PSA: buying with CC points doesn't always get you your extended warranty

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Just an FYI as I had a friend just call me to see if she could do anything about a laptop she bought with AMEX points that should have been still covered under the extended warranty the card offers.

Apparently AMEX and others do not extend their warranty nor price match guarantees to items bought with points.

HTH.
 

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
126
This is why I like my CC cash rebate instead of points. Just cash out from 1% to 5% FTW.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Points are still more profitable in the long run if you buy stuff.

I don't rely on warranty/price matches.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
For my visa I get cash. If you use points to buy something like a gift certificate, you not only lose the extended warranty you also lose getting 1% - 3% back on the new purchase since you used the gift certificate instead of charging it.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
well points are usually better ramping up than cash back for my purchases.

I don't rely on the extras though.
 

FleshLight

Diamond Member
Mar 18, 2004
6,883
0
71
Who the hell doesn't get gift cards with their points? Getting electronics usually gives you a terrible points redemption ratio
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
The point redemption things are terrible. For X amount of points I could get $100 cash back or an item worth $40.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
you guys must have shitty cards. My Citi Rewards are fucking terrible, I don't even bother.

For my real deals. gift cards have a major penalty for any decent merchant other than restaurants or services.
 

mnewsham

Lifer
Oct 2, 2010
14,539
428
136
Amtrak reward points were good until they changed the amount of points required for trips.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Amtrak reward points were good until they changed the amount of points required for trips.

all the carriers did this...our 4 first class tickets to Japan and back to Florida got reduced to 1 coach round trip.

Utter bullshit especially when our points weren't earned on 'the real estate boom' dollars.

We both travel regularly since 198x.
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
21,463
5,940
136
I always chose the cash back option, netted $1500 last year. Pity Wells Fargo ended the program.
 

DaTT

Garage Moderator
Moderator
Feb 13, 2003
13,295
118
106
I had a VISA Aventura Gold card which used to have amazing rewards....at the cost of $160 per year. But the rewards were awesome. The most expensive reward was a diving excursion to the Titanic, and the next was a flight in a MiG fighter jet.

I had enough points for a weekend at BMW driving school (wife used the card for work so points accumulated quickly), just when I was to cash in on that, they changed all their rewards to garbage. I was pissed but I ended up with $690 in Home Depot gift cards in the end.

I switched to a credit card with 1-5% cash back and no yearly fee. I choose my credit cards based on rewards.
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
you guys must have shitty cards. My Citi Rewards are fucking terrible, I don't even bother.

For my real deals. gift cards have a major penalty for any decent merchant other than restaurants or services.

Why don't you tell us what rewards program gives better shopping redemption ratio vs cash/gift cards?
 

wiredspider

Diamond Member
Jun 3, 2001
5,239
0
0
For the extended warranty to work, you have to buy all of it on the CC. So if you use GC to cover part of it, the extended warranty won't work.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Why don't you tell us what rewards program gives better shopping redemption ratio vs cash/gift cards?

gift cards are usually always going to be the worst thing to go with.

Usually if you get points, you don't get cash also.

The cards I get 3-5% cash back are the best rewards, however; I don't know of cards today that offer 5% each month on a set thing anymore. When it's gas or groceries that's the best bang for buck for me. When it's home furnishings or some other random thing, not so good.

Most cards the best point to gift card ratio is 100 : $1...some dilute the points by not rewarding one point for every dollar or excluding some purchases.

I can usually turn in points for a better than 100 : $1 ratio at certain merchants.
 

DaTT

Garage Moderator
Moderator
Feb 13, 2003
13,295
118
106
Our cash rewards (wife has a similar card) gets paid out in December of each year.
 

T2urtle

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2004
3,432
3
81
I only use my amex on purchases on electronics so I'm good to go, least I hope so... never attempted to use it.

Since amex cut back on their cash back program I barely use it.

TapaTalking
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
I only use my amex on purchases on electronics so I'm good to go, least I hope so... never attempted to use it.

Since amex cut back on their cash back program I barely use it.

TapaTalking

AMEX is actually one of my best points cards. The ratio is crappy on Amazon, but I shop there a lot and to me it's free money.

I don't get cash back on almost anything AMEX though.

Citi IMHO has the worst point system. I flagged their emails on what my points can earn as spam so I never see them. Nothing is free based on points. You always have to pay something and that something is usually what you can find it online for.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
My old Citi card gave me 1% cash back on everything. My new Chase card isn't much better. I get 1% back on everything and then 5% cash back on a couple of categories that change each quarter.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
My old Citi card gave me 1% cash back on everything. My new Chase card isn't much better. I get 1% back on everything and then 5% cash back on a couple of categories that change each quarter.

Yeah my ghetto chase card while steady at 1% cash back only has a few usable 5% slots.

This time it's 5% on groceries though, I will stockpile a bit more.

the 2012 calendar is more interesting than previous offers

Gas/Amazon was the first. Grocery/movie theatres second (current). Gas/Restaurants third, and finally Hotel/airline/Best Buy/Kohls.

first was awesome. I fill up every 3rd day and shop Amazon weekly.

Second is also great, I don't go to the movie theatre though. Not too enjoyable.

next quarter I will profit a lot. We eat out more now and again I always am filling up.

The last one is hit or miss. If I end up traveling I will profit. Best Buy is usually a losing situation...they are overpriced but convenient. I shop there for last minute items.

Kohls is good especially around the holidays.