[geeks] [rant] New rebate "checks"

[Lionel Peterson]

On Tue, Apr 14, 2009 at 2:09 PM, Bill Bradford <mrbill at mrbill.net> wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 14, 2009 at 01:43:39PM -0400, Lionel Peterson wrote:
>> I bought an iPod a few years ago with two AMEX $100 gift cards, a
>> BestBuy giftcard and some "Reward Watch" coupons - it wasn't fun
>> watchint the clerk run around the store finding out how to use all
>> them to pay for the iPod...
>
> Use the debit cards (if Apple will allow it) to buy Apple gift cards.
>
> Use the Apple gift cards to buy the Apple product of your choice; they
> *will* allow multiple ones to be used:
>
> http://consumerist.com/242734/update-apple-will-sell-you-a-computer-if-youve-got-too-many-gift-cards

Going through the exercise of consolidating several debit cards into
one is roughly equivalent to just giving one cashier the dozen cards
and asking her to "deal with it", as far as my personal effort is
involved, but spreads it out over several transactions:

First transaction:

combine two $10 debit cards with one $30 debit card, "making" one $50 gift card

Second transaction:

combine three $10 debit cards and a $20 debit card, "making" one $50 gift card

Third transaction:

Two new $50 cards plus a $100 gift card and one more $50 card becomes
a $250 gift card

Now I've got 9 less debit cards, but $250 for apple, BB, whatever and
I've made a new friend at the counter (the cashier) and likely one new
enemy (the fellow waiting behind me for the cashier).

Lionel

-- 
Lionel Peterson
lionel4287 at gmail.com