Vanilla VGC liquidation options
 

Hi Flyertalk members,

Long time lurker here. I was wondering if all the options to liquidate vanilla VGC were dead.

It’s known that USPS MO doesn’t accept VGC any more, and Walmart MO doesn’t accept Vanilla. So is there any other option that is still alive? I have to cash out some vanilla VGCs.

Thanks for any help.

Good question man everyone would like to know the answer to, but people here if they knew may not provide the answer. One way I know is to buy gift cards in WM using Vanilla and liquidate it. This doubles your cost but you have to look at your cost benefit ratio.

Local grocery is the only way to do it.

You can also convert to a VGC that WM will accept if you have a friendly WM.

If you don't have those, you are SOL!

I found its best using only 1 card. Also I ask for the MO for $499 and then ask how much the fee is knowing full well its $1. If a mkt charges < $1 I still get it for $499 and will use the left over cents when Im purchasing something this is good also for the VMCs that a certain gas store sells assuming that where the person is located still sells them using a CC, great this Q for 5x on Freedom

Can you elaborate on the benefit of buying $499 and getting some left overs? Does that make MS safer?

the chain I use really isnt suppose to take GCs and some stores have a posted note to that affect. So say your mkt charges $.79 per Mo asking for an MO for $499.21 wipes out the MO but might run up a flag to the csr when its a $1 fee I ask for $499 at times $498. whatever amount is left on the card I use up when buying anything anywhere that allows you to use more then 1 way to pay the bill or $497.89 + the fee leaves just over $1 left on the card. Just make sure you remember which card has what amount as I found once it gets to almost nothing left on the card you cant get the bal from calling up, so before going in I mark each card with a sign so I know the amount Im leaving on it

I also wont cashout any DCs I buy from that chain at that chain, unless its far from where I buy the DCs at. (not talking about Vanillas, as they dont sell them)

I may be overly careful but with more and more places being KOed to getting MOs I dont want to burn what places I still have working and I feel always going in and getting the exact same amount is a great way to get them to remember me, the last thing I want to happen

the main thing is 1st find a place where you can use the cards then try a few different stores out all over of that chain till you find what works best for you. what works for me might not work for you and vice versa. Just try not to get the MOs from the actual stores you shop at , let us know how you make out

I'm not sure exactly what kind of cards we're talking about, but I had a card I couldn't use at WM to buy MO's but I was able to use it for bill pay.

you need to read up on why the Vanillas dont work at WM for what we do >$49.99

Nothing works consistently and everything is YMMV. Just look beyond anything mentioned toward smaller independent grocers and pharmacies in your area that sell MOs. When you find something that works keep a lid on it to prevent it going postal should the herd find out. Black is beautiful, when it comes to all MS techniques these days.

I'm not understanding the math here. Perhaps your grocery stores are different from me, but optimistically I'm making maybe $20 per card. If you calculate the time it takes to purchase the card, get to the store, wait in line, fill it out, deposit it in the bank..hardly seems worth the effort 1 at a time. I do agree about eating the fee though, and one at a time is not necessarily a bad policy for the first time at a store.

I think the right play here is to walk into the door of every place you think may sell money orders in your area and try to buy one with your vanilla. Once you find something... You're in.

Actually, a good idea is to do that on every business and road trip you make. Some parts of the country have gold mines which will shut down quickly if the herd gets word.

Yea time wise its a pain but where else can you unload Vanillas. I guess I could get 2 or 3 foir amounts bet $497 - 498, I just dont buy that many Vanillas, but might start since a new CC will give me 2x at a place Since Freedom in Q1 I ned to buy 3 Vanillas tops it didnt bother me doing 1 by 1 and Im not going out of my to that supermkt anyways.

Since I just purchased a new VMC I didnt remember if I could unload them so didnt want 3 ((nor could I have purchased 3 at 1 time) So I got 1 to see if all is good and it is.

The main thing is not to burn any place and since this chain isnt suppose to be taking GCs I dont want to wake up the csrs so 1 maybe 2 will be my MO at different amounts so it doesnt hit them why am I getting 2 for the same amount, yea I have tons of answers but Id rather stay below the radar

Im on the road, I stopped by a couple of # stores and got 2 VMCs, then went to a supermkt chain that issues MG Mos (WUs are way to small and the bank doesnt look nicely on them) 1st I asked for 499 (fee is $.89) csr said 499 exact and no cents?? , so my 2nd store I said 499.10 so it took 499.99 off and I tossed the VMC and that csr said you want to take it 499.11 for an even 500, I said nope I owe them 499.10 exact

never get this back home. not complaining, just need to find some more # stores that will sell using a CC

Vanilla sales have to be wayyy down since the PO died. I only have one place left that takes them, and I don't like MSing without a backup.