Experience with Gift of College 2018- onwards
Jun 4, 2018, 1:06 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
I've never heard of Gift of College before and didn't know much about 529s, so this thread got me interested. I noticed that you can buy either physical or electronic cards online directly from their website, so I just kind of wonder why people don't just do that? Am I missing some particular advantage to doing it through TRU?
Jun 4, 2018, 4:16 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 422
I've never heard of Gift of College before and didn't know much about 529s, so this thread got me interested. I noticed that you can buy either physical or electronic cards online directly from their website, so I just kind of wonder why people don't just do that? Am I missing some particular advantage to doing it through TRU?
Jun 5, 2018, 6:26 pm
#19
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
If you run $50,000/year tuition, this is well it. But a lot of flyers here probably won't pay that much $$$. It all depends.
Jun 5, 2018, 10:29 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
If it wasn't such a hassle, I'd be really interested in this (not near a TRU or BRU). I have two kids right now with school fees increasing every year. By the time they're both done with college I expect that it will have cost me close to a million dollars. That's a lot of points! I'd happily dump in the maximums for both my wife and I every year if I could. However, the online option is essentially a 3% fee at $6 for $200, which doesn't seem like it could be worth it, even with a 1.5% card. Do either TRU/BRU (if any of them get bought out and stay open) or the online option have a bonus categories that I could leverage?
Jun 18, 2018, 10:43 am
#22
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 350
If it wasn't such a hassle, I'd be really interested in this (not near a TRU or BRU). I have two kids right now with school fees increasing every year. By the time they're both done with college I expect that it will have cost me close to a million dollars. That's a lot of points! I'd happily dump in the maximums for both my wife and I every year if I could. However, the online option is essentially a 3% fee at $6 for $200, which doesn't seem like it could be worth it, even with a 1.5% card. Do either TRU/BRU (if any of them get bought out and stay open) or the online option have a bonus categories that I could leverage?
Jul 3, 2018, 8:08 pm
#24
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Jul 4, 2018, 9:26 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Jul 4, 2018, 9:36 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Better RoI if you save your million and tell those kiddos to ditch college and just make their money the old fashioned way - marry a wealthy man or woman! Actually know a guitar player who went that route.
If it wasn't such a hassle, I'd be really interested in this (not near a TRU or BRU). I have two kids right now with school fees increasing every year. By the time they're both done with college I expect that it will have cost me close to a million dollars. That's a lot of points! I'd happily dump in the maximums for both my wife and I every year if I could. However, the online option is essentially a 3% fee at $6 for $200, which doesn't seem like it could be worth it, even with a 1.5% card. Do either TRU/BRU (if any of them get bought out and stay open) or the online option have a bonus categories that I could leverage?
Jul 4, 2018, 11:44 am
#27
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Jul 4, 2018, 12:55 pm
#28
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Meh - no sense of humor - right now there are no real GoC card plays. BTW, for the kiddos on their way to college, check if their bookstore is B&N run, like Texas A&M was. You can buy discounted B&N gift cards to apply toward book purchase, rental or subscription or even diploma frames, college gear, etc. Books can be very expensive so you might save a thousand or more - purchased my B&N cards at up to 17% discount on face value.
Jul 8, 2018, 3:35 pm
#29
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 74
Missing the good old GoC days at TRU. Recently visited Austin TX so figured I'd stop by an H-E-B grocery to relive the glory days. Found the cards but was politely told that there is a $2k limit/day on buying them.
My question for the Texan locals:
Have y'all run into this often at HEB? Is said limit corporate-wide or did I just get a ymmv random local store policy?
My question for the Texan locals:
Have y'all run into this often at HEB? Is said limit corporate-wide or did I just get a ymmv random local store policy?
Jul 8, 2018, 5:31 pm
#30
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Missing the good old GoC days at TRU. Recently visited Austin TX so figured I'd stop by an H-E-B grocery to relive the glory days. Found the cards but was politely told that there is a $2k limit/day on buying them.
My question for the Texan locals:
Have y'all run into this often at HEB? Is said limit corporate-wide or did I just get a ymmv random local store policy?
My question for the Texan locals:
Have y'all run into this often at HEB? Is said limit corporate-wide or did I just get a ymmv random local store policy?
$2k/day is generous.