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How I Scored free Shoes.
I guess Converse All Star Canvas Low-Top Sneakers are cool again?
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One of the benefits of the American Express Platinum is $100 a year reimbursed for shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue. In reality, it is $50 bi-annually. Since we got our AmEx Platinum in the second half of December, we were able to “Triple Dip” on the benefits. We received $50 in Dec 2021, $50 Jan-June 2022, $50 July-Dec 2022 and if we act fast we will be able to use $50 in Jan 2023 before our next annual fee is due. We can then decide to pay the fee and keep the card AFTER utilizing this and other perks that reset with the calendar year.
Not only are the shoes free, by spending about 30 extra seconds, I actually got a small profit on the transaction.
Boosting deals via shopping portals
Shopping portals are a lot like miles, points, and cashback, as they are a way to get a few (or more) percent back on your spending.
01
Check CashBackMonitor
There are many cashback shopping portals, each with individually negotiated deals with realtors. To make sure you are using the shopping portal with the best deal, quickly search your retailer at cashbackmonitor.com. As you can see, the shopping portal RetailMeNot was offering 10% cashback!
02
Visit the Best Shopping portal.
Go to RetailMeNot (or whatever portal has the best offer) and search the retailer. You may need to set up an account. Click on the retailer, in this case Saks Fifth Avenue. The shopping portal uses cookies to track your visit to the retailer. Then, in the background, it asks Saks for confirmation that you made a purchase and the amount. Then they credit your account the appropriate cash back. Note, this can take several weeks to months, and it doesn’t always track correctly. But about 90% of the time, the right amount of cash is on your way.
03
Make your Purchase
Now just search the retailer for the item you want and make your purchase as usual. Don’t forget to check for any other deals. In this case, I was a new Saks customer which means I received an additional 10% off. Occasionally the use of promo codes or purchasing clearance items may cause the shopping portal not to pay out, but most of the time it still goes through.
04
Watch Your statements & Cashback Account
I’ve already received the shoes, 10% off, AmEx $50 reimbursement and all that is left is the shopping portal. The shoes cost $55 before tax. After tax, then 10% off, AmEx $50 reimbursement and 10% RetailMeNot cashback, I actually net a small profit of about $2. Not bad for a few extra clicks.
This information was independently collected by FlyFreeMD. The issuer did not provide the details and is not responsible for their accuracy. We strive to provide accurate information at the time of writing, however please confirm the details with the card issuer prior to applying.