I have been a lurker on here for about a year, and want to thank the posters for all the great information.

In Florida, there is a chain of supermarkets called Publix (I know what I am describing will work there, but it will probably work in other places too).

Anytime you need to go buy food, start off with a quick stop at the customer service desk and buy a $100 gift certificate. My delta Amex gives me 2 miles to the dollar, but it would work with any milage earning credit card. Publix sells them as paper gift certificates (not gift cards).

So, then I shop, spend my usual $20 - $30 and get $70 to $80 in change (good old fashion, real cash). You can buy one pack of gum for $.45 and get $99.55 in change if you want. This trick also works when you are short cash and don't want to pay cash advance fees.

Pretty simple plan, that gives us junkies some free miles. Sorry if it had been mentioned before.

That's a good idea. Shop at Publix all the time and usually just do the direct charge. And they do give you the cash back for what isnt used? Good way to rack up a few miles, especially if you live close.. lol.

-Over

It works, just make sure you buy a $100 gift certificate, and they don't give you two fifties, or 5 twenties. And yes, cash back, every time.

Welcome to FlyerTalk Mike1625, and thank you for the tip ^ .

I will be going to Orlando in the fall, and would certainly give this a try.

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Wow, that's awesome. I hope posting it on a public board doesn't kill it.

It sounds like the key is that they issue paper GCs and not gift cards.

Q: Are there any Bay Area chains that still use this old school system? Albertson's, Safeway, Save Mart, Ranch 99, PW Market, etc.

Your correct on that. Looks like they are switching their system too. Only option might be if your able to draw money out such as a atm type transaction. In wich case you may need to separately buy two packs of gum.

Publix might be phasing out paper certs, as not long ago they began issuing gift cards which keep any remaining value stored on the card rather than refunded in cash.

will getting gift certificates work for Walmart super stores w/supermarkets, safeway or stand alone supermarkets? Thanks

Nope. They will issue a gift card for the remaining balance

Who uses cash anymore?

Our Publix stores here in the Fort Myers area only sell the gift cards. I do buy them when there is an extra promo with Amex, sometimes there is the 3 miles per dollar. Publix also sells gift cards for sears, nordstroms, AMC theatres, and many others that are not usually a double mile purchase. I buy AMC ones all the time as I would usually pay cash at the theatre, and now get double miles for tix and popcorn upgrades! Yes popcorn upgrades! If you go on Wednesday at AMC and are a moviewatcher member you get a free (really small) popcorn. But with that coupon and an extra buck per size, they will upgrade it. So use one coupon on Wednesday, get the bigger size and you your partners coupon for another day!

JudyJFLA

In addition to the supermarket's own Gift Certificates, many now sell gift cards for other stores. The Safeways here in DC sell cards for gas stations, Best Buy, Olive Garden, etc. In a pinch at Xmas, I bought a few and was surprised to see them just added to the total as a purchase (not cash advance).

So, you can take it a step farther, and buy them for stores where you would shop anyway and get some extra points. Of course if you would be using an affinity CC, then it is a wash.

Citi Dividend gives 5% at grpcery stores...money making opportunity?!

It may be a little better than a wash as Safeway gives UAL miles for purchases using the Safeway Card in addition to the credit card affinity miles. I'll give this one a try on my next grocery run. I was under the impression that the gift cards would not count toward UAL miles, but I'll try it!