Do you take advanatge of offers on your debit or credit card that aware points?
By sedel1027
@sedel1027 (17846)
Cupertino, California
February 11, 2010 9:52am CST
I was telling my husband last night that our rewards fee for my debit cards was coming up soon and how it is such a great program. I joined the program in January 2009, just for 2009 - on every day purchases and paying bills - I cashed out for $300 worth of giftcards. I paid for dinners out, trips to Target, even a few Christmas presents just by using my card. Since 2010 started, I have cashed out for $50 in Target giftcards.
Does your bank offer such a deal? If so, do you take advantage of it? Do you feel it is worth to pay a small fee every year to make money?
If you do use the programs, do you try to stack your purchases with other deals? For example with online purchases: going through Ebates for cash back, plus using a coupon and paying using your card to get points too. Or use your rewards wisely: cashing in for a gift card then waiting for an awesome sale - or even a "cash back" gift card so you make more off the deal?
2 people like this
8 responses
@illfavors (590)
• United States
12 Feb 10
I just recently signed up for my debit card free rewards program. I haven't earned enough points to get anything yet, but I know it will add up because I use my card to pay my higher priced bills and I use it as credit so the points will add up.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
12 Feb 10
Thats is one thing I do every month, I have some of our bills set to autopay using my debit card. Unfortunately, not the highest ones (car notes) wish I could though.
@sleepylittlerose (1648)
• United States
11 Feb 10
What a great deal for your. My bank does not offer any points program on my debit card but they have a great high interest checking program when you use your debit card as a credit card. I make a little over 4% interest with this program. And as far as combining online deals and coupons I will do it every chance I get. I will buy a gift card online and get the points; then when the card comes in I will wait for a sale and go on and buy the items I need, getting points again. Gotta love being able to get points twice for the same purchase.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
11 Feb 10
The bank offers something with a savings program too, but we keep our savings completely separate (out of sight out of mind lol) so that doesn't really help us.
I stack every place I can get it from. Target I have found is the best for that. This week they have Quaker Oatmeal products on sale and they are buy 5 get a $5 gift card. There are Quaker Oatmeal coupons available for $1 off the instant or regular oatmeal (this includes express "oatmeal to go" cups). Target happened to have the Oatmeal Express cups on sale for $1.02, use 5 $1 off coupons, pay $.10 for the oatmeal and get a $5 gift card back. If you used a gift card or pocket change to buy the oatmeal, that purchase was technically free and you made $5 in giftcards.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
11 Feb 10
I do have a point awarding credit card and a cash dividend card. On the first one, I am saving up for a big purchase so I do not use them to take advantage of. However if one is talking about coupons, be there store coupons, I try to use them on the buy one get one free day, or on the double coupon offers. I do sometimes get a gift coupon or gift card, and usually I buy something that is on sale with them so then I get a better offer.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (71884)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
11 Feb 10
No, I don't really. Every time I activate a new debit card I get asked if I want to, but the "prizes" wouldn't be worth it and it would take a lot of "points". I do have a point system through my bank that seems a bit more effective and that's what I use. I don't like having to spend money if I can help it.
1 person likes this
@dmrone (746)
• United States
11 Feb 10
Hi! My bank doesn't offer rewards for using our debit card. The only type of rewards program my bank offers is through their debit/credit card, so it has to be used as a credit card and it is very limited as to what you can use it for to get rewards back. I don't think i would use it if it weren't free. I do use ebates, and i try to combine coupons with purchases to try to help out saving a little more. I have noticed that mypoints is offering to their members a way to sign up their debit cards to help earn more points good for gift cards. I did check it out, and the small number of stores that are available to earn from is very limited.
@slbwyc (63)
• Singapore
12 Feb 10
i just apply for my debit card on january and got it last week. i am not very sure about any adcantage about the use of debit card. maybe you can tell me more about it. Also i have some suggestion from my father that it is better not to abuse debit card, otherwise i will suffer from the debt. i am not very sure about this ,can you tell me more?
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
12 Feb 10
A debit card is not a credit card, you can not rack up any debt, the money you use to pay comes directly from your checking account. If you are worried about your Dad having debt, get him a pre-paid credit card that will only allow you to use the fund that are added to the account (ie if you put $100 on the card, you can't use $125)
