Fevsi

First, thanks a lot, marathon man, for all these suggestions! I have a quick question, though, on Amazon payments in particular: I have recently sent $500 using amex premier gold rewards, the charge posted quickly, but when I look at "points summary," it says "total charges: $500; eligible charges: 0". Has anyone had an issue with using amex charge cards for amazon payments before? On returning things to costco: be careful not to do it too much. You give your membership number when you shop, and at some point they will simply block your account for too many returns. You do not want to get on one of their black lists.

Another question is, can you confirm that one can actually buy Amex gift cards at amex online store (through big crumbs), and it will count as a purchase, not cash advance or equivalent?

Thanks a lot again!

Stoughton

No issues with my SPG

cynicalbuthopeful

if you are a home owner -- you may be able to pre-pay your property tax for the year. You'll need to check with your county on this. You'll need to talk to your bank if you have an escrow account.

Of course, you are in effect giving the gov an interest free loan...

booyaa

No problem with my AMEX plat

jamesjim1k

actually my local bank thanks me for bringing them in. They are pushing green in chicago and actually on any transaction requiring one dollar amounts, they only provide coins, unless the customer demands $1 bills. Talking to the manager, they process about 10K a week in coins going out to customers. She is happy to get my 5k of deposits a week, saves her on transfer costs from the fed.

wise2u

Suntrusts in ATL have no problem with coins, I have gone to 4 different branches and they dont blink at $2000 deposits.

For non minty ideas, I found one in Hawaii, they sold a giftcard in the drugstores that claimed it was transferrable at no fee into any paypal account, It was only $5-$6, but max value was only $500. Didnt buy one, so I'm sorry I don't remember the name of it. I did read all the fine print and it looked like a good way to consolodate all my $50 amex giftcards I got from a publix coupon promo. If anyone in HI reads this go to longs and give us the name of these cards (i think it was something like "plum" or "green apple") they pitched it as an alternative to wiring western union money to friends and family.

blase

I was going to say this too, but I return things that I buy on my CC (whichever one I am trying to meet a spend requirement on!) and then ask for cash back. The cust service counter at Nordie's typically has no problem giving cash back, even for large amounts. Although I don't do it intentionally. I much prefer trying things on in the comfort of my own home, so I regularly use Nordie's website to buy clothes and then if things don't work out, I return them and get the cash back.

Last summer I had bought a $1500 necklace for my mom for her (big) birthday and then later on I saw something I liked better from a different store... returned the $1500 necklace to Nordie's and asked for cash. The kicker was I had bought that necklace using BA's shopping portal when they were having a double miles promotion at Nordstroms netting me 24 miles per dollar - so that purchase gave me 36000 miles, which was never deducted from my account.

Thunderroad

I do this with a credit card each year, partly to get the miles/points sooner but also because I can deduct the full payment from my income taxes for that year rather than half waiting until the following year. But like income taxes, there is a service charge for doing so...something like 2%.

abcx

Did you return using a receipt? If they accept returns without a receipt...

There might be a loophole anyway buying stuff online and returning in store.

Spiffster

I've done that before a few times - latest at Lowe's last weekend to max out Discover's 5%. Guy didn't have a problem, the cashier didn't even have a problem making change for the guy so we could be square.. so it never hurts to ask.

biggest downsides for this are to the guy giving you his cash. you want to have his transaction be separate so he has his own receipt in case he wants to return/exchange the whatever (in my case, some light fixtures). also, if he needs to return it, the money auto-refunds to your card normally but I'm sure you could complain for a gift card.

downsides to you are the suspicion that you've stolen the card - easy to correct that mis-assumption.

it's really cool when you see a guy buying a couple thou in lumbar and sheetrock and he starts pulling out cash.. "ahem, excuse me... Could you do me a big favor?"....

blase

Yep I had my receipt.... doesn't matter though, they will give you your refund in whatever form you request. Nordstrom customer service kicks a$$ like that!!!

i3udfrog16

i just bought 5k through big crumbs...and then called amex hhonors and they said "any purchase will merit points!"


ill let u know next billing statement
-budfrog

AlohaDaveKennedy

The AMEX Gift Cards will merit points but watch out for the good Cardinal Fang of The Spanish Inquisition! Buying those AMEX gift cards may get you tortured by the comfy chair! The Spanish Inquisition considers gift cards and coins the purist form of heresy.

Jake Gittes

Is there any limit to gift cards (AmEx, Visa, or otherwise) bought at grocery stores? I guess they all just get coded as a grocery store purchase.

84fiero

Not that I've experienced, and I buy them fairly often. Not for my own use but the GC seems to be the usual thing we give at work for someone's going-away and things like that. So for folks that I manage, or even ones I don't but am asked to help with their luncheon, I will volunteer to take the cash and go buy the card(s). Of course I use my CC to buy it and pay myself back with the cash.

The store cards have fees of course, unless you catch a special where they're waiving the fee. However in the above case, the type of GC, amount, etc is pre-determined by the office "social committee" person and I just buy what they say, where they say. Not my money so if they want to pay $3.95 fee, so be it.