Help with $9K Disney balance-how can I get the best return?

[hegfam]

I am in charge of a family vacation and will soon spend $9000 + to pay off our balance in the next 2 weeks. I would like to get the best return for this purchase so I can have a little extra to splurge on the group when we get there. I have seen people discuss Target Red cards, Disney Cards at Sam's Club, etc., but I haven't seen anyone mention such a large amount. Can anyone recommend how to pay this balance so that we can get a little discount or return on the purchase?

I do have a regular Disney Visa card also, although my credit limit is under that amount.

To you great budgeters, how can I make use of this money in the best way?

 

[havaneselover]

You're timeframe is very short. I would not put that much through Target.com. Only thing I'd do is:
1) buy from Sam's or BJs.
2) buy discounted target gift cards and use those in store to buy Disney gift cards (or just use your red card).

 

[ellie05]

Since you only have two weeks you don't have many options avilable. You can open a red card/debit and buy Disney GC in store for 5% discount. I highly doubt it the store carries that much in Disney GC and who knows how long it will take to restock. Plus I am sure there is daily limits from the card. Don't try to buy this amount online unless you want to be ban from shopping and target. Com.

You can go through Sam's club I am not sure how much the discount but I think it is close to target unless you have certain credit cards that give you more cash back.

Keep in mind you can combine this GC, but you can only have 5 GC in the account up to $1000 each. So you might have to call a few times to make the payment. You could also start paying it now with your Disney visa get 2% back pay off you card next day and do it again until it is all paid off.

 

[davper]

Keep in mind you can combine this GC, but you can only have 5 GC in the account up to $1000 each. So you might have to call a few times to make the payment. You could also start paying it now with your Disney visa get 2% back pay off you card next day and do it again until it is all paid off.

Yes, there is a 5 card limit that you save on the site. But that doesn't mean you can'y have more than 5 physical cards. Even after you delete the card from the site, they still retain there value.

If I am in your shoes, here is what I would do.
Go to BJs/Sams and buy Disney GCs up to your CC limit that offers points/miles.
Make an immediate payment to CC.
Repeat until you have converted all to Disney GCs
Combine Disney GCs
Pay off travel.

 

[ellie05]

Yes, there is a 5 card limit that you save on the site. But that doesn't mean you can'y have more than 5 physical cards. Even after you delete the card from the site, they still retain there value.

.

No one said you can only have 5 physical cards. That is why I said you will have to call back after she combines it again. Much simpler that trying to read 40 cards. I personally wouldn't delete the card with high value until I have used it. Disney sites are glitchy I wouodnt take that risk.

 

[davper]

No one said you can only have 5 physical cards. That is why I said you will have to call back after she combines it again. Much simpler that trying to read 40 cards. I personally wouldn't delete the card with high value until I have used it. Disney sites are glitchy I wouodnt take that risk.

Why would she have to call back? She can get all $9000 on nine cards and read them off to CS on one call.

 

[ellie05]

Why would she have to call back? She can get all $9000 on nine cards and read them off to CS on one call.

As I explained earlier I wouldn't erase a high value card out of my account until fully used. I wouldn't take the risk because Disney sites are glitchy at best. Just advice OP can take it or leave it.

 

[davper]

As I explained earlier I wouldn't erase a high value card out of my account until fully used. I wouldn't take the risk because Disney sites are glitchy at best. Just advice OP can take it or leave it.

You are just as likely to loose the balance being on the site. So it really makes no difference.

 

[ellie05]

You are just as likely to loose the balance being on the site. So it really makes no difference.

Of course it does calling to get something fix in a GC in your account is hard enough than having them find something in a GC that was once in your account. Do what you will and I will do what makes me confortable.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Personally, I would put that charge on an airline cc. On SW, 9000 points can be a one way flight to MCO. If you're able to find a good deal it could get you 3 one way flights.
We have flights booked for a Friday evening in August that cost less than 3000 points pp.

 

[supersnoop]

Personally, I would put that charge on an airline cc. On SW, 9000 points can be a one way flight to MCO. If you're able to find a good deal it could get you 3 one way flights.
We have flights booked for a Friday evening in August that cost less than 3000 points pp.

I'd apply for three Southwest cards and pay $3,000 with each of them to get the sign-up bonuses. But two weeks might be a little tight to get that done.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I'd apply for three Southwest cards and pay $3,000 with each of them to get the sign-up bonuses. But two weeks might be a little tight to get that done.

Great idea.
150,000 bonus points plus the original 9000 charged. Way more reliable perk than dealing with GCs. jmho
If you can get approved online, maybe you could call and explain you have a big purchase to make with a deadline to meet and perhaps they'd be willing to send them overnight or 2nd day delivery.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Wow! Just did the math. With 159,000 SW points, if you can find a one way seat for 6625 (often do-able from Philly) you could buy 24 one way seats, 12 RT. Or a family of 4 could fly RT to FL 3 times.

 

[leebee]

It's too bad you waited so long to ask this question, because I'm not sure you'll have time to open other credit accounts. Here are some options:
>>Open a Target Red Card and buy as many Disney gift cards as you can so you get the 5% discount.
OR
>>Open a Southwest VISA if they are offering the 50,000 bonus points. You can open a Plus card, a premier card, and a business card... or another Plus or Premier in your spouse's name if you aren't eligible for a business card. Put $3000 of the Disney bill on each of the SW cards. Last time I applied for SW cards, it took about 10 days to actually get the card here at the house, but I activated it and used it within an hour- so no problems there.
OR
>>Use your Disney VISA up to its limit to buy Disney gift cards at Sam's. Go online and pay the balance on your VISA and then buy more Disney gift cards at Sam's... wash, rinse, repeat until you have enough gift cards to pay your balance. You'll save a little at Sam's and you'll get the points on your Disney VISA to use while you are on vacation!

IF I were you, though, I'd CALL DISNEY to use those gift cards to pay off the balance, rather than doing it online... even if you have to do it over several days. Don't throw out the "used" gift card; if there's a problem, they usually need you to have the empty gift card available to help straighten things out!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Does the Disney visa offer double points for purchases from Disney? (The way that SW purchases earn double points with the SW visa.)
If so, you'd be better off just charging the whole shebang to the Disney visa if it's too late to get a SW visa. But then you wouldn't get the rewards to use for this trip unless your statement will close before you leave AND if you already have a rewards card to transfer the reward $$ to.

 

[leebee]

Does the Disney visa offer double points for purchases from Disney? (The way that SW purchases earn double points with the SW visa.)
If so, you'd be better off just charging the whole shebang to the Disney visa if it's too late to get a SW visa. But then you wouldn't get the rewards to use for this trip unless your statement will close before you leave AND if you already have a rewards card to transfer the reward $$ to.

Disney regular VISA only pays 1%; the premier pays 2%.
The points won't post until her account cycle closes, but she can get a rewards card AT Disney. I got my last one at the International Gateway in Epcot because I didn't have time before leaving for vacation to get one sent from Chase!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Disney regular VISA only pays 1%; the premier pays 2%.
The points won't post until her account cycle closes, but she can get a rewards card AT Disney. I got my last one at the International Gateway in Epcot because I didn't have time before leaving for vacation to get one sent from Chase!

Well that's good to know even though we barely ever use our Disney visa.

 

[hegfam]

I appreciate everyone's help. My concern is with the amount. Is target or SAMs likely to have $9,000 worth of cards on hand?

 

[ellie05]

I appreciate everyone's help. My concern is with the amount. Is target or SAMs likely to have $9,000 worth of cards on hand?

Probably not, it depends how many targets/Sam's you have around you but you can always go check. No one can answer that here for sure, since inventory will vary greatly from place to place.

 

[bluezy]

I appreciate everyone's help. My concern is with the amount. Is target or SAMs likely to have $9,000 worth of cards on hand?

Sams Club now carries $500 Disney Gift cards, so I would think they might have $9000 worth on hand.