May 4, 2014, 4:19 am
Last edit by: weezl
This thread is about prepaid debit cards from Staples. Please post questions on other topics in the appropriate threads elsewhere in this forum.
As of 5/12/2014, all known portals are dead.
*Note- max purchase at one time seems to be 9x $200 (stays under their $2000 limit)
Pluses to Online purchase:
1. Less time/effort/gasoline vs traveling to store to purchase
2. No mgr override or cashier call to Chase needed for large purchases
3. Can bulk activate by phone after receipt of VGCs
4. Email is a nice way to keep record of your purchases
5. Avoids stupid sticky gum (4x per card) that has to be peeled off of each VGC
6. Rare opportunity to liquidate rewards and/or rebate card (YMMV)
Pluses to in-store purchase:
1. No wait/immediate gratification- mail order can take weeks
2. No risk of someone getting to your mailbox to steal your VGCs before you get them out of there
3. Activated at time of purchase- no need to call in or wait for stupid letter containing one activation code/card that comes in the mail separately (the letter sometimes arrives AFTER the VGCs arrive; this can be mitigated, see Pluses to Online #3, above)
As of 5/12/2014, all known portals are dead.
- Get Chase Ink and BB/Serve
1% discount: Sign up Ink (must be Visa) at https://www.visasavingsedge.com/ to get 1% cash back at StaplesEnded 12/31/14- 5x points: Buy Visa gift cards at Staples or the website. $200 ones charge a hefty $6.95 activation fee (with 1% back it was effectively $4.88).
- Liquidate gift cards like any other
*Note- max purchase at one time seems to be 9x $200 (stays under their $2000 limit)
Pluses to Online purchase:
1. Less time/effort/gasoline vs traveling to store to purchase
2. No mgr override or cashier call to Chase needed for large purchases
3. Can bulk activate by phone after receipt of VGCs
4. Email is a nice way to keep record of your purchases
5. Avoids stupid sticky gum (4x per card) that has to be peeled off of each VGC
6. Rare opportunity to liquidate rewards and/or rebate card (YMMV)
Pluses to in-store purchase:
1. No wait/immediate gratification- mail order can take weeks
2. No risk of someone getting to your mailbox to steal your VGCs before you get them out of there
3. Activated at time of purchase- no need to call in or wait for stupid letter containing one activation code/card that comes in the mail separately (the letter sometimes arrives AFTER the VGCs arrive; this can be mitigated, see Pluses to Online #3, above)
Visa Gift cards at Staples(2014-2015)
May 7, 2014, 11:56 am
#451
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 85
$400(2x200) via Upromise portal tracked correctly for me, still pending though.
Posted | Funding Status | Company & Description | Amount
05/03/14 | Pending | Staples.com transaction on 04/28/14 | $20.70
Posted | Funding Status | Company & Description | Amount
05/03/14 | Pending | Staples.com transaction on 04/28/14 | $20.70
May 7, 2014, 12:38 pm
#453
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Upromise tracked: 4/30, 3X200, 5%
May 7, 2014, 1:44 pm
#454
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 331
Something really weird happened to me. I currently have three chase cards - Freedom, Explorer and CSP. The last two are signature with $5K Limit and Freedom has $5.5K Limit (Non-Sig)
Recently, from last month, I am nearly hitting very hard on Chase cards. As in, my Total spend is approx $30K/Month on all these cards (All are MS).
What happened was few days back (10 days ago) got few orders from staples. It was pending for 2 days, and the charge disappeared, and my available CL was increased. Later, with this new available CL, I purchased some more things and yesterday all of a sudden, the OLD pending charges were reappeared again for both my CSP and United Cards. This action made my Util as follows -
1. United $7K (Total Charges) of $5K CL and available CL=$0
2. CSP with $4.8K of Total Charges with $0 Available CL
Basically, I can see that I have exceeded my CL bit far this time and for the United Card, they borrowed some CL from the CSP.
Just today, I scheduled the payments of some thing like around $1K on each of these cards. But still I need some time to get the remaining balance.
Will these actions decrease my scores with Chase? Should I transfer all my UR over100,000 ?
Thanks for the suggestions.
Recently, from last month, I am nearly hitting very hard on Chase cards. As in, my Total spend is approx $30K/Month on all these cards (All are MS).
What happened was few days back (10 days ago) got few orders from staples. It was pending for 2 days, and the charge disappeared, and my available CL was increased. Later, with this new available CL, I purchased some more things and yesterday all of a sudden, the OLD pending charges were reappeared again for both my CSP and United Cards. This action made my Util as follows -
1. United $7K (Total Charges) of $5K CL and available CL=$0
2. CSP with $4.8K of Total Charges with $0 Available CL
Basically, I can see that I have exceeded my CL bit far this time and for the United Card, they borrowed some CL from the CSP.
Just today, I scheduled the payments of some thing like around $1K on each of these cards. But still I need some time to get the remaining balance.
Will these actions decrease my scores with Chase? Should I transfer all my UR over100,000 ?
Thanks for the suggestions.
May 7, 2014, 2:02 pm
#455
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS
Programs: SPG Plat. Marriott Plat. Hilton Diamond. Hyatt Diamond. IHG Plat.
Posts: 2,580
Something really weird happened to me. I currently have three chase cards - Freedom, Explorer and CSP. The last two are signature with $5K Limit and Freedom has $5.5K Limit (Non-Sig)
Recently, from last month, I am nearly hitting very hard on Chase cards. As in, my Total spend is approx $30K/Month on all these cards (All are MS).
What happened was few days back (10 days ago) got few orders from staples. It was pending for 2 days, and the charge disappeared, and my available CL was increased. Later, with this new available CL, I purchased some more things and yesterday all of a sudden, the OLD pending charges were reappeared again for both my CSP and United Cards. This action made my Util as follows -
1. United $7K (Total Charges) of $5K CL and available CL=$0
2. CSP with $4.8K of Total Charges with $0 Available CL
Basically, I can see that I have exceeded my CL bit far this time and for the United Card, they borrowed some CL from the CSP.
Just today, I scheduled the payments of some thing like around $1K on each of these cards. But still I need some time to get the remaining balance.
Will these actions decrease my scores with Chase? Should I transfer all my UR over100,000 ?
Thanks for the suggestions.
Recently, from last month, I am nearly hitting very hard on Chase cards. As in, my Total spend is approx $30K/Month on all these cards (All are MS).
What happened was few days back (10 days ago) got few orders from staples. It was pending for 2 days, and the charge disappeared, and my available CL was increased. Later, with this new available CL, I purchased some more things and yesterday all of a sudden, the OLD pending charges were reappeared again for both my CSP and United Cards. This action made my Util as follows -
1. United $7K (Total Charges) of $5K CL and available CL=$0
2. CSP with $4.8K of Total Charges with $0 Available CL
Basically, I can see that I have exceeded my CL bit far this time and for the United Card, they borrowed some CL from the CSP.
Just today, I scheduled the payments of some thing like around $1K on each of these cards. But still I need some time to get the remaining balance.
Will these actions decrease my scores with Chase? Should I transfer all my UR over100,000 ?
Thanks for the suggestions.
Abandon ship! Abandon ship! Just kidding.
May 7, 2014, 5:25 pm
#459
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 59
Something really weird happened to me. I currently have three chase cards - Freedom, Explorer and CSP. The last two are signature with $5K Limit and Freedom has $5.5K Limit (Non-Sig)
Recently, from last month, I am nearly hitting very hard on Chase cards. As in, my Total spend is approx $30K/Month on all these cards (All are MS).
What happened was few days back (10 days ago) got few orders from staples. It was pending for 2 days, and the charge disappeared, and my available CL was increased. Later, with this new available CL, I purchased some more things and yesterday all of a sudden, the OLD pending charges were reappeared again for both my CSP and United Cards. This action made my Util as follows -
1. United $7K (Total Charges) of $5K CL and available CL=$0
2. CSP with $4.8K of Total Charges with $0 Available CL
Basically, I can see that I have exceeded my CL bit far this time and for the United Card, they borrowed some CL from the CSP.
Just today, I scheduled the payments of some thing like around $1K on each of these cards. But still I need some time to get the remaining balance.
Will these actions decrease my scores with Chase? Should I transfer all my UR over100,000 ?
Thanks for the suggestions.
Recently, from last month, I am nearly hitting very hard on Chase cards. As in, my Total spend is approx $30K/Month on all these cards (All are MS).
What happened was few days back (10 days ago) got few orders from staples. It was pending for 2 days, and the charge disappeared, and my available CL was increased. Later, with this new available CL, I purchased some more things and yesterday all of a sudden, the OLD pending charges were reappeared again for both my CSP and United Cards. This action made my Util as follows -
1. United $7K (Total Charges) of $5K CL and available CL=$0
2. CSP with $4.8K of Total Charges with $0 Available CL
Basically, I can see that I have exceeded my CL bit far this time and for the United Card, they borrowed some CL from the CSP.
Just today, I scheduled the payments of some thing like around $1K on each of these cards. But still I need some time to get the remaining balance.
Will these actions decrease my scores with Chase? Should I transfer all my UR over100,000 ?
Thanks for the suggestions.
May 7, 2014, 5:49 pm
#460
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SFO
Posts: 515
Safeway cashback?
I guess I was mistaken thinking these gift cards could be used for cashback? At least, did not work for me today, used last four digits as pin, not accepted.
Somewhere else it might work for cashback or YMMV?
Somewhere else it might work for cashback or YMMV?
May 7, 2014, 6:08 pm
#461
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS
Programs: SPG Plat. Marriott Plat. Hilton Diamond. Hyatt Diamond. IHG Plat.
Posts: 2,580
Set card transaction PIN
Please enter your desired card PIN below to use for debit transactions on your Visa Gift Card. We'll share this information with the card issuer for security purposes. Please note, the PIN cannot be used for cash withdrawals at ATM or merchant locations.
Please enter your desired card PIN below to use for debit transactions on your Visa Gift Card. We'll share this information with the card issuer for security purposes. Please note, the PIN cannot be used for cash withdrawals at ATM or merchant locations.
May 7, 2014, 6:22 pm
#462
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 526
You can never use Visa gift cards for cash back (e.g ATM withdrawals) you need to put them through a secondary account like Bluebird or Serve and get the cash that way (basically just glorified online checking accounts). You can also use something like Evolve money to pay your bills/mortgage/insurance.
May 7, 2014, 6:56 pm
#463
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
If you could cash out gift cards like that nobody would use BB or Serve or MO. Lol
May 8, 2014, 5:44 am
#464
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Anyone getting their orders to track since the memo went out? Also, how many days does it take usually for the Visa Savings Edge rebate to post?
May 8, 2014, 6:26 am
#465
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: CT
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 429
Shipping confirmation from Staples today for my 5/4 order, nothing from Upromise yet.
