Magazines.com
- My attempt to double dip by buying gift cards through the Ultimate Rewards Mall and then using the gift card through Big Crumbs failed. Big Crumbs reported 0 cash back for the transaction.
- I was ready to throw in the towel on Magazines.com when a reader named Anita posted comments on several Frequent Miler pages. She may have found a way to double dip: have one person buy a gift card for another person and have the second person buy magazines. Both would go through the Ultimate Rewards Mall to make these purchases. I’ll try this myself soon and report back.
- Anita also reported a conversation with Chase in which they asserted that magazines that auto-renew will receive points (despite the T&C implying otherwise). As others have speculated, Chase says that you will get bonus points for the original purchase, but when the magazines renew you won’t get additional bonus points. This is great news since many magazines are set to automatically renew.
Nook Giveaway
- Look for a post on Monday detailing how to enter for a chance to win the Nook I wrote about!
Groupon
- Groupon seems to have disappeared from the Ultimate Rewards Mall. Suddenly those Groupon Getaways don’t look nearly as appealing as they did a few days ago. Sigh.
Kiva DO
- If you’re interested in attending the Kiva DO March 9-12, please read about it here. If you decide you want to attend, please post your decision to that thread as well.
Staples
- Has anyone received results yet from buying gift cards at Staples.com through the Ultimate Rewards Mall? This can be a great triple dip opportunity if it works! Dip 1 = UR Mall 5X points; Dip 2 = 5X for Chase Ink Bold; Dip 3 = Use the gift card for more purchases through an online Mall (multiplier would depend on which merchant you buy from)!
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[…] my January 21 post, Weekend Update, I noted that Groupon had disappeared from the Ultimate Rewards Mall. Thanks to an alert reader, […]
Here’s the update on my Magazines.com purchases.
I’m not getting any love yet. Both purchases (made through my UR account and redeemed through my husband’s) have posted to his account only. It has been just under a week since the second one posted. It still might show up but I am not optimistic.
Anita
Anita: Does this mean that you still haven’t received credit for the purchase of gift cards? If so, I would definitely recommend contacting Chase. I’ve been trying to replicate your finding. As of this morning, I got credit for purchasing a gift card, but my wife has not yet received credit for using it. I’ll give it another few days before throwing in the towel.
@Greg The Frequent Miler. How do you keep track of all the stuff that you are doing all the time. Do you maintain a spreadsheet or what. I think I will go crazy with so much going on or at least my wife will think I am crazy.
caveman: It’s funny that you should ask! I was finding it hard to keep track of this stuff so I created the Frequent Miler Laboratory page as a way to keep track of it. My wife has known that I’m crazy for a long time so nothing’s new there 🙂
I have experience buying other merchant gift cards at Staples and getting both the UR mall points and the Ink 5x office supply bonus points.
Scott: that’s great news!
The problem with a Staples double dip is that unbelievably Staples does not allow you to pay with a gift card online. If someone has been able to use a Staples gift card online please post how to do it.
Jeremy E: great news! Thanks for sharing!
Scott: Yes, its bizarre that Staples only allows their gift card to be used in store! Luckily Staples sells other merchant gift cards online so you could (maybe) buy lands end gift cards at Staples for 10x (5x from UR mall and 5x from Ink Bold) and then use those gift cards thru UR mall or AA mall to get the third dip! There are many possible variations on this…
I purchased $300 worth of Staples gift cards on 1/1/12 and did get the 1500 Ultimate Rewards points credited to my account on 1/8/12.