CWAL

I can't speak to denominations < $200, but I've got a pretty good routine down with most of the cashiers I deal with. If you need to do a split tender, swipe the card, hit change payment, and then tell them "I need to put only $x00 on this debit card". Sometimes they get all flustered that you didn't tell them before you swipe, just confidently reassure them that every time you this, if the number is entered before the swipe, the register starts throwing a fit.

It's much easier than educating a cashier on the finer points of the difference between entering the number, waiting for swipe, then hitting debit, and them trying to enter the number *and* hit debit before you swipe.

I have a couple cashiers I work with who can help me unload 12 cards (MC even) in under 4 minutes when we get a good rhythm going. but cashiers of such caliber are few and far between.

jackstraw22

I haven't loaded at a WM register since they banned OV. Since then I've been using the kiosks and I don't think I can go back. There were a couple of cashiers that were cool, but I've had some nasty ones as well. I also didn't like have to stand in line for 20 minutes. I'd rather drive around looking for a working kiosk than have to go back to those registers.

jackstraw22

I'm curious as to how much people actually spend on these kinds of deals? I've spent about $3600 from Monday-Friday and I think I'm done. I hit two OM's and they still had a few $100 cards left. I got a fraud alert today from Chase, but I think it's because my wife bought a few cards and then I decided to get more and bought some a few minutes later(I'm an AU on her card). I could always tell them it's Black Friday stuff if they ask(which they never do), but I just get concerned about so many OM purchases in one week.

briang191

I'd say anywhere from 5k to 10k possibly more depending on inventory at OM. If stores are not enforcing the 2 discount max rule I could easily see more than 10k if someone hit OM from the time the promotion started until the promotion ended.

briggek8717

I'm at about 7.5k (6k between mine and the wife's Ink, and 1.5k paid on 3 $500 variable's, which equal a higher profit, but no points). That's about $270 in profit and 30k UR points. Plan on hitting up one more OM today as I noticed a plentiful supply of MC's the last time I went there.

Mamibear

what has always worked for me is to follow dictum ~ don't ask, don't tell. I didn't call the store if they had stocks of VGCs, I just showed up there and went straight to the GC racks. I went there prepared if fixed were gone. Manager was polite but not chatty (just what I prefer). I like paying in cash because the most they do is check my bills to make sure they're not fakes. NO IDs, no paperwork and I buy up to what they will allow me to, and how much I have with me.

Today is the last day, if I see 200s, I'd buy them with INK but if not, I am prepaired to buy more variables. I've already drained the last batch of VGCs.

BananaPeppers

Do you use the gift cards just for normal stuff when you pay in cash?

Mamibear

No.

I still have some Serve(s) to fill and the rest went to MO that are now in account(s). For today's haul, I can wait till Tuesday for free drains once again.

BananaPeppers

So you use cash --> buy gc--> write out mo?

jackstraw22

I bought $1500 in variables today. It came out to $1417.85. Very nice. Unfortunately, I've already maxed out my BB and Serve for the month. If I still had room I would just keep loading these gift cards and buy more variables. But I don't like having so many gift cards lying around, even if it is just for a few days. I've had problems with these types of cards not working at Walmart and even had fraud on a couple of cards from Staples back in October. I'm happy with my $165 in profit and 19,000 points.

BananaPeppers

Jack, did you use a cc to get them? I thought OM was hard coded against those

jackstraw22

I paid cash for the variables. That was just for profit. I figured it was worth an $82 profit to pay $1500 in cash. And hopefully I can load the cards to my BB/Serve on Tuesday. I bought the $100 and $200 cards with a cc for points and a small profit.

BananaPeppers

They have tons of the $100 gc here. Do you think it would be a hassle to buy them and load them onto serve?

briang191

If your using an ink card than yes but only if you can buy a ton in one purchase $1000 or more. unloading 10 100 VGC is pretty painless on a working Kate. Unloading at a registers would cosume more time and might not be worth your time and effort.

CWAL

It would be 3 transactions at 60 seconds each with a decent cashier