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Staples is offering, once again, one of their lucrative FEE-FREE $200 Visa Gift Card promotions between March 5-11, 2023.
Typically, these gift cards cost $206.95 each, but with this deal, you can purchase these cards without the activation fee of $6.95. Maximum of 8 cards per day per customer. In-Store Only.
If you are new to this points accumulation strategy, this related post will walk you through the process.
Why Buy These Fee-Free Visa Gift Cards At Staples?
With the right credit card, these discounted gift cards have the potential to generate an enormous amount of Chase Ultimate Rewards Points that can ultimately be redeemed for discounted flights and free hotel stays.
Let me illustrate how this Staples deal can be quite lucrative.
When you use the no-annual-fee Chase Ink Cash® Credit Card to grab 8 of these gift cards at least four times during the promo period, you can earn upwards of 30,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Check out the table below on how valuable these offers can be.
| Staples Visit | # of Cards | Cost | Total Points (with the Ink Cash) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | $1,600 | 8,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards |
| 2 | 8 | $1,600 | 16,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards |
| 3 | 8 | $1,600 | 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards |
| 4 | 8 | $1,600 | 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards |
| Total | 32 | $6,400 | 32,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards |
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 to only 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 out the best ways to redeem these gift cards later in this post.
Steps in Maximizing This Promotion
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 that cards 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 during the week.
Hence, trying to stop by a few times at the store, if your schedule allows, or calling the store before heading out to inquire if there are cards available is recommended.
Make sure to pay using a credit card that earns 5X per dollar at Office Supply Stores, such as the Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card.
Step 3:
Purchase only the number of gift cards you can conveniently pay off completely.
Since this method is one of my primary sources of miles and points for free travel, I try to stop by Staples a few times during the promo week.
Therefore, I do my due diligence by ensuring I have adequate savings in my sinking funds that I can quickly deploy to pay off my credit card before its due date.
In short, I do not purchase beyond what I can pay once the credit card bill arrives.
Step 4:
Use these gift cards by utilizing any of the suggested methods in this article.
Step 5:
Wait for the Chase Ultimate Rewards points to appear under your Chase Ink Cash® Credit Card account.
Since the Chase Ink Business Cash is a no-annual-fee card, you have limited ways to use it for free travel. Points earned from Chase’s no-annual-fee cards can be mostly redeemed for cashback.
But if you have any of Chase’s premium, annual-fee cards, namely the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card, and Chase Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card, you can transfer your Chase Ink Cash points to any of these premium cards to redeem them for free or discounted travel.
Transferring your Chase points between accounts can be pretty confusing if you do not know where to look, so this post will walk you through the process of converting your cashback points to travel points.
Step 6:
Once your points are transferred to any of Chase’s premium cards, you now have the flexibility to redeem your points for free travel by either using Chase’s travel portal (powered by Expedia) or transferring to Chase’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 Chase 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).
Case in point, I will be in the Maldives this summer and have been eyeing to stay at the Alila Maldives.
However, the property costs over $1,000/night, an amount I am not willing to pay by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, the same room only requires 30,000 Hyatt points.
So, I transferred 30,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards 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 Chase portal or transferring to travel partners is your best redemption pathway.
The article below provides examples of how you can compare both options to make a decision that is suitable for your particular situation.
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 Visa 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, so if you do not have Staples near you, sorry! Online purchases may not trigger this discount.
Credit Card Strategies
OPTION A: CHASE INK BUSINESS CASH
As mentioned above, purchase these gift cards using a credit card that gives a bonus in office supply stores, specifically the Chase Ink Cash® Credit Card, which gives 5 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar.
The Chase Ink Business Cash is currently offering an all-time high bonus of 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards after spending $6,000 in 3 months. Aside from earning 5 points at office supply stores, it also gives 5 points per dollar on internet, phone, and cable charges.
The best part is that this business card does not charge an annual fee. You can read more about its current generous offer here.
As previously stated, if you purchase 8 of these $200 gift cards each time you visit Staples this week, you can get 8,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points at each visit ($200 X 8 cards = 1,600 X 5 Ultimate Rewards Points = 8,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points).
Heads Up: If you plan to use the Chase Ink Business Cash card for 5X category spending, then you need to monitor how much total spending you are doing as there is a cap of $25,000 spend on combined 5x categories per cardmember year. Thus, if your total purchases exceed $25,000, you will only receive 1X per dollar for the amount exceeding the $25K threshold. The article below will walk you through calculating your total spend on 5X categories.
Refresher: 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) Point from a no-annual-fee card like the Chase Ink Business Cash is equivalent to only 1 cent if you withdraw your points as cashback. Alternatively, if you have one of the 3 premium Chase cards (Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, or Ink Business Preferred), you can transfer your UR points accrued from Ink Cash to these premium cards in order to access more lucrative redemption options such as transferring to airline and hotel partners. If you want to know more about how to transfer your Ink Cash points to the aforementioned Chase premium cards, here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
Fraud Alert
If you are using your Chase Ink Cash to buy gift cards for the first time, make sure you have your phone with you, as Chase may send you a fraud alert via text. Once you verify who made the purchase, Chase will approve the transaction, but the cashier may have to scan the gift cards again.
OPTION B
Use a credit card that earns a bonus when you purchase at Office Supply Stores.
Since the Chase Ink Cash only provides 5 points per dollar on up to a maximum of $25,000 per cardmember year on combined office supply, cable, phone, and internet charges, the card is not recommended when you exceed this $25,000 threshold as you will only earn 1 point per dollar then.
Hence, I recommend pivoting to other business cards that reward a bonus at office supply stores.
Pro-Tip: It is possible to hold multiple Chase Ink Cash cards. Feel free to ask us how at the Travel Miles and Points Facebook Group.
United Business Card
UNITEDSM BUSINESS CARD: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
- 2 miles per $1 spent on United purchases
- 2 miles per $1 spent on gas stations, office supplies, and restaurants (including eligible delivery)
- 2 miles per $1 spent on local transit and commuting
Learn more about this United Business Card offer here.
OPTION C
Meeting a minimum spend requirement for a credit card you recently got approved for.
But, do not use an American Express Credit Card as AMEX claws back bonuses if spending requirements were met by buying gift cards.
Stacking Opportunity 1: Payce
Another cashback app that you can use at office supply stores is Payce. The important thing to remember with Payce is that you must activate the deals each month to trigger the cash bonus.
Stacking Opportunity 2: Chase Offers
Check your Chase 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)
- Buying Groups
When Does Staples Announce These Sales?
Staples releases their weekly ads every Thursday.
You can click the button below to access their weekly ad if you want to be one of the first to know about these deals.
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 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
However, this is a gentle reminder to only purchase the number of gift cards you can comfortably pay once your credit card statement comes around.
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 free 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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