Staples 103: Rolling Staples Rewards into Cash

The perfect Staples rewards savings system takes 2 steps before you get cash back. First, use cash to buy an item that is free after Rewards. Second, use your Rewards to buy an item that is free after Rebate. Just remember that you cannot earn Rewards on items you buy with Rewards. You can, however, get cash back in the form of a Rebate when you purchase a “free after Rebate” item. Rebates are issued for the full price of the item, regardless of whether you used a coupon to buy it.




Example:

1. Pay $25.95 for two packages of batteries that are free after Rewards in March.
2. Receive $25.95 in Rewards in April as long as you did not pay for the paper with Rewards. (Rewards don’t seem to post until the 5th or so of the next month)
3. Use your Rewards to buy four reams of printer paper that are free after Rebate. The four reams total $31.50, so you pay with your $25.96 in Rewards, a store coupon for $5 off of a $25 purchase, and the rest — $0.55 plus tax — in cash.
4. Submit your Easy Rebate.
5. Receive a Staples check for $31.50 — even if you used coupons to lower the cost of the paper — 6 weeks later.

For the price of taxes on these items, you get two packages of batteries, four reams of paper, and $5.

Too good to be true? No. Too good to last? Quite possibly. But for now, I have at least 2 packages of batteries and 5 reams of paper in my stockpile at all times. Whenever I open a box of batteries or a ream of paper, I keep my eyes peeled for the next freebie. So, keep an eye on your freebies and keep harvesting those Staples rewards!

Photo credit: Mike Mozart.