Money Orders with CCs and store gift cards
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,585
Money Orders with CCs and store gift cards
After researching money order policies and procedures at area stores, I've discovered a way to do so. As many of us on this forum know, USPS money orders can't be purchased with CCs (while they could some time ago). Walmart requires cash and will not accept gift cards either. But grocery stores seem to accept their GCs for money order purchases. While the money orders are $1 for up to $300, it's still not a bad deal at $.0033/mile.
Has anyone else tried this? I'm planning on buying some tomorrow and I'll report back. Does anyone else know where I could purchase more?
Has anyone else tried this? I'm planning on buying some tomorrow and I'll report back. Does anyone else know where I could purchase more?
#4
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: RDU
Posts: 812
Well, I'm not the OP and I don't have the name of a grocery store, but I believe the OP was talking about buying grocery store gift cards using a credit card, and then using the gift cards to buy money orders.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,585
http://www.shopnsave.com/sns-webapp/index.jsp
As for the $9 (3 %), [which btw very well may not be the amount they pay] would be no different than someone ringing out $300 in groceries and charging it on their MC, Visa, etc. I guess in this transaction they would hypothetically lose the n dollars, but like anything else they may lose $9 on one customer but make $25 on the next guy.
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,425
Shop N' Save:
http://www.shopnsave.com/sns-webapp/index.jsp
As for the $9 (3 %), [which btw very well may not be the amount they pay] would be no different than someone ringing out $300 in groceries and charging it on their MC, Visa, etc. I guess in this transaction they would hypothetically lose the n dollars, but like anything else they may lose $9 on one customer but make $25 on the next guy.
http://www.shopnsave.com/sns-webapp/index.jsp
As for the $9 (3 %), [which btw very well may not be the amount they pay] would be no different than someone ringing out $300 in groceries and charging it on their MC, Visa, etc. I guess in this transaction they would hypothetically lose the n dollars, but like anything else they may lose $9 on one customer but make $25 on the next guy.
#9
Join Date: Nov 2002
Programs: MTD pass holder
Posts: 1,142
There are a lot of ways to earn miles. A number of years ago I did this. You buy a Safeway gift card with an American Express card and then use the gift card to buy a money order. It worked at some Safeways and at others it would not. Bottom line, it was not worth the hassle.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Rural TN (but WAS native)
Programs: National Executive Elite, none of the others matter
Posts: 23,823
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
ahhh my old favorite.
Years ago many here participated in this with a combination of banking and money order (MO) availabilities... Now those times are history (as is the time of Charter One gift cards) but thinsg can still sometimes be found.
I find a few supermarkets such as Shaws do in fact sell em, but you may find their highest MO amount to not be worth the hassle any longer. If it is $1,000 I may do it. If it is less, it's really not worth the hassle. Nor are most of the fees these days to buy those gift cards first.
we shall see!
Years ago many here participated in this with a combination of banking and money order (MO) availabilities... Now those times are history (as is the time of Charter One gift cards) but thinsg can still sometimes be found.
I find a few supermarkets such as Shaws do in fact sell em, but you may find their highest MO amount to not be worth the hassle any longer. If it is $1,000 I may do it. If it is less, it's really not worth the hassle. Nor are most of the fees these days to buy those gift cards first.
we shall see!
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,585
There are a lot of ways to earn miles. A number of years ago I did this. You buy a Safeway gift card with an American Express card and then use the gift card to buy a money order. It worked at some Safeways and at others it would not. Bottom line, it was not worth the hassle.
#13
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: BOS
Programs: Hilton Diamond Marriott Plat
Posts: 270
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Most every idea you might think of has most likely been thru the cycle and wont produce anything if it ever did, at least a cost that paid to actually carry it thru to the end