Cash Rewards

Plenty of stores are offering a 'cash' reward system now... Gymboree, The Children's Place, Gap, Old Navy, Kohl's and more...

Essentially, if you spend a certain amount during the 'earning' period, you get a voucher to redeem during the 'redemption' period. This is great for the store because they entice you to come back and spend more, but many people forget when to redeem the reward or lose it. I recommend picking 1-3 favorite stores and getting very familiar with their program so you make the most of it.

I set a reminder on my phone and tried out the Gap, TCP and Old Navy systems recently and felt I did well, but I'm still learning with them. First rule is not to buy anything you don't need or is within your budget to buy to because you like it. This is to either earn or redeem the rewards. If you earn the rewards and can't use them, then give them to someone or sell them. What goes around comes around.

I also plan ahead and consider what kind of discount the reward is offering and restrictions. If it's $10 off a $40 purchase, that's only 25%. If it's $25 off a $50 purchase, that's 50%. Can you use a coupon with it? Can you purchase via a cash-back site like Ebates or Upromise? Can you get a discount gift card? If you think the final discount will be worthwhile, then look for a discount gift card once you've earned the reward so you'll be ready once the redemption time comes. Favorite sites are CardCash.com and MonsterGiftCard.com.

So here is an actual example for Gymboree's Gymbuck redemption. I needed to spend $50 to earn it and will need to buy $50 to redeem it. Be sure to keep both purchases as close to that $50 requirement as you can. If you spend $70 and redeem $25 then that's not 50% off anymore.

Gymboree currently doesn't partner with a cash back site so I can shop in store or online. Remember any shipping charges if you shop online. I already had a discount gift card from Cardpool.com that I paid 16% less than it's value. Here's the breakdown of my savings.

Actual retail value of the items I chose was $301.65, but it was already on sale for $156.88. Before even using my Gymbucks, I was averaging a 48% discount. You can't combine a coupon with a Gymbuck so next I used my 3 Gymbucks that totaled $75 to bring my purchase down to $76.88. Now, I'm at 75% off the full retail price. I also qualify for free shipping by having a minimum $75 purchase. Remember that if you pay sales tax, this has also reduced your taxable purchase by 75%. Now I pay with my discount gift card (note: if you want to try this, be sure you understand the difference between a merchandise credit and true gift card). I still pay Gymboree $76.88, but I only paid out of pocket $64.60 which is a total of 79% discount.

Consider other benefits too. I paid the tax with my gift card so I saved 16% on the tax. I bought the gift card with a visa where I earn miles so I earned that reward. Gymboree also has points for every dollar spent to go towards a different reward and I earned those too. It takes some planning and self-control, but 79% off is worth it! It's a savvy way to save money by stacking different methods to save.

Make the Most of Rewards - Plan Ahead

A popular feature of many rewards programs is to offer some sort of cash or bucks. I shop online a lot so the emails I get with promos are really overwhelming, but I do watch for the special rewards. Even when you've weeded out the sales ads, it can still be overwhelming.

Here is how it typically goes... you spent a certain amount of money so you've earned a certain amount that you can redeem only during a particular time period if you spend a certain amount in that transaction. Once you have a few of these, your eyes start to cross.

I have Gymbucks at Gymboree mastered. I know how it works to earn and redeem and the rules associated with them. Easy for me and I recommend getting very comfortable with one or two rewards programs from your favorite stores.

Right now on my phone I have $30 in Super Cash from Old Navy and $10 in a birthday promo from The Children's Place. I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of these programs, but I'm going to take 5 minutes to plan and give it a shot.

First, I check the redemption dates. The Children's Place code I can use now, but it expires on 1/31. Old Navy can only be used 1/21-1/29. Ok, with Siri's help, I have a reminder on my phone for 1/21.

Now, is there anything else I can do for a deeper discount? Yes! My favorite discount gift cards where I pay less than face value for a gift card. Favorite sites are CardCash.com and MonsterGiftCard.com. With Old Navy, I'm required to spend $75 for my $30 discount. I bought a $75 gift card for 8% off which was $69, but I was foiled on The Children's Place. They are sold at 15% off face value, but the only one in stock was for $140 and I only need to spend $40 to redeem my $10. If I shopped at TCP regularly, I would go for it, but this time I'll pass.

For Old Navy, I just need to wait for my gift card and reminder from Siri (and think about what I might need). Never buy anything, just because you have a coupon. For The Children's Place, I might as well go for it and see if there is anything I want now.

Of course, the next step is to access the website via a cash back site. My favorites are Upromise and Ebates. Simply by accessing Old Navy or The Children's Place via a cash back site, I can earn another discount.

Here's the initial breakdown:

Old Navy:
$30 off a & $75 purchase is 40% off
Cash back at 5% of $45 is $2.25 a total of 43% off
Purchase of a discount gift card is another 8% off the original purchase for a total savings of 51% off!

Now consider that I will also see if I can combine another promo code with this, but regardless, I will be only buying items that are on sale to start with. What started as 40% is now at least 51%. I'll let you know how it actually plays out.

I will browse The Children's Place site and keep you posted on how I work this. Right now the $10 off a $40 purchase is 25% off and I can get an additional cash back of 5%. Typically I consider a great deal to be at least 70% off. We'll see what I can manage :)

What if you can't use your rewards? Take a few minutes to earn some coupon karma. I'll tell you about it in my next blog.

Deals on Apple iPads, iPods and More

Deals on Apple products are few and far between. You have to be very savvy and spend time daily monitoring sites that seek out deals.

I have a trick to save a little extra on those high end electronics that rarely get discounted. First, I find a retailer that sells online. In this case, I've chosen Best Buy.

Then I find the best cash back website. My favorites are Upromise and Ebates. Upromise is connected with Sallie Mae and the cash back earned can be directed towards student loans or college savings. Upromise often has the higher percentage cash back, but I always check both. Today the cash back is 5%.

Next, I order discount gift cards. My favorite sites are CardCash.com and MonsterGiftCard.com. Discounts and supply vary so I always check both. Best Buy discounts average 4-6% off face value.

Let's break it down:

• 1 iPad Air is $499 full retail
• By accessing the Best Buy website via Upromise, I will get 5% cash back on $499. A savings of $24.95.
• I still need to pay the full $499 so I buy enough discount gift cards to cover the purchase.
• If I buy $500 in gift cards at 5% off the face value, I pay $475 for the cards. A savings of $25.
• That's a total savings of $49.95 or 10%. Not bad for a little extra effort.

A couple of other considerations:

• You don't need to pay or wait for shipping. I can order online and select store pickup. I get the 5% from the cash back site and can stop by my local Best Buy to pick up my item that day.
• If you pay sales tax and buy enough gift cards to cover the tax, you will get a discount on the tax as well.
• If you earn miles or other rewards with a favorite credit card, you can use it to buy your gift cards.
• I would still earn rewards at Best Buy for a $499 purchase.

Win, win, win, win, win!!!

Discount Gift Cards

Get gift cards for less at CardCash.com

Discount gift cards are one of my favorite bricks when stacking my tower of savings. It's simple - pay less than what it's worth. If I buy a $100 card for $80, that is a 20% savings off any purchase I make with that card. I know where I spend money regularly so I can plan ahead and get a discount. CardCash guarantees the value on the card.

Major retailers, restaurants, and entertainment such as movie theaters are featured on these sites. I have gotten discounts from 2%-22%, but the typical range for me is right in the middle of that. Here is an example of what I've bought:

Safeway - 2%
Costco - 2%
Best Buy - 5%
Old Navy/Gap - 10-15%
LL Bean - 11%
Dress Barn - 22%
Gymboree - 16%
Red Lobster - 10%
Applebees - 10%

The savings can really add up!

I have also seen cards for airlines, hotels chain, fast food. Many of these are also offered as e-Cards for online purchases. The possibilities are endless. Periodically, I browse through what is available and snap up what I might need. You can also have them email you a notice if they get a card from your preferred retailer. Compare discount percentages because they can vary.

Be aware that some of the cards you receive may be merchandise or store credit. Most retailers use these the same way they would an actual gift card, but some have restrictions. Know your favorite retailers' restrictions on those types of credit. A fairly safe way to spot a true gift card is those that are even numbers (i.e. $25, $50, $100, etc.).

Don't forget to use them!!

More Discount Gift Cards

Discount gift cards are one of my favorite bricks when stacking my tower of savings. There are several reputable, reliable websites where you can buy or sell gift cards. The first website I ever used was MonsterGiftCard.com and it's still the one I check first.

How it works is simple. They post available cards, their face value or remaining value, and the purchase price. If I buy a $100 card for $80, that is a 20% savings off any purchase I make with that card. I know where I spend money regularly so I can plan ahead and get a discount. The company selling you the card guarantees the value on the card.

Major retailers, restaurants, and entertainment such as movie theaters are featured on these sites. I have gotten discounts from 2%-22%, but the typical range for me is right in the middle of that. Here is an example of what I've bought:

Safeway - 2%
Costco - 2%
Best Buy - 5%
Old Navy/Gap - 10-15%
LL Bean - 11%
Dress Barn - 22%
Gymboree - 22%
Red Lobster - 10%
Applebees - 10%

The savings can really add up!

I have also seen cards for airlines, hotels chain, fast food. Many of these are also offered as e-Cards for online purchases. The possibilities are endless. Periodically, I browse through what is available and snap up what I might need. You can also have them email you a notice if they get a card from your preferred retailer. Compare discount percentages because they can vary. Another website I use is www.cardcash.com.

Be aware that some of the cards you receive may be merchandise or store credit. Most retailers use these the same way they would an actual gift card, but some have restrictions. Know your favorite retailers' restrictions on those types of credit. A fairly safe way to spot a true gift card is those that are even numbers (i.e. $25, $50, $100, etc.).

Don't forget to use them!!