Double and triple-dipping

[kgtest]

Curious how others apply the double-dipping, and triple dipping methods.

For instance, I buy groceries, when I do I get points redeemable towards gas. If I use a grocer gift card I get 2x the points. SOO, to quadruple dip, I use my cashback credit card to buy a gift card, then use the gift card to buy groceries. This gives me 2pts for every $1 I spend from the gift card. Then I use the points at a qualifying gas station that redeems 100pts for 10cents off/gal. I can rack up 60-80cents/off a gallon each month just by doing something I already do...buying groceries. I also first grab the coupons before I shop so I am really saving FIVE (5) different ways!

Another way I double-dipped was using the Chevy dealers cash back incentive, and then using my military discount to get even more money off the purchase of a new truck. If you use your GM credit card I think there might even be additional incentive. I will look into that for the next vehicle but this double-dip saved me over $10,000 off the cost of a new truck!

Finally, travel. I book a car rental through CostCo Travel which saves me $$ off the rental, I then pay attention to rental prices and update the reservation if the price drops even further. At the time I pay for the rental I use my Arrival card pts to reimburse my travel expense and the car rental is essentially free.

I would be curious to see how others double, triple, or even quadruple dip.

 

[PhrugalPhan]

Not quite the same type of things, but two years ago I got $300 of Wal Mart gift cards using points from a sign up bonus from a credit card (I don't go there very often). I also needed to spend left over money from a Flexible Medical Spending Account (FSA) from my office. Around $300 as well. I also need new eye glasses. So I went to Walmart, got an exam and new glasses. Used the gift cards to pay for the glasses. Took the receipts for the glasses and submitted them for reimbursement with the FSA which cleared out the remaining balance.

So by using the CC for my usual expenses, by putting money into an FSA, and what would have netted me $200 ($300 - 33% taxes) in a paycheck I got:

• An eye exam
• 2 pair of eye glasses
• $300 cash.

I think that was pretty good stacking.

 

[FUEGO]

Buy lowe's gift cards online or through deals at 7-15% off retail prices. Then buy a 10% off coupon at ebay for a buck or two. Then find a good sale at lowe's. Then shop through a shopping portal (which may or may not award points if using a coupon) and use a cash back credit card.

Quadruple or quintuple dipping? All I know is we saved about $700 on 10 new windows ($1600 instead of $2300).

 

[kgtest]

Very creative FUEGO and PhrugalPhan. Brownie points to the folks who get the most creative lol

 

[athena53]

Our best deal is getting 2% back on our Fidelity Amex while we use it to buy at Costco, where our Executive membership gets us another 2% back. (DH got hearing aids last year so we knew the extra membership cost would be worth it.)

 

[kgtest]

Our best deal is getting 2% back on our Fidelity Amex while we use it to buy at Costco, where our Executive membership gets us another 2% back. (DH got hearing aids last year so we knew the extra membership cost would be worth it.)

I heard from someone that CostCo will be dissolving the Amex partnership. Not sure if this is true or not.

 

[MichaelB]

I heard from someone that CostCo will be dissolving the Amex partnership. Not sure if this is true or not.

Yes. Details here, including the card Costco plans to use in replacement. http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/costco-and-amex-breakup-75886.html

 

[athena53]

Yeah, we're going to have to take a serious look at whether or not to apply. If they go with MasterCard we'll have to do something since we don't have one of those.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Restaurant gift cards at Costco for 20% off, use 2% back Am Ex, 2% back Executive club membership and use the card during happy hour when prices are 50% off.

Annual memberships to gardens or museums with reciprocal privileges (AHA, NARM, ROAM or ASTC) through a daily deals site like Groupon or a similar program for 50% off, using a coupon, a cash back portal and a cash back card.

Entertainment books on sale, through a cash back portal using a cash back card. We use the buy one get one free meal coupons almost weekly. Love those Entertainment books and online coupons! We get half off many of our favorite places and we don't have to buy the coupons in advance like a Groupon certificate. I buy several Entertainment memberships / books a year, sometimes for places we are going on vacation.

 

[liveanon]

My best deal was buying a hybrid when the government was offering the sales tax deduction. I bought it through a buying service at work that started the price at invoice and my employer offered incentives to buy a hybrid. The price was invoice - manufacturer incentive - employer incentive - tax credit for buying hybrid - sales tax deduction benefit. So quintuple dip I guess. Net was 35% under invoice. Unfortunately they wouldn't let me charge the whole thing or I would have got a cash back bonus for that too.



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[PatrickA5]

I play the points/miles game as a hobby. Just got through making our summer vacation plans for a week in July. So, 6 first class plan tickets, 7 hotel nights and a week of a SUV rental car. If I were to pay the going rate: $8,779.06. I'm paying $33.60. Not bad for a little hobby. I do something similar every summer, but this is the first time I've done the first class plane tickets. Usually, we save around $3,000.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I play the points/miles game as a hobby. Just got through making our summer vacation plans for a week in July. So, 6 first class plan tickets, 7 hotel nights and a week of a SUV rental car. If I were to pay the going rate: $8,779.06. I'm paying $33.60. Not bad for a little hobby. I do something similar every summer, but this is the first time I've done the first class plane tickets. Usually, we save around $3,000.

Good work. My goal for this year is to fund some travel and use the rest for home improvements. I'm working on a card with 50,000 miles for $1K in spending. It is like getting paid to do my normal shopping and bill paying.

 

[TrvlBug]

My favorite is the 20% off I get at Costco for Peets coffee ($80 for $100 worth of cards). I stock up when it's on sale for $70 for $100, getting the 2% Executive membership discount as well as my 2% Fido Am Ex discount!

$-wise, I'm over $1K ahead charging all our to date remodeling on the 2% Am Ex or Visa cash back cards.

 

[txtig]

I just received an email from Amazon. They're offering a $10 Amazon credit for each $50 dollar Amazon gift card purchased. Nice deal!


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[ivinsfan]

I just received an email from Amazon. They're offering a $10 Amazon credit for each $50 dollar Amazon gift card purchased. Nice deal!


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Was that a targeted email and a legit offer? I've never seen that kind of discount on Amazon gift cards.

 

[martyb]

Apparently very targeted. I found the link for it, which seems legit. When I arrived at the actual Amazon.com site, I got a message that said "unfortunately you are not eligible for this promotion". I do shop some at Amazon, but I guess I'm not a high roller. I'm a Prime member, and my wife gets a lot of books from them for her Kindle. Honestly though, I think she reads more free books from them than she actually buys. We probably make maybe 5-6 purchases a year of various things.

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