said people can get about a 0.5 per cent reward on gas purchases.

If you want to save even more, combining regular gas station points with a credit card can get you greater savings.

PC Optimum Mastercard offers one of the best rewards, according to MoneyGenius.

“If you were to spend $80, you would save about 84 cents,” Lane told CTV News.

It all depends on what you have in your wallet. Amex Cobalt is another card that could save you even more on gas.

“Up to 4 per cent on your Amex Cobalt card. You could actually save up to $3.20 every time you spend $80 on gas,” Lane said.

IS IT WORTH IT TO DRIVE FOR CHEAPER GAS?

What about travelling for cheaper gas?

Experts are hitting the brakes on that gas saving strategy.

“I just wouldn't recommend that just because you’re wasting cash trying to find the cheapest price,” Lane said.

Meanwhile gas prices are expected to keep climbing, the price of oil and the Canadian dollar and the price of oil to blame.

“1.80 to 1.82 is what I think we can expect to pay by the end of August beginning of September,” gas expert Dan Mcteague said.