Disney Gift Card Deals

[DIS_MERI]

I keep $1200 in Ebay cards, and $1200 in Target cards. Keep $1200 for cards in transit. Any surplus gets converted to Disney cards.

I am at about half that, myself. It works well with my spreadsheet for how much I can roll when. I may change up the mix a little when I can actually spend ebay gc again, though, since I want to be able to use any 5x ebay promos. I have a few Kmarts that let me buy ebay gc with kmart/sears cards, so I can always get kmart/sears cards if target isn't available. I don't get the 5% redcard, but a 5x is worth more

 

[hsmamato2]

I'm conflicted on the pros and cons of starting a new thread on churning. While it's better from an organizational point of view to break it off from this thread, I feel like there's a bit of secrecy of keeping the details in this thread that keeps it just for people who will use this super power for "good" and not "evil". Well, relative-ethically speaking.
.

It's not a secret, and it's not just on these boards.... so no worries there,in fact this board is one of the most open about details I've found... on Flyert***k boards you can get your head virtually chopped off for asking for details (secrets are guarded there) And it's not a superpower...all this stuff is basic- most people don't care enough to bother doing things like this to save some money here and there.... except people who are on these types of threads.... I would like to see a separate thread for combining/using gc's vs. just the various deals that come along (like a sale at the grocery store or whatever) but I am learning some fun tips from all the Disney-centric pros here..... Look at it this way- these 'tricks' either get really popular,and taken away,or they don't,and we get to have fun playing with numbers for a while.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

It's not a secret, and it's not just on these boards.... so no worries there,in fact this board is one of the most open about details I've found... on Flyert***k boards you can get your head virtually chopped off for asking for details (secrets are guarded there) And it's not a superpower...all this stuff is basic- most people don't care enough to bother doing things like this to save some money here and there.... except people who are on these types of threads.... I would like to see a separate thread for combining/using gc's vs. just the various deals that come along (like a sale at the grocery store or whatever) but I am learning some fun tips from all the Disney-centric pros here..... Look at it this way- these 'tricks' either get really popular,and taken away,or they don't,and we get to have fun playing with numbers for a while.

I don't think a separate thread is necessary. The actual deals are few and far between at some times of the year, so if this thread has more focus on churning sometimes, I think that is alright. I do wish people would read back to older posts to get some basic questions answered. When I started, I read probably 30 pages or so and it was easy to learn most everything. Maybe starting a 2016 GC thread that has basic information in the first post would help, so people with question can refer back to that basic information?

 

[HHMcG]

Ugg, tracking for my USPS-delivered Target gift cards said they wouldn't be delivered until the 10th, so I didn't think about them over the weekend. I went to check it this morning and it says they tried to deliver them Sat (at 3:31 to be exact). We weren't home so they left a notice. I didn't get any notice. But we didn't get home until very late and were carrying sleeping kids into the house, so the notice could have 'blown away'.

So my point is I guess USPS wanted me to sign for them. I saw others said no signature was required?!? Very inconsistent.

 

[hsmamato2]

Maybe starting a 2016 GC thread that has basic information in the first post would help, so people with question can refer back to that basic information?

thats a good idea... I know on many other similiar type threads they are grouped by year... with the link to previous info included....

 

[Vernie822]

thats a good idea... I know on many other similiar type threads they are grouped by year... with the link to previous info included....

I was going to suggest that. Maybe have a "master" post with step by step instructions to gift card churning, how to get 5% off at Target, Sams Club deals, what is Raise, what is Ebates, etc. That way we can reference it? I didn't mind poking the thread to gather what it is I was supposed to do, but it may be easy to just have everything in one place. I really like this thread, everyone is so helpful and it's helped us all to save some $$ for Disney!

 

[Marionnette]

I agree that it may be time for a new thread. It works for other subjects on the forum. This one has wandered and wended to the point where anyone who is new to the thread has to really dig through it to see what is being talked about.

So, who wants to begin the the new thread and maintain the first post?

 

[MrInfinity]

I was going to suggest that. Maybe have a "master" post with step by step instructions to gift card churning, how to get 5% off at Target, Sams Club deals, what is Raise, what is Ebates, etc. That way we can reference it? I didn't mind poking the thread to gather what it is I was supposed to do, but it may be easy to just have everything in one place. I really like this thread, everyone is so helpful and it's helped us all to save some $$ for Disney!

Just a thought, but to post a step-by-step process of how to take advantage of a glitch is probably the most likely way to get a glitch fixed. The less this information becomes mainstream the longer it will likely remain viable. Just sayin. Also the real value from this does not come from following specific steps but by being resourceful... the specific steps involved have changed over the years that I've been doing this. It's more about watching for what deals come out, getting to them fast and being willing to take some risk. The best profits have always come from trying things before they become mainstream.

So I would favor sharing ideas on things to try, not so much the detailing of specific steps and "do this... step-by-step" types of threads.

 

[DIS_MERI]

Not it! But, I do agree that a new thread is in order. It used to be that threads were capped at 250 pages, anyway, and I can kind of see why.

 

[MichelleB]

Just a thought, but to post a step-by-step process of how to take advantage of a glitch is probably the most likely way to get a glitch "fixed". The less this information becomes mainstream the longer it will likely remain viable.

I agree with this.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

I agree with this.

There already has been a step by step posted . . . over and over and over again. This just eliminates the work of repeating it. If Target or eBay want to close loopholes, believe me, they could. Do you really think they are oblivious to these things?

 

[DIS_MERI]

This thread is nearly 4 years old....and the details have probably been repeated in it at least 100 times. There is another thread similar to it on the DCL boards (disney gc at 12% off). I would say a new thread on disboards is a pretty low risk for getting it shutdown.

 

[MrInfinity]

There already has been a step by step posted . . . over and over and over again. This just eliminates the work of repeating it. If Target or eBay want to close loopholes, believe me, they could. Do you really think they are oblivious to these things?

You'll see degradation of the deals. The more people do it, the less value you'll get. It is money out of your pocket to make it a standardized procedure. Whatever procedure you make standard will become less profitable the more it gets used, and it will still be only those who are resourceful and look for the next great idea that actually realize the best savings. In the early days it was commonplace to find GCs at 8% off. And you could cycle them at Ebay for more. Then a bunch of people do it, and Ebay runs out and the GC sites drop to 4%. I want to save everyone money... and I love writing instructions. But the more mainstream you make it the less valuable it will be.

A small group that is resourceful and creative will be more profitable at this than a group which wants to spoon-feed their procedures to the world. The tactics that are the most applicable on a world-scale (like say the DVA 2%) are not the ones that save you 20% off your trip.

I have put a lot of effort into these threads over the years, and I love that I've been able to both contribute to it and gain from it... but I have very little desire to generate money-making ideas and post them to the world so that people who are not also taking risk will gain, then the next time those of us who contribute look we'll see fewer deals. The goal is not to have everyone in the world save, but to help each other save by our mutual contributions.

 

[AmyAnne]

As someone who posts infrequently but follows along (and read back many, many pages when first figuring this out), I am against a step-by-step instruction guide, partly because if people cannot be bothered to read 30 or so pages then really they don't "deserve" the discounts, and second because I agree that more people means the deals will not last as long. Not really worried about Target but GCM on eBay sells out on a regular basis, and it is getting harder to get the gift cards when eBay runs the eBay bucks specials. I am all for helping people if they put in the effort too, but not really in favor of holding someone's hand every step of the way . . .

 

[PerfessorZ]

Good discussion so far!

 

[Vernie822]

Well, I do agree with all of the above. It took me a few weeks (maybe even a month) of reading lots of pages back and trying to figure it out for myself. I like helping others save money and of course I like saving money too. But I see both sides of, why post it because that just means more people get easy access to it without taking the time to figure it out, and Jen's point of, if companies wanted to close these loopholes they could.

I just thought having everything centrally located would make it easier on people to not have to answer questions all the time, but now I see others points and I don't think a step by step thing is really a good idea. So I take that back!

 

[Bree]

This information on discounted Target cards, redcard discounts, ebay churning, etc is on a lot more sites than Disboards. I belong to a few Disney Facebook groups (some with 30K+ members) and this information is always being discussed and they actually have step by step instructions on how the process works. I don't think that having a new thread with the information on the 1st post is going to be the end of all deals. It would be lovely to refer people to the 1st post instead of having to have directions given out over and over and over and over. Honestly, I just skip over those posts now along with the churning stuff (doesn't interest me).

 

[3 DD love princesses]

I post as I find deals and I have been reading since page 200. I do think for someone new coming along it can be easy to get confused on how the thread is going. If someone is just coming to check out what stores have a discount going on it does get lost sometimes. I'm thankful for everyone who has shared. the target deal in December was great and I wouldnt have known about it had someone not posted. I dont read their ad all the time and I was done christmas shopping so wasnt reading them to help keep me from buying extra gifts

 

[MrInfinity]

This information on discounted Target cards, redcard discounts, ebay churning, etc is on a lot more sites than Disboards. I belong to a few Disney Facebook groups (some with 30K+ members) and this information is always being discussed and they actually have step by step instructions on how the process works. I don't think that having a new thread with the information on the 1st post is going to be the end of all deals. It would be lovely to refer people to the 1st post instead of having to have directions given out over and over and over and over. Honestly, I just skip over those posts now along with the churning stuff (doesn't interest me).

I'm in the same groups and they make me cringe. All they're doing is posting ideas that we've come up with here and claiming them as their own. That's life on the internet... But I've spent many hours brainstorming and testing these ideas with the likes of marionette, pillow, lmtravis, turk, kristen, nala and others... the "churning stuff" is where it happens. Where we actually spend money on gift cards, try them, see what works, see what limits we hit, lose a little money, share that, try again another way, etc. I don't think anyone is doing the effort to hand hold a bunch of strangers to a couple thousand dollars of savings, then have the savings go away.

Of course it won't be the end-all. But it will document it in a searchable forum that will hit google results, and reduce the value to the people who spend their time creating and testing the ideas. I don't spend the effort to create "documentation for the world". I do it to help those who are helping in return.

 

[Cydney]

What if we find a page that has is spelled out on here and then when people ask we could just say "please refer to page..." Then no one would have to spell it out over and over and we don't have to worry about creating a new thread.