topic Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards in Credit Cards

Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

BronzeTrader — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 02:02:28 GMT

From a friend.

He uses his CC to buy small amount ($50) gift card at gas station, and get gas CC rewards. Then the gift card is used as cash to buy food and receives gift card rewards. This works with any CC with 3% or 4% on gas. I'm sure a $100 gas station purchase does not look right.

Sounds like a good plan. The gift card can be used to buy gas, but carries no rewards.

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 03:28:23 GMT

So this is mini MS? Which CC is he using and which GC gives rewards? I'm not sure I understand the structure exactly

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 05:03:31 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
So this is mini MS? Which CC is he using and which GC gives rewards? I'm not sure I understand the structure exactly

Yes, not clear either! Unless it is a merchant gift card (not V/M/Amex) the fees usually mean that a $50 card makes no sense

As for GC that give rewards, I am just aware of the Five Back Gift Card (Visa), which gives 5% back at various merchants

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 06:43:26 GMT

@BronzeTrader wrote:
From a friend.

He uses his CC to buy small amount ($50) gift card at gas station, and get gas CC rewards. Then the gift card is used as cash to buy food and receives gift card rewards. This works with any CC with 3% or 4% on gas. I'm sure a $100 gas station purchase does not look right.

Sounds like a good plan. The gift card can be used to buy gas, but carries no rewards.

sounds like you are saying he is buying a gift card for a restaurant and is somehow getting rewards from the restaurant not the card? like steak and shake??? for instance if you pay with their app you get $5 for every 50. I typically purchase steak and shake gift cards at a 20% discount or more and get 2% cash back on top of it. Then load those into the app and get another 10% off in essence. Otherwise its only 3% with sams/aarp.

First you say the gift card receives gift card rewards, then you say the gift card carries no rewards.

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

newhis — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 16:00:49 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
sounds like you are saying he is buying a gift card for a restaurant and is somehow getting rewards from the restaurant not the card? like steak and shake??? for instance if you pay with their app you get $5 for every 50. I typically purchase steak and shake gift cards at a 20% discount or more and get 2% cash back on top of it. Then load those into the app and get another 10% off in essence. Otherwise its only 3% with sams/aarp.

First you say the gift card receives gift card rewards, then you say the gift card carries no rewards.

Very good way to max the savings. Savings > points/cashback

Sometimes we only see one and not the other.

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

BronzeTrader — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 02:00:08 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@BronzeTrader wrote:
From a friend.

He uses his CC to buy small amount ($50) gift card at gas station, and get gas CC rewards. Then the gift card is used as cash to buy food and receives gift card rewards. This works with any CC with 3% or 4% on gas. I'm sure a $100 gas station purchase does not look right.

Sounds like a good plan. The gift card can be used to buy gas, but carries no rewards.

sounds like you are saying he is buying a gift card for a restaurant and is somehow getting rewards from the restaurant not the card? like steak and shake??? for instance if you pay with their app you get $5 for every 50. I typically purchase steak and shake gift cards at a 20% discount or more and get 2% cash back on top of it. Then load those into the app and get another 10% off in essence. Otherwise its only 3% with sams/aarp.

First you say the gift card receives gift card rewards, then you say the gift card carries no rewards.

You buy gift card at gas statioin. For gas CC, you get 3% or so gas rewards since $50 seems a legit gas purchase at gas station.

Then you use the gift card, or load the gift card into phone app. Use the balance to buy food, drink, coffee etc. You get certain amount of coupons for free food, after you spend $50 or so.

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

UncleB — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 02:31:26 GMT

@BronzeTrader wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@BronzeTrader wrote:
From a friend.

He uses his CC to buy small amount ($50) gift card at gas station, and get gas CC rewards. Then the gift card is used as cash to buy food and receives gift card rewards. This works with any CC with 3% or 4% on gas. I'm sure a $100 gas station purchase does not look right.

Sounds like a good plan. The gift card can be used to buy gas, but carries no rewards.

sounds like you are saying he is buying a gift card for a restaurant and is somehow getting rewards from the restaurant not the card? like steak and shake??? for instance if you pay with their app you get $5 for every 50. I typically purchase steak and shake gift cards at a 20% discount or more and get 2% cash back on top of it. Then load those into the app and get another 10% off in essence. Otherwise its only 3% with sams/aarp.

First you say the gift card receives gift card rewards, then you say the gift card carries no rewards.

You buy gift card at gas statioin. For gas CC, you get 3% or so gas rewards since $50 seems a legit gas purchase at gas station.

Then you use the gift card, or load the gift card into phone app. Use the balance to buy food, drink, coffee etc. You get certain amount of coupons for free food, after you spend $50 or so.

This is intriguing... I do something similar myself.

I buy gift cards each month at Kroger (usually when they're running a 4x fuel point promo) and I effectively get 6% off (cash back) for using my BCP... similar to what you're describing with the gas station. Until I got my Sam's Club MasterCard I would even buy Kroger GCs inside the store to use outside at the pump, so I could get 6% off my gas as well (that's no longer necessary, though).

I've never been able to get any more mileage out of them than that, though (not that I'm complaining). If there's an app that would squeeze even a few more points/cents out of the deal I would love to hear about it! I have used the Chick-Fil-A app to pay before, but it's cumbersome and a GC isn't required (you get the same 'deals' with any credit card).

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

BronzeTrader — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 02:38:04 GMT

If you get a couple of coupons for free coffee after spending $50, it is a good rewards AFTER you get regular CC rewards.

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

UncleB — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 03:00:08 GMT

@BronzeTrader wrote:
If you get a couple of coupons for free coffee after spending $50, it is a good rewards AFTER you get regular CC rewards.

Ah, I gotcha. I'm not a coffee person so that wouldn't apply to me directly, and as far as I know the places I frequent (with GCs or otherwise) aren't into coupons, with the notable exception of Chick-Fil-A if you use their app.

This thread is a good reminder to always be on the lookout for 'bonuses', though.

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

BronzeTrader — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 04:15:17 GMT

If you frequent certain chain regularly, there is certain loyalty program. I still need to find the chain I like. Not yet.

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 23:40:21 GMT

@UncleB wrote:
@BronzeTrader wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@BronzeTrader wrote:
From a friend.

He uses his CC to buy small amount ($50) gift card at gas station, and get gas CC rewards. Then the gift card is used as cash to buy food and receives gift card rewards. This works with any CC with 3% or 4% on gas. I'm sure a $100 gas station purchase does not look right.

Sounds like a good plan. The gift card can be used to buy gas, but carries no rewards.

sounds like you are saying he is buying a gift card for a restaurant and is somehow getting rewards from the restaurant not the card? like steak and shake??? for instance if you pay with their app you get $5 for every 50. I typically purchase steak and shake gift cards at a 20% discount or more and get 2% cash back on top of it. Then load those into the app and get another 10% off in essence. Otherwise its only 3% with sams/aarp.

First you say the gift card receives gift card rewards, then you say the gift card carries no rewards.

You buy gift card at gas statioin. For gas CC, you get 3% or so gas rewards since $50 seems a legit gas purchase at gas station.

Then you use the gift card, or load the gift card into phone app. Use the balance to buy food, drink, coffee etc. You get certain amount of coupons for free food, after you spend $50 or so.
This is intriguing... I do something similar myself.

I buy gift cards each month at Kroger (usually when they're running a 4x fuel point promo) and I effectively get 6% off (cash back) for using my BCP... similar to what you're describing with the gas station. Until I got my Sam's Club MasterCard I would even buy Kroger GCs inside the store to use outside at the pump, so I could get 6% off my gas as well (that's no longer necessary, though).

I've never been able to get any more mileage out of them than that, though (not that I'm complaining). If there's an app that would squeeze even a few more points/cents out of the deal I would love to hear about it! I have used the Chick-Fil-A app to pay before, but it's cumbersome and a GC isn't required (you get the same 'deals' with any credit card).

I go to Starbucks all the time, so I use my BCP to get 6% cash back at Kroger/Meijer for Starbucks gift cards, load the money onto my Starbucks gold card (a gift card), and I get stars for every purchase I make. With enough stars, I get free drinks at Starbucks of any value (I like to get quad, venti lattes, which run around $7-7.50 depending on what's in them). On top of that, right now Meijer is giving $5 cash back on purchases of $50 in gift cards. So, right now, all things considered I am getting around 25% cash back on my Starbucks purchases.

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

Scupra — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 23:44:31 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
@BronzeTrader wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@BronzeTrader wrote:
From a friend.

He uses his CC to buy small amount ($50) gift card at gas station, and get gas CC rewards. Then the gift card is used as cash to buy food and receives gift card rewards. This works with any CC with 3% or 4% on gas. I'm sure a $100 gas station purchase does not look right.

Sounds like a good plan. The gift card can be used to buy gas, but carries no rewards.

sounds like you are saying he is buying a gift card for a restaurant and is somehow getting rewards from the restaurant not the card? like steak and shake??? for instance if you pay with their app you get $5 for every 50. I typically purchase steak and shake gift cards at a 20% discount or more and get 2% cash back on top of it. Then load those into the app and get another 10% off in essence. Otherwise its only 3% with sams/aarp.

First you say the gift card receives gift card rewards, then you say the gift card carries no rewards.

You buy gift card at gas statioin. For gas CC, you get 3% or so gas rewards since $50 seems a legit gas purchase at gas station.

Then you use the gift card, or load the gift card into phone app. Use the balance to buy food, drink, coffee etc. You get certain amount of coupons for free food, after you spend $50 or so.
This is intriguing... I do something similar myself.

I buy gift cards each month at Kroger (usually when they're running a 4x fuel point promo) and I effectively get 6% off (cash back) for using my BCP... similar to what you're describing with the gas station. Until I got my Sam's Club MasterCard I would even buy Kroger GCs inside the store to use outside at the pump, so I could get 6% off my gas as well (that's no longer necessary, though).

I've never been able to get any more mileage out of them than that, though (not that I'm complaining). If there's an app that would squeeze even a few more points/cents out of the deal I would love to hear about it! I have used the Chick-Fil-A app to pay before, but it's cumbersome and a GC isn't required (you get the same 'deals' with any credit card).
I go to Starbucks all the time, so I use my BCP to get 6% cash back at Kroger/Meijer for Starbucks gift cards, load the money onto my Starbucks gold card (a gift card), and I get stars for every purchase I make. With enough stars, I get free drinks at Starbucks of any value (I like to get quad, venti lattes, which run around $7-7.50 depending on what's in them). On top of that, right now Meijer is giving $5 cash back on purchases of $50 in gift cards. So, right now, all things considered I am getting around 25% cash back on my Starbucks purchases.

You sound like my starbucks twin

Re: Credit Card -> Gift Card -> Rewards

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 00:10:33 GMT

@Scupra wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
@BronzeTrader wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@BronzeTrader wrote:
From a friend.

He uses his CC to buy small amount ($50) gift card at gas station, and get gas CC rewards. Then the gift card is used as cash to buy food and receives gift card rewards. This works with any CC with 3% or 4% on gas. I'm sure a $100 gas station purchase does not look right.

Sounds like a good plan. The gift card can be used to buy gas, but carries no rewards.

sounds like you are saying he is buying a gift card for a restaurant and is somehow getting rewards from the restaurant not the card? like steak and shake??? for instance if you pay with their app you get $5 for every 50. I typically purchase steak and shake gift cards at a 20% discount or more and get 2% cash back on top of it. Then load those into the app and get another 10% off in essence. Otherwise its only 3% with sams/aarp.

First you say the gift card receives gift card rewards, then you say the gift card carries no rewards.

You buy gift card at gas statioin. For gas CC, you get 3% or so gas rewards since $50 seems a legit gas purchase at gas station.

Then you use the gift card, or load the gift card into phone app. Use the balance to buy food, drink, coffee etc. You get certain amount of coupons for free food, after you spend $50 or so.
This is intriguing... I do something similar myself.

I buy gift cards each month at Kroger (usually when they're running a 4x fuel point promo) and I effectively get 6% off (cash back) for using my BCP... similar to what you're describing with the gas station. Until I got my Sam's Club MasterCard I would even buy Kroger GCs inside the store to use outside at the pump, so I could get 6% off my gas as well (that's no longer necessary, though).

I've never been able to get any more mileage out of them than that, though (not that I'm complaining). If there's an app that would squeeze even a few more points/cents out of the deal I would love to hear about it! I have used the Chick-Fil-A app to pay before, but it's cumbersome and a GC isn't required (you get the same 'deals' with any credit card).
I go to Starbucks all the time, so I use my BCP to get 6% cash back at Kroger/Meijer for Starbucks gift cards, load the money onto my Starbucks gold card (a gift card), and I get stars for every purchase I make. With enough stars, I get free drinks at Starbucks of any value (I like to get quad, venti lattes, which run around $7-7.50 depending on what's in them). On top of that, right now Meijer is giving $5 cash back on purchases of $50 in gift cards. So, right now, all things considered I am getting around 25% cash back on my Starbucks purchases.
You sound like my starbucks twin

starbucks has $10 free after reloading $10 with visa checkout until 12/31 or it sells out. Some have had issues with it so dont do it with 100% guarantee.

also, its usually better to buy gift cards from resellers although there is risk involved as with any investment.