Staples is giving a rebate on the purchase of gift cards this week. If you buy $300 or more of MasterCard gift cards in store between April 24 through April 30, 2016 you will receive $20 after easy rebate.
Usually Staples specifies that there is a limit of one rebate per customer or per household but the weekly ad does not mention this restriction. Staples might still enforce it however so personally I would not submit more than one rebate per household just to be sure.
The ad also does not mention if the $20 rebate will be a Staples gift card or a prepaid Visa gift card, but historically the Mastercard rebates give you a Staples gift card. I actually prefer Staples gift cards over the prepaid Visa gift cards – I usually sell Staples gift cards online and take the cash even if it is a bit less than the face value of the gift card.
How Much Can You Earn?
$20 is more than the fees you would incur for purchasing $300 of MasterCard gift cards so you would be earning some extra profit on top of points for using a credit card.
The amount of money you earn will depend on what gift card denominations you purchase. Staples stores sell MasterCard gift cards in $100 and $200 denominations with fees of $5.95 and $6.95 respectively. To minimize fees it would be best to buy the highest denomination gift cards you can find. Ideally, your local Staples store will carry $200 MasterCard gift cards (which is not always the case) – if they do the best way to maximize is to purchase 2 of the $200 denominations..
The best cards to use are those that earn 5% in office supply stores but you come ahead even if you use another credit card. (By the way, if you have an Amex card, check your Amex Offers. Last week, I signed up for an offer to get a statement credit of $25 for a $100 purchase at Staples.com.)
How Do Staples Rebates Work?
For anyone unfamiliar with the Staples Easy Rebates process here is how it works:
1. Buy at least $300 in MasterCard gift cards using your credit card at a Staples store. The cashier will hand you a rebate form with your receipt.
2. Complete and submit your rebate form. I like to do mine online at stapleseasyrebates.com and it only takes a minute or two.
3. A few weeks later you will receive your $20 gift card by mail.
