not hot, probably nm 20% off credit card program (good at target, circuit city,...)

[DrPizza]

Just got one of those annoying telemarketting calls for a program I could enroll in with my credit card...
I was half asleep when they called, but with the program, I get :
a $25 gift card for Target for reviewing the program
20% off purchases at Target, and a list of other stores (Lowes, circuit city, see lower post for more)
edit:
Main Street Savings
limit 20 $25 gift cards per retailer, $5 back at end of month for each card.
That means... savings is maxxed at $100 per retailer.

 

[olouie]

too good to be true... i would be careful if i were you...

not to flame, but just pointing out that this would be way too good. maybe its 20% off your first purchase etc

 

[wjones]

Many different type of programs offered by this company

The one you are talking about should be Galleria. NO Staples and BB though.

 

[MontyBurns]

Well, this has been discussed here several times, with some people raving about it and others saying it's a giant scam. Anyone actually using this that can offer us some insight?


For one thing, looks like you don't save a penny unless you spend $51 a month at these stores. The first $10 (20% of $50) goes to them.

 

[DrPizza]

Yeah, I realized that means I have to spend at least $50 to break even with the card...
But, as I've been looking at tv's the last couple weeks, trying to make up my mind on a tv,
Getting an HD projection TV for about 1800 means I'll get $360 off... If I hadn't been planning on a big purchase, I would have told them no immediately.

 

[DrPizza]

I just glanced at the Galleria program... sounded very similar to that program although that's not the name they used. And, I do remember the 50% off eyeware, and a couple other things. I figured that maybe since I only had a $500 limit on the card they called in regard to, they figured that I would never be able to come out ahead in their program. Now, I've gotta find out what the actual list of retailers is.... I've got some large purchases coming up (like a couch that I put a deposit on).... it'd be great to get 20% off there too! 🙂

 

[MontyBurns]

Also: I noticed in the fine print that on some retailers, you don't just get 20% off whatever you buy, but rather you can buy gift cards at a 20% discount. So basically it would be nearly impossible to truly get 20% off, unless you were making a purchase in the exact denomination of their gift card.

Anyways: Just be careful.

 

[Stealth]

Does the program work for Gift Certificates @ BestBuy?

 

[DrPizza]

Thanks, Monty, that's exactly what it is...
I called the number, heard "thanks for calling Main Street Savings", hung up and went right to the internet.
I have to purchase the gift cards, in multiples of $25. I get the $5 back for each card at the end of the month, as long as I'm still a member of their club.
Sounds like a huge hassle to me unless you're going to make a big purchase.

Good at: Blockbuster, circuit city, home depot, jcpenney, kmart, target, toysRus, red lobster, bennigans, olive garden, lowe's, foot locker, barnes and noble, a bunch of theatres.

I'll use it once, then get rid of it...
Oh, and gift certificates are limited to 20 per retailer per member family each membership year.
That is major suck, because that's only $500... I'd only be able to save $100 and be locked into one of those stores....

 

[Jeraden]

Anyone ever get around to trying this program? My wife got a telemarketing call for this program from her credit card last month (Citibank). They'll sign you up for $11/month for the essentials gold program. They told her some misinformation I think (or else she didn't understand it properly) and she ended up signing up. Has the 30-day trial period though. We just got the packet for it yesterday, which didn't really have any helpful info in it - you gotta call up still to activate your membership. I don't think you get to see the full list of stores unless you login at their site.

Anyways, I was looking at the site and its only $80 to sign up for a whole year directly. Citibank is charging $11/month = $130 year, so they are ripping us off right there. But I was thinking, since the programs limit you to only so many GCs per retailer per year, and you won't get the rebate within the 1 month trial anyways, it might be a good thing if it was billed month. Buy all my GCs now, cancel in maybe 3 months, so then I'm only really paying $33 for the full year of benefits instead of $80 (or $130).

So I'm planning on giving it a shot, but wanted to see if anyone actually tried it out yet. How longs it actually take to get the $5 credited back for each GC?

 

[DrPizza]

I seem to think I ordered it, but I know I called later for more clarification. Seems to me that I decided to get it for 1 month, get the $25 gift certificate, then cancel. But, I haven't heard anything from them since... I'll need to check on this right away, since my first "trial" month is almost over, and some of those companies like to do the "$11 per month" all in one shot. IMHO, it wasn't worth it.... as per the first post, you can save a maximum of $100 per retailer... It costs that much just for the enrollment. If you knew in advance that you'd be spending that much at several of the retailers, buy the maximum you would spend per retailer during the first month, wait til you get your money back (allegedly during the next month), then cancel.

 

[Jeraden]

Just wanted to resurrect this now that I've tried it. I'm fairly pleased with the program, especially if you can get in with your credit card for a monthly fee instead of billed a year in advance. The deal is you buy the gift cards and they credit you back the $5 at the end of the billing cycle. Fortunately they are true to their words, as my very next credit card statement had the refunds posted to it. If you spend a lot of money, I personally think this is a scorching hot deal. Sadly I've already bought $1500 in gift cards ($300 of it refunded). The other aspects to the program are fairly useless though, the only thing worth using are the gift card portion of it.

Through Citibank I was offered the essentials gold program. There are like 5 different identical programs, just with different stores. Unfortunately essentials gold doesn't offer Circuit City. The worthwhile stores for me are: Target, Kmart, Toys R Us, Lowes, Home Depot, JC Pennys. A bunch of others I've never heard of, so I'm assuming they are a west-coast stores or something. I also got a couple Footlocker ones to go with that 30% friends and family coupon from a couple weeks ago.

So if you are wary about it being scammy, I wouldn't worry. I'm glad I signed up, even though I have tons of money tied up in gift cards now. I've already got my money's worth as I had to buy a $600 item from Lowes a couple weeks ago. With $500 worth of gift cards, I saved myself $100 off that purchase which I would have been making anyways. Going to max out on Home Depot cards now I think and then cancel the program. If you order 5 or more cards from the same retailer then they priority-mail them to you so you get them quick. 4 or under they just standard mail them. Plus the aforementioned free gift card for signing up makes it a good deal.