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Starbucks Gold: worth it? How are you using it? What are the bonus offers?

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Starbucks Gold: worth it? How are you using it? What are the bonus offers?

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Old Nov 27, 2008, 11:26 am
  #16  
 
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I have the older, free, Starbucks Card and it is useful.

My wife is a Starbucks addict. I hate walking in there sometimes without her, because quite a few people who work there will hand me her drink assuming she's in the car waiting for me.

She was giving the card for free by the store manager,but looking at the numbers, I think the cost of the Starbucks Gold card is beneficial if you frequent Starbucks more than twice a week.

I figured out how many bagels and Izzie sodas I purchase from Starbucks at home and on the road each week and figured out that I should get one. I would come out with a significant savings.
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Old Nov 27, 2008, 11:38 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by Landing Gear
You will need to spend $250 to make up the $25 cost of the card in the form of 10% discounts.
Not quite. You get a free drink when you buy the card(for me that's $4) and another free drink on your birthday if you register it. So I'm down to needing $170/year which is easy at 2-4 times a week at $4/per visit. Plus we'll see what other 'specials' they throw at it.

Only caveat I've noticed is that the discount isn't good at licensed locations(ie. Target, B&N).
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 8:07 pm
  #18  
 
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I've had it now for over a week and have decided that I'm pretty satisfied... I've gotten over how one can't get free drip refills with it or free soy...etc.
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 8:18 pm
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by Renard
I may be wrong but I would be surprised that all starbucks around the world have ATT wi-fi. I am almost positive that it is another wi-fi company at the Starbucks in France, for example. I wouldn't count on getting it free too much internationally....this is an agreement between Starbucks and ATT...and I am not sure how big a player ATT is worldwide in the wi-fi. I'd be very happy if I were wrong though.
I agree, back in the days when US Starbucks were still with T-Mobile, as a T-Mobile Hotspots subscriber I have to pay when I was in London Starbucks (under T-Mobile UK).
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Old Nov 29, 2008, 3:13 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by kipper
Buy a brown wallet.
Then I'd have to buy a new belt, and shoes, and shoulder bag.... all because of a $25 card!

BTW- I looked at my receipt today. I saved $0.51 (plus the tax on that) in one visit. At that rate one visit a week would pay for the card.
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Old Nov 29, 2008, 4:29 pm
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by wiredboy10003

There are a few minor things I don't like about the card. The discount doesn't apply to buying the NY Times (the main reason I go to Starbucks).
Obviously, an honorable man. ^

One problem at my local Starbucks and some others I hear is that some people treat the copies of the Times as though they were in a library. They take a copy, read it at the table and leave it there, never paying for it.
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Old Nov 29, 2008, 7:49 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by wiredboy10003
Then I'd have to buy a new belt, and shoes, and shoulder bag.... all because of a $25 card!

BTW- I looked at my receipt today. I saved $0.51 (plus the tax on that) in one visit. At that rate one visit a week would pay for the card.
So, buy a new belt, shoes, and shoulder bag. Stimulate the economy.
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Old Jun 21, 2009, 3:21 pm
  #23  
 
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Missing the obvious

I'm surprised by these comments. The Gold Card is a great Starbucks offering for one, simple reason: FREE INTERNET AT ALL STARBUCKS, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. I travel very often for business and the Gold Card is my surefire means (so long as I have my laptop, which I always do) to access email and conduct business. It's so reliable because, well, there's a Starbucks everywhere.

As a frequent coffee drinker, the 10% off is an added bonus, and for most of us it pays for itself by year end.

But hello! FREE INTERNET. I think there's a stipulation that Gold Card users only have 2 hours free/day, but I use it for hours without restriction. It's unbelievable. Imagine year-round internet for $25. Shh, don't spread the word too much ;-)
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Old Jun 21, 2009, 3:46 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by missydarlin
My S/O spends a crapload of money at Starbucks so they sent him one for free, but really, if you spend more than $5 per week, then it seems like a no-brainer.
Exactly. My wife and I go to Starbucks almost every day. We spend about $5 or $6. If I get breakfast there I spend that myself. We each have one and Im guessing that they paid for themselves in about 3 months.
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Old Jun 21, 2009, 3:47 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by monica77
I'm surprised by these comments. The Gold Card is a great Starbucks offering for one, simple reason: FREE INTERNET AT ALL STARBUCKS, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. I travel very often for business and the Gold Card is my surefire means (so long as I have my laptop, which I always do) to access email and conduct business. It's so reliable because, well, there's a Starbucks everywhere.

As a frequent coffee drinker, the 10% off is an added bonus, and for most of us it pays for itself by year end.

But hello! FREE INTERNET. I think there's a stipulation that Gold Card users only have 2 hours free/day, but I use it for hours without restriction. It's unbelievable. Imagine year-round internet for $25. Shh, don't spread the word too much ;-)
Welcome to Flyertalk. And good point. Although I have an iPhone, Boingo and TMobile so I get internet at Starbucks 4 different ways including the card. My wife uses the card for internet I think, however.
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Old Jun 22, 2009, 4:41 pm
  #26  
 
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I got the Gold card last November. Then while visiting family at Christmas in BNA I picked up a Krups burr grinder that (with both the sale and the card discounts) only set me back $45. Just the card discount was almost the price of the card. Since I spend around $10/week at Starbucks (not counting the occasional pound of beans) I've more than recouped the $25 fee...we shall see about the 2nd year.
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Old Jun 22, 2009, 4:50 pm
  #27  
 
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I received a coupon for a free pint of the new Starbuck's Ice Cream for having the Gold card. Now I just have to find a store that carries it.
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Old Jun 24, 2009, 4:36 am
  #28  
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I wonder if the EZE Starbucks offer this....?
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Old Jun 27, 2009, 7:19 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by monica77

But hello! FREE INTERNET. I think there's a stipulation that Gold Card users only have 2 hours free/day, but I use it for hours without restriction. It's unbelievable. Imagine year-round internet for $25. Shh, don't spread the word too much ;-)
Monica77, welcome to FlyerTalk!

I hate to burst your bubble, but any Starbucks gift card gets you 2 hours per day of free internet so long as you've used it in the last 30 days and have registered it with Starbucks. I've considered Gold, but still haven't decided if it's worth it. Now that all my Starbucks-employed friends have quit, thus ending my free coffee stream, it might become worth it just for the beans!
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Old Jun 29, 2009, 10:02 am
  #30  
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Starbucks in the Uk use T-Mobile still, so I highly doubt the free wifi benefit applies.
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