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Degeneerit
Penny Sorter Member
43 Posts |
 Posted - 12/22/2009 : 15:30:30
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Is there anyway to convert the gift cards to cash without taking a hit so we dont have to pay 8.9 cents on the dollar?
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beauanderos
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
2408 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 20:00:04
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I thought of this idea, but haven't tried it. Pick a coupon that has an outlet near you and then dump ALOT of pennies. Then grab your big coupon and go to that store and wait for someone to pay cash, then step in and offer them the coupon, either for a dollar or two discount, or just ask if they would let you pay and give you the cash. Nother idea.. what if you went to someplace like Lowe's and spent a large amount, paid with a coupon, waited a day and returned the item? Wouldn't they give your cash back? Are they going to issue another coupon? Has anyone tried these ideas or something similar?  |
Hoard now and hold on!
http://coppermillions.blogspot.com/
http://wherewillyoubein2012.blogspot.com/ |
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Zyll
Penny Pincher Member
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 21:01:50
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First idea would work, second idea definitely would not. When you return an item, they give you a gift card back for the amount you originally paid with the card. And if you return without receipt, you definitely won't get cash, AND you run the risk of not getting full credit back. If the item you bought went on sale before you returned it, without a receipt you can only get back the sale/clearance price. quote:
Originally posted by beauanderos
I thought of this idea, but haven't tried it. Pick a coupon that has an outlet near you and then dump ALOT of pennies. Then grab your big coupon and go to that store and wait for someone to pay cash, then step in and offer them the coupon, either for a dollar or two discount, or just ask if they would let you pay and give you the cash. Nother idea.. what if you went to someplace like Lowe's and spent a large amount, paid with a coupon, waited a day and returned the item? Wouldn't they give your cash back? Are they going to issue another coupon? Has anyone tried these ideas or something similar?
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beauanderos
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
2408 Posts |
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HoardCopperByTheTon
Administrator
USA
6807 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 22:20:18
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There are even a few members here with too much equipment who would be happy with that deal.  |
If your percentages are low.. just sort more. If your percentages are high.. just sort more.
Now selling Copper pennies. 1.6x plus shipping. Limited amounts available. |
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cesario
Penny Pincher Member
129 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 22:26:14
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quote:
Originally posted by beauanderos
Nother idea.. what if you went to someplace like Lowe's and spent a large amount, paid with a coupon, waited a day and returned the item? Wouldn't they give your cash back? Are they going to issue another coupon? Has anyone tried these ideas or something similar?
This idea won't work: Many store return policies will often dictate tit-for-tat. Pay by Cash/Check (after a few days wait), get cash back; CC paid, get a chargeback. Pay by Gift Card/Gift Slip/Store Credit, your limited to either an exchange or store credit. Many stores now also require you to retain the receipt/get gift receipts for everything. No receipt = No credit.
Also, you run the risk of being red-flagged by the store if your return habits are extremely suspicious. Many stores now monitor customer spending habits and look out for chronic/suspicious returns. Minor small returns spread out over months won't get you red-flagged, but a huge return/constant returns will get you red-flagged. |
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simplicitycounts
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 23:47:59
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| I'd be happy to buy $100.00 in zincs for $95.00 paper money any day of the week. It'd be tough to get them to northern Minnesota I have a feeling though. |
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misteroman
Administrator
USA
2565 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 23:56:24
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| I'd buy the zinc too for That price. And as far as getting people in line to buy it, no one is going to be bothered to save $2-3 bux. Maybe if you had a $500 GC then yes they may want to save $25 but not a buck or 3 |
Buying CU cents!!!! Paying 1.2 unlimited amounts wanted. Can pick up if near Ohio area. |
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jtm3
Penny Pincher Member
USA
187 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 00:06:55
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| Me, I would just offer it to a neighbor. Explain the benefits. They make a couple of dollars and have savings in a variation that is a lot less likely to spend on a whim. Who is going to take 50 or 60 rolls of pennies with them to the mall or even to the car(trip to the bank)? Yes maybe us, but we aren't normal. Plus that is nearly pure zinc bullion, and you could use the same arguement for that as you could for copper(face value plus possible rise in zinc price). |
Copper Cent Hoarding Wiki
coppercenthoarding.wikia.com
+637 posts |
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beauanderos
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
2408 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 05:55:50
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| how about if you offered the coupons on Craigslist for two percent savings and waited until you had a buyer, cash in hand who specified what coupon he wanted. Only then would you go and redeem your zincs and give them the coupon. You aren't out anything but the trouble of the craigslist ad? |
Hoard now and hold on!
http://coppermillions.blogspot.com/
http://wherewillyoubein2012.blogspot.com/ |
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knibloe
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1066 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 06:40:30
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Two thoughts for me:
1. I buy $50 in softner salt every month, so I could dump that much and get a Lowes coupon. I will need to see what else I can get there. We do need a new washing machine.
2. I have a friend who is a contractor. He might take the cards off of my hands.
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Degeneerit
Penny Sorter Member
43 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 07:26:32
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| Its too bad the silver on Amazon isn't fairly priced. That would be the perfect thing to flip the gift card into. Wait for a small rise in silver and take it to the coin shop for cash to get more pennies. |
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misteroman
Administrator
USA
2565 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 07:43:21
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| I offerered 7% off Lowes gift cards on ebay and got 1 reply in a month asking if I would sell for 25% off and I was throwing in a 10% off coupon as well and nothing. That's 17% off. Told them I would meet them at the store to verify first and everything. I can get lowes/HD GC's for around 13% off and was trying to make a few bucks |
Buying CU cents!!!! Paying 1.2 unlimited amounts wanted. Can pick up if near Ohio area. |
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BOHICA
Penny Sorter Member
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 12:34:49
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| There is a new web site that allows you to trade and sell gift cards. It is called "Plastic Jungle". Here is the web address: You must be logged in to see this link. |
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fasteddy
Penny Collector Member
USA
298 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 13:47:12
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| I can always use Lowes GC's...I am in the process of remodeling bathrooms and surely could use a discount. PM me if you want to trade. |
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Degeneerit
Penny Sorter Member
43 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 14:20:01
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| Its too bad the silver on Amazon isn't fairly priced. That would be the perfect thing to flip the gift card into. Wait for a small rise in silver and take it to the coin shop for cash to get more pennies. |
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highroller4321
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 14:27:28
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quote:
Originally posted by beauanderos
I thought of this idea, but haven't tried it. Pick a coupon that has an outlet near you and then dump ALOT of pennies. Then grab your big coupon and go to that store and wait for someone to pay cash, then step in and offer them the coupon, either for a dollar or two discount, or just ask if they would let you pay and give you the cash. Nother idea.. what if you went to someplace like Lowe's and spent a large amount, paid with a coupon, waited a day and returned the item? Wouldn't they give your cash back? Are they going to issue another coupon? Has anyone tried these ideas or something similar?
I have done this a few times with gift cards I have been given that I dont want. Works everytime! Just make go ask a cashier to to print out a reciept that says the amount on the gift card.
However, there are better ways to dump zincs besides coinstar. |
Copper Penny Investing
www.portlandmint.com |
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jadedragon
Administrator
Canada
3788 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 14:45:36
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| Rather then go through all that hassle why not buy a CS-10 and rolling tubes and just roll the coin for deposit. Using the constar to get gift card seems like a lot of trouble. 50% of gift cards are never redeemed (lost, forgotten) so that is why stores sell them at a discount to constar and constar gives them away for coin at face. |
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” – George Bernard Shaw.
Why Copper Bullion ~~~ Interview with Silver Bullion Producer Market Harmony
Passive Income blog |
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redneck
1000+ Penny Miser Member
1273 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 17:20:19
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quote:
Originally posted by jadedragon
Rather then go through all that hassle why not buy a CS-10 and rolling tubes and just roll the coin for deposit. Using the constar to get gift card seems like a lot of trouble. 50% of gift cards are never redeemed (lost, forgotten) so that is why stores sell them at a discount to constar and constar gives them away for coin at face.
That is the best idea.
Here's a site that has a good price.
You must be logged in to see this link.
There is also a used one on ebay for $199 with two days left.
When you figure in all your time and gas from running around trying
to save a few dollars with gift cards, it will become apparent that you are wasting your precious time and money.
Just sort more to cover the cost of the machine and sell them to recoup the initial investment.
You can also offer to sort coins for other people for a smaller fee than coinstar.
If you decide that you don't want to sort anymore, you can always sell the machine.
Just do the math...
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EZ_Money
Penny Pincher Member
USA
125 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 18:19:46
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| The coinstar in Kroger by my house has giftcards for Kroger in them. When I have some zinc i need to dump and also need groceries I will take it with me. It takes a little while but I'm there to spend money anyway. I dump the zincs and get a gift card to use on my groceries. I try to figure what my groceries will be and dump just under that total. |
Running total:
Halves searched:$14,445.50
90% found: 122
40% found: 481
Dimes Searched $2100
Found: 5 |
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misteroman
Administrator
USA
2565 Posts |
Posted - 12/25/2009 : 10:05:27
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quote:
Originally posted by fasteddy
I can always use Lowes GC's...I am in the process of remodeling bathrooms and surely could use a discount. PM me if you want to trade.
I'd be winng to trade you Lowes or HD Gift cards and throw you some additional 10% off coupons as well for CU or AG.
Derek |
Buying CU cents!!!! Paying 1.2 unlimited amounts wanted. Can pick up if near Ohio area. |
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JerrySpringer
Penny Hoarding Member
669 Posts |
Posted - 12/25/2009 : 10:23:35
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quote:
The coinstar in Kroger by my house has giftcards for Kroger in them. When I have some zinc i need to dump and also need groceries I will take it with me. It takes a little while but I'm there to spend money anyway. I dump the zincs and get a gift card to use on my groceries. I try to figure what my groceries will be and dump just under that total.
That is fantastic! The best I can find are Amazon giftcards at my Coinstars. As Degeneerit said above, too bad Amazon has silver priced too high (mainly due to shipping charges being padded). If my local grocers offered the giftcards for their stores, I'd being dumping zincs and halves all the time in the CS. You can always find something on sale at a grocery store worth stocking up on. Not so much at many other places to shop I find, with a few exceptions. |
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AFModell
Penny Sorter Member
USA
82 Posts |
Posted - 12/25/2009 : 13:01:27
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| The coinstar webpage has a helpful tool. You can search for all of the coinstar kiosks around you, and you can refine your search to show only the ones that give giftcards, ecertificates and whatnot. Its quite simple to narrow it down and find one that gives you the giftcard you want, or the ecertificate. I used the amazon ecertificate to buy a few hundred dollars of Christmas presents. Worked like a charm! |
A penny saved is...TWO pennies earned! |
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HoardCopperByTheTon
Administrator
USA
6807 Posts |
Posted - 12/25/2009 : 13:26:57
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The Amazon certificates are a good idea if you were going to buy something there anyway. But the CoinStar machines are so slow at counting that it takes quite a while to dump significant amounts of zinc there. They are 8-10 times slower than the machines I have at home. Even though the CoinStar at my CU is free without requiring any gift cards, I don't dump there very often.
I could use some of those 10% off coupons from Lowes and HD.. seems they always wait to send them to me until right after I make a major purchase there. |
If your percentages are low.. just sort more. If your percentages are high.. just sort more.
Now selling Copper pennies. 1.6x plus shipping. Limited amounts available. |
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smartinson
Penny Collector Member
USA
287 Posts |
Posted - 12/25/2009 : 14:20:07
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| Just thought I would let you know that there are 10% off coupons in the change of address packets at the Post Office. They used to put them out for you to take but since everyone was selling them on E-bay the PO here keeps them under the counter. If I am going to make a purchase I just ask for a packet. Never go without my 10% coupon. |
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HoardCopperByTheTon
Administrator
USA
6807 Posts |
Posted - 12/25/2009 : 14:34:31
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| That is great info smartinson.. Thanks! |
If your percentages are low.. just sort more. If your percentages are high.. just sort more.
Now selling Copper pennies. 1.6x plus shipping. Limited amounts available. |
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Working the coinstar
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