ADVERTISER DISCLOSURE: The Frugal Tourist is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com and Cardratings. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. All information about the American Express Schwab Platinum has been collected independently by The Frugal Tourist.
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
The Office Depot/Office Max Visa Gift Card (VGC) Deal
Office Depot/Max is back with their regular discounted Visa Gift Cards (VGCs) deal.
This discount is only available for in-store purchases from November 24th through November 30th, 2024.
With this deal, $15 is instantly deducted at the register if you purchase at least $300 worth of Visa gift cards in-store.
This is a fantastic opportunity to help you meet the minimum spending requirement of a new credit card you just got approved for, as long as that card is not an American Express Credit Card.
You can also use a credit card that earns bonus points at Office Supply Stores.
Previous Office Depot Visa Gift Card Deals |
---|
27th Oct – 2nd Nov 2024 |
29th Sept – 5th Oct 2024 |
1st Sept – 7th Sept 2024 |
Office Depot Visa Gift Card Promo Updates
Date | Details |
---|---|
September 2024 | To maximize this deal, I buy nine cards X $200 per transaction. Each card has an activation fee of $7.95. Nine cards will total $1871.55. You get $15 off every $300, so $1871.55 will earn a $90 discount. The final amount is $1,781.55 after the discount, a net return of $18.45. |
June 2024 | Bring your driver’s license if you plan to purchase gift cards worth over $1,000. The cashier will need to input your details on their computer to complete the transaction. |
March 2024 | Stores can sell a maximum of 10 cards X $200 per transaction. Each card has an activation fee of $7.95. Ten cards will total $2070.95. You get $15 off every $300, so $2070.95 will earn a $90 discount. The final amount is $1,989.50 after the discount. This will have a net return of $10.50. |
August 2023 | When you purchase 6 X $200 Visa Gift Cards in one transaction, $60 will be automatically discounted. You must provide your driver’s license to complete purchases over $1000. |
May 2023 | When you purchase 3 X $200 Visa Gift Cards (total: $600 + activation fees), $30 will be automatically discounted. |
Office Depot Visa Gift Card Promo Stacking Opportunities
Stack 1: Dosh
Heads Up: Possible Account Suspension if Dosh notices that your purchases are mostly gift cards.
The ” DOSH ” cashback app also offers a 2% cashback for Office Depot/Max purchases.
Although Dosh states that gift cards do not earn cashback, my experience has been the opposite. However, make sure to add a few random items to prevent an audit.
Just be mindful that Dosh can claw back any cashback bonuses they’ve given at any time, so YMMV (your mileage may vary).
This deal is a wonderful opportunity to get travel points and earn up to a $30-discount simultaneously, but the possibility of receiving cashback from Dosh makes this deal even more lucrative.
Make sure you link the credit card you plan on using to your Dosh account before making this purchase.
Some data points (DPs) suggest that you would need the card linked 24 hours before your purchase, but my experience has been quicker.
The cashback is usually instant, and the maximum cashback from Office Depot per day is $10.
Stack 2: 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.
You must also link the credit cards on the app before purchasing.
Stack 3: Bank Offers
After setting up DOSH and PAYCE, check bank offers to see if they have cashback opportunities with Office Depot or Office Max.
They also typically offer these cash-back deals from multiple bank credit cards – both consumer/personal and business cards – so make sure to check all your credit card offers.
I use the Cardpointers Chrome Extension to add all my bank offers to my credit cards automatically so I don’t forget them.
Office Depot Visa Gift Card Promo Steps
STEP 1:
We announce these gift card deals on our Travel Miles and Points Facebook Group. It is free to join.
STEP 2:
- Set up Payce by linking the card you plan to use.
- Add/Activate any Office Depot/Office Max and bank offers.
STEP 3:
The following options will trigger the discount:
Option 1: Buy two (2) $200 Visa Gift Cards (VGC)
Option 2: Purchase one (1) $200 VGC and one (1) $100 VGC
Option 3: Buying 3 X $200 gift cards can trigger the discount twice. Thus, buying $600 worth of gift cards (3 X $200) in one transaction will give a discount of $30 ($15 X 2).
Option 4: Buying Everywhere Visas will also trigger this discount. I typically purchase Grocery Everywhere Visas, which can be easily used at Costco. Everywhere Visas have a lower activation fee ($3.95-$5.95). More details below.
Option 5: Buying 9 X $200 Visa Gift Cards (VGCs) will trigger the $15 discount 6 times for a total discount of $90.
Option 6: Buying 10 X $200 Visa Gift Cards (VGCs) will also trigger the $90 discount.
Options | Total Cost | With Discount | Profit |
---|---|---|---|
A. Two (2) $200 VGC for $207.95 each. | $415.90 | $400.90 | -$.90 |
B. One (1) $207.95 VGC and one (1) $107.95 VGC | $314.90 | $299.90 | $.10 |
C. Three (3) $207.95 VGCs | $623.85 | $593.85 ($30 off) | $6.15 |
D. Three (3) $205.95 Grocery Everywhere ($5.95 Activation Fee) | $617.85 | $587.85 | $12.15 |
E. Nine (9) $200 VGCs for $207.95 each | $1871.55 | $1781.55 ($90 off) | $18.45 |
F. Ten (10) $200 VGCs for $207.95 each | $2070.95 | $1,989.50 ($90 off) | $10.50 |
STEP 4:
Get the $15-$30 discount, instant cashback from Dosh, Payce, or bank offers, and credit card points with just one swipe of your linked card.
Bring Your Driver’s License |
---|
Bring your driver’s license if you plan to purchase gift cards worth over $1,000. The cashier will need to input your details on their computer to complete the transaction. |
STEP 5:
Since you can only get the $15-$30 discount once per visit, you can potentially repeat the process a few times during the promo week to accrue more travel points.
Pro-Tip |
---|
If no gift cards are left on the racks, ask any employee to check the back office. Sometimes, they forget to replenish when the cards on display run out. |
Everywhere Visa Gift Cards
As mentioned above, Everywhere Visa gift cards are another type of Visa gift card eligible for this promotion.
While not as flexible as regular Visa Gift Cards, some points enthusiasts might find the Everywhere Visa gift cards more budget-friendly as their activation fees are cheaper.
Several “Everywhere” Visa Gift cards are available in-store, but I only purchase two:
- Everywhere Grocery Visa Gift Card ($5.95 Activation Fee) – can be used at supermarkets, including Costco
- Everywhere Dining Visa Gift Cards ($4.95 Activation Fee) – can be used at restaurants and may be accepted at Costco
Office Depot Visa Gift Cards | Activation Fees |
---|---|
Visa Gift Cards | $7.95 |
Everywhere Dining | $4.95 |
Everywhere Grocery | $5.95 |
How To Use These Discounted Visa Gift Cards from Office Depot/Max
You can use these gift cards to cover any of the below expenses:
- Estimated Taxes
- Medical Bills
- Utilities: Electricity, Water, Internet, Phone, Garbage, etc.
- Groceries
- Gas (you need to pay inside)
- Auto Insurance
- Home Insurance
- Car Repair/Maintenance
- Restaurants
- Shopping (in-store and online)
- Costco Gift Cards
Caution: Only purchase the number of gift cards that you can comfortably use in the future. In this post, I will list the best ways to redeem these gift cards later. Also, since these purchases are charged to your credit card, please be mindful of purchasing an amount you can quickly pay in full once your credit card statement comes around. It is NEVER a good idea to pay banks hefty bills. Hence, do not employ this strategy if you anticipate difficulties settling your bill in full on or before the due date.
Office Depot Visa Gift Card Promo Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When Does Office Depot/Office Max Announce These Gift Card Sales?
The only way to know is to swing by Office Depot on a Sunday to determine whether they have gift cards on sale.
We also announce it on our free Travel Miles and Points Facebook Group.
2. How Often Does Office Depot/Office Max Have These Gift Cards Sales?
Office Depot/Office Max has been running Visa and Mastercard gift card sales about 1-2X per month.
As stated above, we announce these sales in our free Travel Miles and Points Facebook Group.
3. Do I Need to Register These Gift Cards Before Use?
It is not necessary to register these gift cards before use.
4. When and Where 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.
This blog post has a list of ideas on where you can use these gift cards.
6. How Many Visa Gift Cards Can I Purchase During the Promo Week?
You can purchase a maximum of 10 gift cards per transaction.
Final Thoughts
I am a huge fan of these promotions and try to take advantage of them at every opportunity.
I highly encourage you to do the same, mainly if you accumulate credit card points or need to meet a minimum spending requirement.
However, a gentle reminder is to purchase only the number of gift cards you can comfortably pay for 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 frugal travel.
Do you plan to swing by Office Depot/Max this week too?
ADVERTISER DISCLOSURE: The Frugal Tourist is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com and Cardratings. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. All information about the American Express Schwab Platinum has been collected independently by The Frugal Tourist.
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
USER-GENERATED CONTENT DISCLOSURE: The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.
So, 2 x $7 fee, + 1 @ $6 fee = $20. Discount = $15, so net cost is $5.
$320 – $15 = $305 charged.
@ 5x = 1525 CUR. Those are worth what, $23.
—please verify my math—
Is all the headache worth it for $23?
For some reason my replies came out as a new comment… I replied below.
Thanks for asking.
The post has a table that illustrates what you’ll earn.
I would only buy 2 x $200 VGCs = $1.1 return (after activation fees & $15 discount)
Dosh Cashback = $7.96 ($398 x 2%)
Total cashback = $9
Chase Ultimate Rewards = 398 x 5x = 1990 Chase UR, which is about $30 if it’s 1.5 cents / point.
Since I look for redemption options that are way more than 1.5 cents, those 1990 UR can have a value of over $30.
Total revenue : $39
Personally, it’s worth the headache since I use those points for premium cabin redemptions and Hyatt stays. But of course that is dependent on your travel goals. If you prefer cash back then this may not be worth the hassle at all 😉
Was able to do 4 200$ cards, 2 different transactions at my local OD with no issue. Got the 15$ discount on both orders and payed both with the same ink. They had no problem with me doing multiple and they had plenty in stock. Will definitely visit more often now.
Congratulations! That is quite rare! I need a store like that in my neighborhood 🙂 thanks for sharing your win!
Did you stack with Dosh? You could have gotten a maximum of $10 cash back with those purchases. I hope you did 🙂
I sure did!! Doing the same thing today, once I get off work.