How do I get all the money off a prepaid card?

[zzyzzx]

The trick is that you have to know exactly how much is on the card, then find a cashier that knows how to do it. The finding a cashier who knows how to do it being the hard part. I've used than at WalMart like that (and Texas Roadhouse). It just takes a bit of explaining up front.

[dhc014]

I felt bad using a $10 prepaid card at the gas station because I lost out on the 5% cash back I would have gotten if I had used my credit card. It did not work at the pump, I had to go in to the cashier and tell them to "put $10 on pump 7." Using it for an Amazon GC would have been a good idea had I read this thread first.

[AggieMom]

I got a $50 Visa GC today - took it to the grocery store and said "I have $50 on this card." The cashier applied the credit, I swiped the card and paid the balance with my debit card. How is that hard?

[klozoff]

Quote from AggieMom : I got a $50 Visa GC today - took it to the grocery store and said "I have $50 on this card." The cashier applied the credit, I swiped the card and paid the balance with my debit card. How is that hard?

Sometimes cashiers don't know how to do this. Also some smaller stores don't have systems that can do split payment. But yeah generally it's not that hard at most places, just takes some explaining ahead of time.

[noella]

I have done this many many times, the other day I used up $.03 on one card. Tell the cashier that you are doing split payments and the exact amount on the card you want to use up, and regardless of what they tell you they must punch in that amount before you swipe your card. If you have several with small amounts you can buy a gift card (like at a grocery store) because the minimum gift card is usually $5.

I have found that some stores have limits of how many split payments you can do in one transaction. At Walmart it's 5 and the rest must be paid in cash. At Kroger stores it's 3 before a manager's override is needed. I will admit that I've never done this with an Amex card so there might be different limits on that one.

[goldenone23]

gas station is the best with little change left.

[TheWoman]

Using up the visa cards I get from staples is easy at walgreens. You simply run them like any credit card and it uses up the rest of the card and gives you the new total--like a gift card would. That is the only store I know of where it works.

Or I take them back to staples and do split transactions. I don't mind making them pay the extra fees for using a bunch of cards.

[Mayday408]

It's been said already, but you don't have to go through all this BS gas station, amazon nonsense.

Just use split payment.

ANY place that has the ability to accept debit cards can do this. People complaining about finding the cashier to do this are terrible. Stop going to the 17 year old, 1st job ever person at walmart. Even then, it's not hard to do at all. Just pick a person that looks like they have common sense and you'll be fine.

Tell them the exact amount you want to pay on the card and no problem.

[alanisrox69]

I've noticed that when I shop at CVS and the VISA/Mastercard/AmEx Gift card doesn't have enough to cover the total of my order, their system seems to auto adjust what is charged to the card. I've not had this work anywhere BUT CVS. I had a Vanilla Visa (which actually are sold at CVS) and my total was $1.52, but my GC only had $1.09 on it, I swiped the card, it deducted $1.09, then said Balance Due $.43.........

but, I guess in most cases, the gas idea is best. They should be able to keep adding amounts to the pump to. So you can just tell them you want $10 in gas, and have them put $2 on this card, $2 on that card, etc etc.......I had a boatload of $10 Shell GC's a while ago and I told the attendant I wanted $50 in gas, and he just kept swiping the GCs and adding $10 to the pump each time.

-Derek-

[graybay]

I took my several cards and got stamps with them. Go when they are not crazy busy if you have several cards so they don't resent you (if you care to keep them happy i.e. if you ship a lot) and just ask for stamps in the exact amount. There are one cent stamps, two cent, $1.00 stamps, and plenty in between. Works great.

[JAB]

I usually just dump the entire gift card on my Starbuck's card. Its amazing how fast I can go through a Symantic $65 rebate card if spent on espresso's and fraps'

[bpvh]

Quote from whome : Take them to Staples or wherever the origin in and drive them nuts with a small purchase!

I use the cards were possible and then use up the remainders at Staples. My record is 10 cards on one transaction but of the receipts I could find the best is 7.

[SegaRob]

Quote from bpvh : I use the cards were possible and then use up the remainders at Staples. My record is 10 cards on one transaction but of the receipts I could find the best is 7.

you PM'ed one pack of the photo paper?

[billcsho]

I always transfer the full amount of the rebate card into my local grocery store gift card. I can actually combine multiple rebate cards into one gift card. There is no expiration date or management fee on my grocery store gift card. Moreover, I spend over $100 per week in grocery anyway.

Nevertheless, I'll not use the gift card on grocery until I fill up the $400 with 5% bonus cash back from Discover and we have 2 Discover Card accounts in the family.

[nintendoangie]

Quote from SegaRob : you PM'ed one pack of the photo paper?

I'm guessing he had a competitor coupon/offer for $10...?