Staples In-Store Deals: 16-count Duracell Coppertop Alkaline Batteries (AA or AAA) Free after 100% Back in Rewards, 8-pack Staedtler Maxum Bold Ballpoint Pens Free after $6 rebate

Quote from mathfaster : Yes, the coupon would reduce the battery rewards. It is a wash. Less OOP (including sales tax) but less in rewards back. The coupon will prorate to the Command hooks as well as the batteries but not affect the rebate but will give you back slightly more in battery rewards using it with the hooks than w/o.

So it does make sense to use it in this case because it also prorates the Command hooks without reducing hooks rebate. Repped and thanks...

Quote from tiga2009 : You are right. Looking at the receipt, I did what Mathfaster said. Printer was $99.99 and there was an instant Q of $50. Did a kiosk order and used app Q for another $20 off along with a comp Q for $10 that the cashier took off as a manuf Q. [update] In that transaction, I did not need manager override. The system attached the instant Q automatically.

Great. reps for checking all that. will try this on Sunday.

Quote from treMMor : I did that Staples deal too, to use that Q you had to order at the kiosk because the online price was the normal $99 with an instant discount to make it $50, but that instant discount isn't considered by the computer when deciding if you've met the requirements for the $20 app coupon. IIRC that is why it worked to get that printer for around $20.

thanks for confirming too. I am doing this on Sunday now. My Lexmark is too expensive for ink.

Quote from tiga2009 : ...[update] In that transaction, I did not need manager override. The system attached the instant Q automatically.

That is what I seem to remember. Recent change AFAIK. No manager override. Well relatively recent. Which is what makes this ever slicker.

Quote from mathfaster : No, AFAIK, B does not need to be a separate address. Just a separate AP/Amazon account. Not sure about issues with joint. My SO has a different banking account from mine in AP although both are joint accounts. There probably is an AP thread on sd but I was reading the one on fw. Not an expert on AP but IIRC it is better to not do constant $1,000 payments. Maybe someone else can chime in on that. Issues with moving money to B and then B back to A. One can add a card in B's name to A account and move money to B to avoid the B back to A issue. Never done that though. Just what I have read.

I do a lot of AP stuff. If possible, avoid large transactions e.g. > $~500. Anything over $550 or so gives me lots of pending messages versus instant transactions. If you can spread out to 3 payments of $300+ ea month, better. Try uneven amounts too $325.88, rather than $333.33 ea.

Some people do lots of tricks like different browser, IP addresses, etc. But honestly, AP works best if you have more than 2 people. A - B - C back to A is possible but A - B - A is extremely dangerous.

Combine this with a 5% earning card at Office supplies.... or the Chase Ink + UR points, it's a nice little stream on the side. I'll have enough saved up for a Hawaii trip in another 2 months.

Quote from stm69 : I do a lot of AP stuff. If possible, avoid large transactions e.g. > $~500. Anything over $550 or so gives me lots of pending messages versus instant transactions. If you can spread out to 3 payments of $300+ ea month, better. Try uneven amounts too $325.88, rather than $333.33 ea. Some people do lots of tricks like different browser, IP addresses, etc. But honestly, AP works best if you have more than 2 people. A - B - C back to A is possible but A - B - A is extremely dangerous. Combine this with a 5% earning card at Office supplies.... or the Chase Ink + UR points, it's a nice little stream on the side. I'll have enough saved up for a Hawaii trip in another 2 months.

What do you mean by this? 5% OM credit card gets you 5% at Amazon Payments?

Quote from Toad_Killa : What do you mean by this? 5% OM credit card gets you 5% at Amazon Payments?

AP is basically a way to generate free spend using a CC. You can send/receive $1K a month using a credit card, which can then be withdrawn to a linked bank account. Pay a friend, he withdraws, you earn points or cashback, rinse repeat.

The question is how to maximize the percent back. Amex Blue preferred 6% CB @ grocery stores, buy a variable load visa card for ~1% in $500 denominations and you get 5% overall. There are other iterations using Chase Ink cards at office supply stores. I use the latter because I use Chase UR points for travel, and effectively get a much higher return than 5%.

AP is but the tip of the iceberg. There are lots of other methods of generating free spend involving a plethora of prepaid cards and other more laborious spend mechanisms like ATMs and PIN based debit transactions. But there's a lot to be made too.

This probably already has its own thread here but in case you miss it and you have a Penfed credit card, they are running a 6 month 0% APR on purchases at electronics stores through 12/31/12. Staples is included on the list of eligible stores. This could be useful for buying those $100 mastercards, if like me you aren't in the best position right now to shell out $1000 OOP up front, without a good plan to quickly use up those cards. It's $40 less cash back than using a Chase Ink card but you get 6 months float time...

Quote from mathfaster : The wording is what everyone is grappling with. IMO as stated previously, it would be worth it to me to purchase a $200 card and see what rebate one gets. Then go back and do however many for however much up to the limit depending on what works. Anything to reduce those fees and make this more a MM. Gcs cannot be returned/refunded so you really need to know what works. Yes, 10x$100 should definitely work. One transaction or 10? One would think one transaction for 10 would work. Yep. That is what someone got as answer as well from Staples in this weeks thread who contacted them. Fw person threw cold water on their opinion. Hence, the test transaction for $200.

I did this last year and I had to fight with them to get $20..
what the rebate center said was if u buy $200 you only get $10...coz its $100 or more..
so DON'T buy $200 giftcard..thinking you would be entitled for $20 staples gc...

Quote from Yummyyyy : I did this last year and I had to fight with them to get $20.. what the rebate center said was if u buy $200 you only get $10...coz its $100 or more.. so DON'T buy $200 giftcard..thinking you would be entitled for $20 staples gc...

thanks. Someone on fw bought 10x$100 and got $100 in rebates so that seems to work. $200 cards seem hard to find in any case. If I had a Chase Ink cc this would be more profitable.

HEADS UP!!!

There is a 75cents off any 1 COMMAND PRODUCT coupon in the SmartSource insert in Sun 10/7 newspapers!

I have Chase Ink but I probably will use the Amex Starwood to meet the spending requirement for the bonus.

UOTE=mathfaster;53740162]thanks. Someone on fw bought 10x$100 and got $100 in rebates so that seems to work. $200 cards seem hard to find in any case. If I had a Chase Ink cc this would be more profitable.[/QUOTE]

I bought 2x$100 and the rebate form shows only one rebate ("Rebates you're eligible for using this rebate redemption form: 1"). Purchased the rest one-by-one. Will see if I can fight to get two for the first purchase.

Quote from mathfaster : thanks. Someone on fw bought 10x$100 and got $100 in rebates so that seems to work. $200 cards seem hard to find in any case. If I had a Chase Ink cc this would be more profitable.

I'm amazed to see that the Command manufacturer coupons are included in a PDF on their web site rather than requiring coupon printer software and generating unique coupons. That means Command doesn't seem to care about limiting it to 1 or 2 per person.

what that coupon for? for hooks?

Quote from Baguda : I'm amazed to see that the Command manufacturer coupons are included in a PDF on their web site rather than requiring coupon printer software and generating unique coupons. That means Command doesn't seem to care about limiting it to 1 or 2 per person.