Cheap Jew Discussion: Loyalty Rewards Programs

[PLOL]

I'm a pretty big sucker for these loyalty rewards programs. Recently I've been trying to grind out Gold Star elite at Starbucks. To get a 'Starbucks Loyalty Card', just get a gift card and register it at Starbucks.com. Once you make 5 purchases you become "green level". The perks are actually quite good at green level. You can get syrups added to your coffee for free, and free refills on brewed coffees and teas. I'll usually bring my laptop and grind Starbucks for a while so I can get at least two refills on my visit. My usual is a tall medium-brewed coffee with caramel syrup added. [pro-tip: By default they give you '3 pumps' of syrup, but you can ask for more]. Without your card, the extra syrup would run you an extra 50 or 60 cents. And you get free refills on same store visits, which would normally be 54cents. So with my card, instead of spending $4+, my visit only costs $1.65+tax (at 55cents/cup of coffee, it's cheaper than McDonalds).

But here's where you can really get Jewy with your Starbucks card. You get a 'star' for every purchase you make, but it's not based on how much you spend or how many items you get. So sometimes I'll order a coffee and get a parfait. Well, if you just put it on your card and don't say anything you'll only get 1 star since it's only 1 purchase. In order to maximize your stars, just tell the barrista to separate it in to two purchases. And no, the barrista won't give you any attitude for doing this. It's an accepted practice, and if they say anything make sure you call corporate and complain. They'll likely give you a free drink for your trouble. There are other ways to get added Stars (some of which I'm pretty sure are frowned upon), but in the interest of not droning on and looking like a complete cheap Jew, I'll pass on talking about these more seedy practices that I may or may not engage in from time to time. Once you get to 30 stars you become "Gold Level" or as I call it "Gold Star Elite", in homage to the PokerStars loyalty program. Once you reach gold star you'll get a free drink of your choice (yes, go ahead and get one of their $8 drinks). And for every 15 stars you get after that you get a free drink. You'll also get a free drink coupon on your birthday (regardless of your star level). Once you reach Gold Star you'll get a personalized gold card mailed to you. I haven't confirmed this personally, but I heard a rumor that gold card members can slap the barristas in the face with their gold card without any type of negative repercussions.


Another loyalty card I recently discovered is the MyPanera card. Just ask a Panera associate for a card when you order and then you can register it online. As soon as you first register you'll get a 'free surprise'. For me it was a free pastry (I'm sure it's the same for everyone). Here's the aforementioned free treat I got:

(caption: They let me use my 'free pastry' towards a mufffin. In the background is my water cup filled with soda)

With a MyPanera card, instead of earning 'points' or anything like that, they simply give you free surprises every so often (based on how many times you've swiped your card). I've only used it twice so far but I already have a free drink on the card. From what I've read, they're actually pretty generous with giving out free rewards, and it's actually rare to not get a treat after swiping your card. They'll also give you offers like $1 off any drink, or something like that. I think free food (such as their delicious bread bowl soups) would be rare, but free coffee's, pastries, etc are the norm. And if you go to Panera, but forget your Panera card, you can enter the code on your receipt and get credit for that visit.

What loyalty programs are you a part of? Which give the best rewards? On a scale of 1 to 10, how cheap of a Jew am I?

PLOL, BRINGING THE HITS to the PFA forums.

[Fergie72]

I signed up for a Southwest Airlines Visa card in December while they had a promo for 50k free points. To give you an idea of the value, I used 17k of those points for a round trip flight to Vegas that would have cost me $330. All I had to pay was the $10 911 bs fee.

I now use the card for all of my daily purchases and monthly bills to earn more points. I then pay the bill in full each month to avoid the higher than average interest charges. I fly 3 to 6 times a year and my wife usually goes with me. I am pretty sure I wont have to pay more than 10 bucks a flight for any of our trips with this system.

If you can live without first class flying, this is the way to go imo.

[PLOL]

I signed up for a Southwest Airlines Visa card in December while they had a promo for 50k free points. To give you an idea of the value, I used 17k of those points for a round trip flight to Vegas that would have cost me $330. All I had to pay was the $10 911 bs fee.

I now use the card for all of my daily purchases and monthly bills to earn more points. I then pay the bill in full each month to avoid the higher than average interest charges. I fly 3 to 6 times a year and my wife usually goes with me. I am pretty sure I wont have to pay more than 10 bucks a flight for any of our trips with this system.

If you can live without first class flying, this is the way to go imo.

Oddly enough I was just about to apply for this. Definitely seems like a great deal

[Corrigan]

But here's where you can really get Jewy with your Starbucks card. You get a 'star' for every purchase you make, but it's not based on how much you spend or how many items you get. So sometimes I'll order a coffee and get a parfait. Well, if you just put it on your card and don't say anything you'll only get 1 star since it's only 1 purchase. In order to maximize your stars, just tell the barrista to separate it in to two purchases. And no, the barrista won't give you any attitude for doing this. It's an accepted practice, and if they say anything make sure you call corporate and complain.

Oh so you're just a complete dick to the Michael's of the world to get an extra star, just because you can?

[XteraveX]

sounds excellent i may have 2nd thoughts about my lifelong ban on ever making a purchase from Starbucks.

although i will go in there from time to time to read the paper and use the wifi, but not sure any longer if we even have access to wifi????

something about Starbucks evil corporate plan to corner the coffee market and drive out the mom and pop businesses that turned me off plus their high prices made me rebel.

I have no problem with Panera though.

[Dan Druff]

I signed up for a Southwest Airlines Visa card in December while they had a promo for 50k free points. To give you an idea of the value, I used 17k of those points for a round trip flight to Vegas that would have cost me $330. All I had to pay was the $10 911 bs fee.

I now use the card for all of my daily purchases and monthly bills to earn more points. I then pay the bill in full each month to avoid the higher than average interest charges. I fly 3 to 6 times a year and my wife usually goes with me. I am pretty sure I wont have to pay more than 10 bucks a flight for any of our trips with this system.

If you can live without first class flying, this is the way to go imo.

This is a great deal -- a lot better than when I ordered the Southwest card 2 years ago.

I hate Southwest, and don't want to give them any of my Jew $, but I don't mind taking free shit off them after what they did to me (basically stole $100).

Ken Scalir wanted to go to Lollapalooza in Chicago, but obviously didn't have the money. He begged me to get the Southwest card, which came with a free roundtrip anywhere in the country. I did so, gave him the flight, and shut down the card right afterwards.

But it sounds like you're getting 3 free roundtrips off the bat, whch is excellent.

[Crowe Diddly]

The Panera program is the nuts, I must say. No hassle, and they give you free shit. Tough to beat.

AS plol said, you'll get something free for signing up, likely the free pastry/cookie/whatever or free coffee/tea/drink, and you can sign up online. https://account.panerabread.com/MyPa...tration.action

A Panera moved in a few blocks from my house a couple years ago, and I've used the panera card for probably almost 2 years-ish. The other day I got lunch there, the drink was free. Most times its a free pastry or drink, but I've got a free breakfast sandwich and a free combo meal before there also, which even those of us not in the Tribe can dig. Don't know how they figure the rewards dollar-wise, and you don't get something free every single time, but it sure seems like every 2-3 at most. Think I got a free pastry for my birthday as well.

Best part about panera is its pretty much the only place you can go at 7:30 at night on a Sunday and pick up a fresh baguette. Even if they don't have any, they'll toss one in the oven and its ready in 8 minutes or something.

[NaturalBornHustler]

Southwest still has a good promo, 25,000 points with your first purchase.

http://creditcardforum.com/rewards/6...tant-info.html

Default Southwest Airlines Credit Card Review - Important Info!

Chase Southwest Airlines card

WARNING: The Southwest Airlines credit card is a popular choice for frequent fliers, but is the promotion for free flights too good to be true? Guess what... it's not! But there are still some important things you need to know in 2012 about the new program...

Southwest Airlines credit card review (the new Rapid Rewards Plus version)
The Southwest Visa cards are issued by Chase bank. Last year we saw the launch of the new Rapid Rewards Plus. It's available in both a consumer and business version.
Best Offer Available: Get a bonus of 25,000 points after your very first purchase
(that's enough for over $400 in "Wanna Get Away" airfare)

What is the annual fee?
The annual fee for this Southwest Airlines card is $69, which is comparable to many other airline credit cards. However unlike those other guys, this card comes with a recurring points bonus every year. On your cardmember anniversary you get 3,000 bonus points (that's enough to score you $50.00 worth of "Wanna Get Away" fares). So when you take that into account, the annual fee is actually quite reasonable.

How do the rewards work?
The old Southwest Airlines credit card rewards program was a bit more complicated. Fortunately the new program they launched in early 2011 is simpler and even better...

1 point per $1 on regular purchases
2 points per $1 on Southwest Airlines purchases (flights, in-flight food/beverage, etc)
2 points per $1 at partner car rental companies:

http://www.mychasecreditcards.com/so...65FOF499621800

FINE PRINT

2
Bonus Points

Rapid Rewards points can be redeemed for Wanna Get Away fares at a rate of 60 points for each $1 of fare price. You will qualify for and receive your bonus points after your first purchase. First purchase does not include using your account for balance transfers or cash advances, or using any checks that access your account. After qualifying, please allow 6 to 8 weeks for bonus points to post to your Rapid Rewards account. To be eligible for this bonus offer, account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. This one-time bonus offer is valid only for first-time Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards personal Cardmembers. Previous and existing Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards personal Cardmembers are not eligible for this bonus offer.

[Call_Station]

I also snagged that Southwest deal for the 50k miles. Pretty sweet, especially since the miles don't expire. I fully intend to cancel my card in a couple of months before every paying an annual fee. What will be interesting to see is they'll let me rinse/repeat and get the intro offer again. I've got to think they've got flags to prevent this, but I'll try it.

[Fergie72]

I also snagged that Southwest deal for the 50k miles. Pretty sweet, especially since the miles don't expire. I fully intend to cancel my card in a couple of months before every paying an annual fee. What will be interesting to see is they'll let me rinse/repeat and get the intro offer again. I've got to think they've got flags to prevent this, but I'll try it.

The annual fee was tacked on to my first statement I got. Are you sure you didnt miss it?

[PLOL]

I also snagged that Southwest deal for the 50k miles. Pretty sweet, especially since the miles don't expire. I fully intend to cancel my card in a couple of months before every paying an annual fee. What will be interesting to see is they'll let me rinse/repeat and get the intro offer again. I've got to think they've got flags to prevent this, but I'll try it.

They don't waive the annual fee for the first year.

[shortbuspoker]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/how-to...pital-one.html

Step 1: Get the Capital One Venture Rewards card. You can be a new or existing Capital One cardholder, as long as you don’t already have the Venture Rewards card. When I took advantage of this promotion last year, I simply called customer service and switched from another Capital One card to Venture Rewards. There was no credit check, and I immediately qualified for the promotion.

In short, you can participate unless you’re already a Venture cardholder. But apply soon because this deal expires when 1 billion miles are claimed or May 1, whichever comes sooner.

Step 2: Register for the challenge and submit a 2011 year-end summary from a competing travel rewards credit card.

Capital One will then give you two miles for every dollar you spent on that card, up to 100,000 miles. For example, show them a statement proving you spent $30,000 last year on a competing rewards card, and they’ll credit you with 60,000 miles. Show them you spent $50,000 and your reward is 100,000 miles.

Eligible rewards cards include all major cards offering rewards that can be redeemed for travel purchases (flights, hotels, rental cars, etc.)

Step 3: Spend a minimum of $1,000 on your new card within three months.

Step 4: Receive your miles and convert them into cash. If you’ve got 100,000 Capital One miles, they’re worth $1,000 toward any travel-related expense.

Simply purchase any airfare, hotel, cruise, car rental, or vacation package with your new Venture Rewards card. Then go to your account online and select the purchases you would like to be reimbursed for. It’s that simple!

[PLOL]

Panera really knocked it out of the park with this summer's Strawberry Poppyseed and Chicken Salad. The only problem is, it's pretty expensive. After tax it comes out to $9.15. Also, the lettuce is mediocre, but all the fruit and everything on it is always very fresh. Also, I only get their smoothies if I have a free one on my card, but I must say their Peach Nectar Smoothie is top of the line.

Also, Starbuck's new Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino is by far their best work yet. I'm usually too cheap to get their Frappuccinos, but I tried this when they had their 1/2 price Happy Hour promotion, and now I'm spewing on this pretty regularly. Definitely a giant leak in my Starbucks game, but I can't help myself.

[Steve-O]

The Panera program is the nuts, I must say. No hassle, and they give you free shit. Tough to beat.

AS plol said, you'll get something free for signing up, likely the free pastry/cookie/whatever or free coffee/tea/drink, and you can sign up online. https://account.panerabread.com/MyPa...tration.action

A Panera moved in a few blocks from my house a couple years ago, and I've used the panera card for probably almost 2 years-ish. The other day I got lunch there, the drink was free. Most times its a free pastry or drink, but I've got a free breakfast sandwich and a free combo meal before there also, which even those of us not in the Tribe can dig. Don't know how they figure the rewards dollar-wise, and you don't get something free every single time, but it sure seems like every 2-3 at most. Think I got a free pastry for my birthday as well.

Best part about panera is its pretty much the only place you can go at 7:30 at night on a Sunday and pick up a fresh baguette. Even if they don't have any, they'll toss one in the oven and its ready in 8 minutes or something.

Panera is one of the only chain restaurants I frequent.

Another good reward program is Big Lots (you should buy all of your household paper items and trash bags there, super cheap and all name brand!) as they give you 20% off your order after 10 orders of $25 or more, and you can bank these 20% savings! So basically you can go in and spend $300 in 10 trips, then go in and by an outdoor patio set and canopy for $800 (that you were going to buy anyway) and get $160 off.

[TheTemplar]

Price Chopper is a supermarket chain in the north east, that has a great reward program.

The advantage card shown below, is a store rewards card that gives you the coupon rate on items, without having to cut them out of the newspaper.




Now what makes this reward program different from others, is the perks you receive outside the supermarket. For every $20 you spend inside the supermarket, you get $0.10 off a gallon of gas, up to 20 gallons.



So if you spend $100 on groceries, the next time you go to a Sunoco gas station, your gallon of gas will now be $0.50 cheaper.

[Steve-O]

Price Chopper is a supermarket chain in the north east, that has a great reward program.

The advantage card shown below, is a store rewards card that gives you the coupon rate on items, without having to cut them out of the newspaper.




Now what makes this reward program different from others, is the perks you receive outside the supermarket. For every $20 you spend inside the supermarket, you get $0.10 off a gallon of gas, up to 20 gallons.



So if you spend $100 on groceries, the next time you go to a Sunoco gas station, your gallon of gas will now be $0.50 cheaper.

A lot of supermarkets here (the Northeast) were doing this last summer, I'm sure they'll start again after Memorial Day weekend. Once you start talking $.20/gallon you have my attention! But as I tell my wife, people get too obsessed with gas prices, she'll go to a gas station that is impossible to get into and out of to save $.05 a gallon, and no matter how many times I try to explain to her that it only amounts to $.50 saving she doesn't get it. I should post all of my Northern Italian tips for saving money in a new thread

[Baron Von Strucker]

i use the Alaska air lines credit cards for personal use 1 me 1 my wife and 1 for our USA account each card comes with a 25k air miles, they are also a very good carrier and will always get first class upgrade 24 hrs before the flight if there is space available for us.

[ThreeBet]

I'm a pretty big sucker for these loyalty rewards programs. Recently I've been trying to grind out Gold Star elite at Starbucks. To get a 'Starbucks Loyalty Card', just get a gift card and register it at Starbucks.com. Once you make 5 purchases you become "green level". The perks are actually quite good at green level. You can get syrups added to your coffee for free, and free refills on brewed coffees and teas. I'll usually bring my laptop and grind Starbucks for a while so I can get at least two refills on my visit. My usual is a tall medium-brewed coffee with caramel syrup added. [pro-tip: By default they give you '3 pumps' of syrup, but you can ask for more]. Without your card, the extra syrup would run you an extra 50 or 60 cents. And you get free refills on same store visits, which would normally be 54cents. So with my card, instead of spending $4+, my visit only costs $1.65+tax (at 55cents/cup of coffee, it's cheaper than McDonalds).

But here's where you can really get Jewy with your Starbucks card. You get a 'star' for every purchase you make, but it's not based on how much you spend or how many items you get. So sometimes I'll order a coffee and get a parfait. Well, if you just put it on your card and don't say anything you'll only get 1 star since it's only 1 purchase. In order to maximize your stars, just tell the barrista to separate it in to two purchases. And no, the barrista won't give you any attitude for doing this. It's an accepted practice, and if they say anything make sure you call corporate and complain. They'll likely give you a free drink for your trouble. There are other ways to get added Stars (some of which I'm pretty sure are frowned upon), but in the interest of not droning on and looking like a complete cheap Jew, I'll pass on talking about these more seedy practices that I may or may not engage in from time to time. Once you get to 30 stars you become "Gold Level" or as I call it "Gold Star Elite", in homage to the PokerStars loyalty program. Once you reach gold star you'll get a free drink of your choice (yes, go ahead and get one of their $8 drinks). And for every 15 stars you get after that you get a free drink. You'll also get a free drink coupon on your birthday (regardless of your star level). Once you reach Gold Star you'll get a personalized gold card mailed to you. I haven't confirmed this personally, but I heard a rumor that gold card members can slap the barristas in the face with their gold card without any type of negative repercussions.


Another loyalty card I recently discovered is the MyPanera card. Just ask a Panera associate for a card when you order and then you can register it online. As soon as you first register you'll get a 'free surprise'. For me it was a free pastry (I'm sure it's the same for everyone). Here's the aforementioned free treat I got:

(caption: They let me use my 'free pastry' towards a mufffin. In the background is my water cup filled with soda)

With a MyPanera card, instead of earning 'points' or anything like that, they simply give you free surprises every so often (based on how many times you've swiped your card). I've only used it twice so far but I already have a free drink on the card. From what I've read, they're actually pretty generous with giving out free rewards, and it's actually rare to not get a treat after swiping your card. They'll also give you offers like $1 off any drink, or something like that. I think free food (such as their delicious bread bowl soups) would be rare, but free coffee's, pastries, etc are the norm. And if you go to Panera, but forget your Panera card, you can enter the code on your receipt and get credit for that visit.

What loyalty programs are you a part of? Which give the best rewards? On a scale of 1 to 10, how cheap of a Jew am I?

PLOL, BRINGING THE HITS to the PFA forums.

Every person that comes in contact with you must absolutely despise you.

[PLOL]

Every person that comes in contact with you must absolutely despise you.

It's about 60/40

[PLOL]

Should have posted this earlier, but from noon until 3pm you can get a free tall Referesher Beverage (either Lime or Raspberry) at Starbucks. It's some new drink they came up with. It's decent.