Cash only gas station lowers prices

CLEVELAND -- If you want cheaper gas, put away your credit card.

The independent gas station on Puritas Avenue near W. 137th is small and plain. Even the signs posted on every pump are hand lettered and then taped to the glass: "Cash Only, No Credit Cards".This gas stion won't take American Express, MasterCard, Visa, or even a bank debit card. The owner's son says the key to their lower prices is the absence of credit."We're keeping it the lowest price we know right now", said Tariq Hashem. "Every time somebody uses plastic, the credit card company is charging us 25 cents per transaction. And we're only making two pennies per gallon of profit."Customers are willing to trade convenience for lower prices. "If you save some money here it's where I'm at," said Chris Bruno. "I have plenty of credit cards. But I'll pay cash to save a few cents."Regular customers like Anthony Carter put in ten dollars of gas at one time and then come back the next day."This Monte Carlo has a big V8 engine and it drinks gas like water", said Carter.A few miles away, the national brand gas stations all accept credit card payments but also charge higher prices. One was 15 cents per gallon higher.But at "Ohio Gas Station Number 1", cash is king. But so is the lower price.Neighbor Laura Ludwig told Channel 3's Mike O'Mara, "they are great people and their price is always low. They are always lower than anybody else."Owner, Tariq Hashem added, "we're always the cheapest. And a lot of people over here like the way we treat customers.