[Updated 2021.5] It’s already May! Just a reminder: don’t forget to use the semiannual Saks benefit on the AMEX Platinum Card and Centurion Card, as well as the Dell reimbursement on the Business Platinum Card. Right now, Rakuten is offering 15% cashback (15x MR) at both Saks and Dell, so if you miss these few days, it’ll be gone.
The Saks credit can be stacked with PayPal (you need to check out with PayPal—for example, a PP purchase of $80 can trigger both 30+50 in one shot), and you can also use PayPal Pay in 4 to maximize the May-June PP reimbursement.
- AMEX Platinum personal card and its co-branded versions [first-half $50 Saks credit]
- AMEX Centurion Card (Black Card) [$250 Saks credit each quarter]
- AMEX Business Platinum Card [first-half $100 Dell credit]
- A wave of AMEX Platinum money-making offers! With strategies [including PayPal reimbursement]
- PayPal | Introduction to Pay in 4, which can be combined with the AMEX Platinum Card PayPal reimbursement [only works for the PP reimbursement]
If you don’t have Rakuten yet, there’s currently a record-high signup bonus of $30/3K MR, so don’t miss it.
[The following was originally posted as a quick update on June 19, 2020]
If you’re interested in these cards, it’s still not too late to apply now and use the first-half benefits! Note that these benefits all require enrollment on the AMEX online account page!
Also, regarding Saks purchase strategies, if your only goal is to redeem the $50 credit, here’s one idea for reference:
- Go to a Saks store and buy an item worth $50 (the direct in-store method of buying a $50 physical gift card is basically dead)
- Keep the item, then go back to the store the next day and ask an associate to return it onto a physical Saks gift card (not a refund). This kind of return will not show up on your AMEX statement and has nothing to do with AMEX.
- Once you accumulate enough $50 gift cards, you can decide later whether to sell them or stack them for your own use.
- This method is officially allowed by Saks, but don’t abuse it. For items purchased online, you can also try returning them in store for a physical gift card, but success is not guaranteed. In short, YMMV.
If you just need to shop online, don’t forget to use a Shopping Portal. Recently, TCB has a small promo: spend $10, get $3 back (ends 06/21). Counted within the $50, that’s an extra 6%, and together with the current 4% cashback, that’s 10%! Also, don’t forget to use the complimentary ShopRunner membership that comes with AMEX cards for free 2-day shipping.
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