Is there a catch with Hotwire?

[mrsschlep]

Just curious. I just ordered some meal vouchers and I would like to buy some gift cards to do my x-mas shopping with. If I order $500 woth of gift cards will I really get $100 back? Anyone ever do this? Also, do they send you a check or credit your card back and how long does it take? Sorry for all the questions but these deals seem too good to be true. But if they are true then I would be a fool to pass them up. Especially since I do most of my shopping at Target and Toys R Us. Thanks for your help.

 

[Kevenswife2]

I thought about doing the same thing ($500 get $100 back) until I discovered Circuit City doesn't carry fridges. According to the club, that is the way it works. I've never purchased that large of a sum at one time though.

I did order $150 worth of different gift cards and the $30 was credited back to my cc the beginning of the next month.

I've been using the cards for my shopping and giving them as gifts. I spend $40 and they get to buy $50 worth of stuff. I LOVE to save money! ...and spend it too...but don't tell DH.

I guess the 'catch' would be you must still be a member at the beginning of the month for them to credit the money back to your cc.


*Edited because my brain is faster than my fingers.

 

[tarmand]

I bought my limit for Target during my trial period. I really did get the credit back on my credit card the second day of the next month. I felt bad for canceling, but that was the only gift cards I wanted and they limit you to 15/year. Since I bought my limit, I didn't want to spend $10 a month for membership that I wouldn't use.

 

[Kevenswife2]

Limit of 15 a year? I thought it was 40. Does anyone know?

 

[tarmand]

Originally posted by Kevenswife2
Limit of 15 a year? I thought it was 40. Does anyone know?

Hotwire.com was definitely a limit of 15 Target Cards. I don't know about any other stores or Hotwire-like programs.

 

[mrsschlep]

Is that a 15 card limit to EACH store or total?

 

[javaj]

Hotwire Savings Club limits: Vouchers are 40 per type per year. Gift cards are 15 per type per year.

If you go with connections or a different dealpass membership, limits for gift cards are 20 per store per year.

Originally posted by mrsschlep
Is that a 15 card limit to EACH store or total?

 

[yecats]

There are small hooks.

Deal is really good on 7day PH for Disney (already bought 2 and will buy a 3rd next month). However, if you want to visit US then your better off getting those tickets directly from US site (not HWSC). As for PH your allowed to purchase up to 10.

It is true that you'll get you $5 credit back for giftcards which really is a good savings especially if you give them out as gifts; however, you do have to pay at least one or two months fees to get the credit back. In my case I did order a number of the giftcards (as I usually buy them for x-mas gifts) and found them to be a good value. You are allowed to purchase up to 15 of the various companies gift cards per year (I just checked mine for Kmart, I've already ordered 4 gc and can only order 11 more) and I've checked Barnes and Nobles as well and same thing (I can only order 12 more for rest of year). As for expiration dates, the ones I ordered I believe had 2006 on it and then after 2006 it looses so many dollars per year if unused (don't have them in front of me to reread).

As for show tickets, well your allowed 100 per year and can only buy them in lots of 10 at a time. I've ordered about 20 to date. The voucher also states (as does the website) that you will not be allowed into the show until after the first week of its release. (website says 10 days, but voucher says after first week of release). I haven't used these yet as I am planning on going to Disney in 2 weeks and don't have the time to see a show and most that I have ordered are benig given away for x-mas gifts as well.

As for Q&C meal vouchers, you can order up to 40 (I've ordered 4 for my next trip) and have up to 36 more to purchase. Of course the hook here is that the current ones have the expiration date of 5/31/05. I would've probably ordered 2 more but if I don't use them I know I'm not going back before 5/05 and I don't want to go through the trouble of getting rid of them so I only bought what I know I'll use. Additional hook on this is I think that I recently read that the Q&C will begin having 2006 date in January 2005. If this is so, I may order a few before canceling and pray for the best.

I don't think HWSC is a bad thing especially with 30 day free trial but if you think that you'll buy gift cards and movie tickets on regular basis it certainly may be worth your while to pay for a few months.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

The trick w/Hotwire Savings is to start your free trial mid-month and order any merchant giftcards immediately. That way you have time to receive the rebate before your 30 days is up and can cancel without paying any monthly fees.

I joined on 10/12 and ordered 7-day PHP's, Q&C vouchers, VKL vouchers, and 15 Target giftcards. The order arrived within three days. I just checked my credit card online and received the $75 rebate for the giftcards on 11/02. Today in the mail I received the $10 rebate check you can get after placing your first order. I plan to call tomorrow and cancel.

I'm sure I will join again in a year or so when we need to purchase the same items for our next trip.

 

[mrspaha]

Does anyone know -- on connections and/or dealpass, do you also get a $5 rebate for gc's? What is the monthly fee for these programs?

I just cancelled hotwire because I reached my limit on the gc's I use, and would like to get more.