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Starting Sunday, June 16th, through Saturday, June 22nd, 2024, Staples will again have their lucrative FEE-FREE $200 Mastercard Gift Card promotion.
Usually, these gift cards cost $207.95 each, but with this deal, you can purchase these cards without the activation fee of $7.95.
Maximum of 5-8 cards per day per customer, depending on the store. In-Store Only.
Use a credit card that earns bonus points at Office Supply Stores.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card currently earns 5 points per dollar at Office Supply Stores, including Staples.
Why Buy These Discounted Gift Cards At Office Supply Stores?
With a 5X-earning credit card like the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, these discounted gift cards have the potential to generate an enormous amount of travel points that can ultimately be redeemed for discounted flights and free hotel stays.
When you use these gift cards to make regular purchases anywhere they are accepted in the United States, you will convert all of those purchases into 5X categories.
Let me illustrate how this Staples deal can be quite lucrative.
When you use a 5x-earning card to grab 8 of these gift cards at least four times during the promo period, you can earn upwards of 30,000 credit card points.
Check out the table below on how valuable these offers can be.
| Staples Visit | # of Cards | Cost | Total Points (5X earning card) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | $1,600 | 8,000 Points |
| 2 | 8 | $1,600 | 16,000 |
| 3 | 8 | $1,600 | 15,000 |
| 4 | 8 | $1,600 | 20,000 |
| Total | 32 | $6,400 | 32,000 |
Caution: Only purchase the number of gift cards you can use in the future. Since these purchases are charged to your credit card, please be mindful only to purchase an amount you can completely pay in full once your credit card bill comes around. It is not a good idea to pay banks hefty interest charges. Hence, do not employ this strategy if you anticipate challenges settling your bill in full on or before the due date. I will list the best ways to redeem these gift cards later in this post.
Steps on How to Maximize This Staples Promo
Step 1:
We announce these Staples gift card offers as soon as we know about them in our free Facebook Travel Miles and Points group.
Step 2:
Try to swing by Staples on the first hour of the first day of the promotion period.
These deals are extremely popular, so it is not unusual for cards to sell out fast.
Even though they run out quickly, some Staples stores replenish their supply mid-week, so I’ve also had success locating these gift cards later during the promo week.
Hence, it is recommended that you stop by the store a few times if your schedule allows or call the store before heading out to inquire if cards are available.
Step 3:
Purchase the number of gift cards you can realistically use and pay for when the credit card bill comes due.
Since this method is one of my primary sources of miles and points for free travel, I try to maximize this promotion by stopping by Staples a few times each week.
Therefore, I do my due diligence by ensuring I have adequate savings in my sinking fund that I can quickly deploy to pay off my credit cards before their due dates.
In short, I do not purchase beyond what I can afford.
Step 4:
Use these gift cards by utilizing the suggested methods in the articles below.
Since this is a Mastercard, it can also be used to send mortgage payments through Plastiq.
Related: Best Ways to Use Your Gift Cards
Related: Use Your Gift Cards to Pay for Taxes
Related: Use Mastercard Gift Cards to Pay for Mortgage Using Plastiq
Step 5:
Wait for the travel points to appear under your 5X-earning card, like the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card.
Since the Ink Business Cash is a no-annual-fee card, you have limited ways to use it for free travel.
Points earned from no-annual-fee cards can be mostly redeemed for cashback and can not be transferred to travel partners like Hyatt or United.
But if you have one of this bank’s premium cards, you can transfer your points to them so you can redeem your points for free or discounted travel.
Transferring your credit card points between accounts can be confusing if you do not know where to look, so this post will walk you through converting your cashback points to travel points.
Step 6:
Once your points are transferred to one of your premium cards, you can redeem them for nearly free travel by either using the bank’s travel portal (powered by Expedia) or transferring them to the bank’s travel partners.
Generally, I have been able to optimize both redemption paths in the past, but for the most part, I transfer my points to Hyatt since this transfer partner consistently gives me the best bang for my buck.
Or, I use it to transfer to an airline partner for flights on premium cabins (business or first class).
For example, I will be in the Maldives this summer and have been eyeing a stay at the Alila Maldives.
However, the property costs over $1,000/night, an amount I am unwilling to pay by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, the same room only requires 30,000 Hyatt points.
So, I transferred 30,000 credit card points to the World of Hyatt and then booked the room.
Thus, swinging by Staples 4 times this week will allow me to book this property for a night for FREE using points.
Step 7:
Determine if using the travel portal or transferring to travel partners is your best redemption pathway.
The article below provides examples of how you can compare both options to decide based on your preference.
Step 8:
Enjoy your free redemption!
And keep an eye out for the next office supply store deal!
Possible Issues
A. Initially, some Staples cashiers and managers were not familiar with the 8-card maximum per person policy. If they refuse to sell eight cards at a time, politely ask them to check the details of the ad posted at the store, which should clearly state that a maximum number of 8 cards can now be purchased per transaction.
B. It is not uncommon for some Staples stores to keep their $200 gift cards at their back office or behind the counter, so inquire if you cannot locate them on the shelves.
C. Make sure the cards you purchase do not have their serial numbers exposed or tampered with.
D. Before leaving the store, ensure that all the cards you purchased have successfully been activated.
E. This is in-store only. Online purchases will not trigger this discount.
Stacking Opportunity: Payce & Bank Offers
Payce
Another cashback app that you can use at office supply stores is Payce.
The critical thing to remember with Payce is that you must activate the deals each month to trigger the cash bonus.
Bank Offers
Check your credit card offers, as there might be a stacking opportunity with Staples during the promo week too.
How and Where to Use These Gift Cards
You can use these Visa gift cards to cover any of the below expenses:
- Costco (in-store, online, and gas)
- Estimated Taxes
- Medical Bills
- Utilities: Electricity, Water, Internet, Phone, Garbage, etc.
- Groceries
- Gas (you need to pay in the store)
- Auto Insurance
- Home Insurance
- Car Repair/Maintenance
- Restaurants
- Shopping (in-store and online)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When Does Staples Announce These Sales?
Staples releases their weekly ads every Thursday.
If you want to be among the first to know about these deals, click the button below to access their weekly ad.
2. How Often Does Staples Have These Gift Cards Sales?
Staples has been running Visa and Mastercard gift card sales about 1-2X per month.
We announce these sales at our free Facebook Travel Miles and Points Facebook Group. Join us there!
3. Do I Need to Register These Gift Cards Before Use?
It is not necessary to register these gift cards before use.
If the gift cards are not registered, you can complete your online purchases using any billing address.
4. When Should I Use These Gift Cards?
These gift cards are considered debit cards, so you can use them anywhere debit cards and credit cards are accepted in the United States.
This blog post has a list of ideas on where you can use these gift cards.
5. When Should I Not Use These Gift Cards?
We do not recommend using these gift cards in the following scenarios:
Do not use gift cards when purchasing high-ticket items that require purchase protection. Instead, I’d use a credit card that offers purchase protection or an extended warranty.
Do not use gift cards when you will likely need to return items in the future.
6. What Do I Do With Gift Cards with Odd Amounts?
Some stores like Costco, Target, and Walmart can drain gift cards with odd amounts.
Alternatively, you can load your Amazon Gift Card balance with the remaining amount on your gift cards.
7. What If My Gift Cards Do Not Work?
First, I would check the card’s balance to ensure there are no fraudulent transactions.
If you notice any irregularities, immediately call the number on the back of the gift card and file a dispute.
Register the card to your name and address if the balance is intact.
Wait for several minutes and then try to purchase again.
Final Thoughts
I am a huge fan of these promotions and try to take advantage of them at every opportunity.
Whether you are a seasoned travel points hobbyist or new to it, I highly encourage you to consider leveraging this method to accumulate a substantial amount of credit card points.
However, this is a gentle reminder to purchase only the number of gift cards you can comfortably pay for once your credit card statement arrives.
It is never a good idea to keep a balance on your cards and consequently pay high-interest charges.
That will defeat the purpose of this hobby, which is frugal travel.
Do you plan to swing by Staples this week too?
Hat Tip: Doctor of Credit
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE – Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. The content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.”
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