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eBay 3x/5x Bucks + paying with discounted eBay gift cards + buying discounted gift cards + using a cashback portal = awesome!

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About the 3x/5x Bucks deal

If you signed up for eBay Bucks and eBay promotional emails, you should have received this deal. The email subject line is:

  • Special bonus─earn 3X eBay Bucks
  • Special bonus─earn 5X eBay Bucks.

Specifically, when you shop on eBay you can earn:

  • 6%/10% in eBay Bucks on every qualifying item of $50 or more

As for qualifying items, they do not include eBay gift cards, gold, cars, and similar items. All gift cards other than eBay gift cards are eligible for the bonus eBay Bucks. This deal lasts for two days, 2.16-2.17, based on Pacific Time.

If you didn’t receive it, or if you’re not sure how to use eBay Bucks, see this article:

What to buy

There are currently some merchants on eBay selling discounted gas gift cards, for example:

Of course, other eBay daily deals can also be good, such as iPad, iPhone, and so on. See here for details:

If you’re interested in other gift cards, you can also search for the ones you need, such as Target, Best Buy, Staples, and so on. Getting 6% or 10% back is still pretty nice.

How to buy

If you already have eBay Bucks and eBay gift cards

If you already have eBay gift cards on hand, just buy directly. Of course, don’t forget that you can first click through a cashback portal before making the purchase. Right now the best reliable portal is Splender, which offers 2% cashback on eBay purchases.

If you don’t have eBay gift cards

If you don’t have any eBay gift cards on hand, you can buy eBay gift cards from Raise, the discounted gift card marketplace. Right now, eBay gift cards are 2%-3% off.

Also, if your total Raise purchases have not yet exceeded $1,000, you may still be able to use a cashback portal, letting you earn cashback while buying discounted gift cards. If you don’t have one of the following portals yet, you may want to sign up:

Stack with the Upromise signup bonus for an extra $20

Right now, signing up for an Upromise cashback account can earn you an extra $20 bonus, and Upromise offers 1% cashback on eBay. If you haven’t signed up for this portal yet, it may be worth doing so and completing the signup requirement through eBay to pick up an easy $20.

How to cash out

If you end up buying something you actually need, that’s the best outcome. If not, consider buying gas gift cards instead.

Gas gift cards are a good liquidation option. On secondary gift card marketplaces, gas cards usually hold value pretty well. Since these gas cards are physical cards, if you want to resell them you’ll need to mail them, so I recommend selling through Cardpool. Cardpool provides free USPS shipping, while most other sites require you to pay postage yourself. If you don’t have a Cardpool account, you can sign up below:

Cardpool’s buy rate for Exxon gas gift cards is as follows:

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Don’t forget: when selling gift cards, you may also be able to go through a cashback portal:

Profit analysis:

  • 【+5%】Pay with eBay gift cards bought at 5% off (2% cashback portal + 2% Raise discount + 1% from your credit card)
  • 【+20%】Buying gas gift cards can get you (6%-10% eBay Bucks + 2% cashback portal + 8% off on the gas cards)
  • 【-9%】You lose 13% when selling, but get back 4% (sell at 87% and get 4% back from the cashback portal)
  • Overall profit is around 16% (of course it’s not a simple linear addition, but it’s pretty close)