A New UngsungBlog “Feature,” Stupid LA Times Dispenser, And American Express Gift Checks…er…Cheques
Boy has it been hot here lately!
Quick-hitters:
- I sent XG/MGE this short but sweet email back on the first of the month:
Am I wasting my time by inquiring about the latest status of my rebates?
Should I be surprised that I have yet to receive a reply from these clowns?
- Current rebate-o-meter: $1,900 (- $40, but +$200 or so after this past weekend, not counting my Rite Aid/Walgreen’s rebates).
- Today, I am introducing a new “feature” to the UngsungBlog: the “toothpaste-o-meter.” What better way to show my loyal readers how much time I waste going to stores to get money-making toothpaste than with a running total of the number of unused or barely-used tubes of toothpaste?
Current toothpaste-o-meter: 25 (16 unopened—twelve Colgates!—two unused w/o boxes, four used once, and currently three in rotation).
I spotted a preview of May’s CVS Monthly ECB catalog, and noticed that they are going to have Aquafresh Extreme Clean toothpaste free after ECBs all next month, and it’s limit three per customer!
At this rate, I’ll have enough toothpaste to brush each of my teeth individually, twice a day, for the rest of the year 
- Damn you, Los Angeles Times newspaper dispenser! My Sunday LA Daily News didn’t contain some coupons that were supposed to be in the inserts, so I grabbed a stack of quarters and ran to the nearest Times dispenser. I shoved in six quarters, pulled the door, and heard my quarters fall right into the change slot. Well, five of them, at least.
Slightly frustrated, I shoved in six quarters again, pulled the door again, and only a single quarter fell through the change slot. And no, I did not get my paper.
Later in the day, I went to Rite Aid, bought an LA Times, and found the coupon I was looking for. Three bucks spent for four bucks worth of coupons…what a deal!
- On Tuesday, my sister handed me a $25 American Express Gift Cheque (yes, I spelt that correctly), saying that I could go ahead and use it if I wanted to.
(Yeah, like I’m going to pass up free money.)
Intrigued—I had never seen an AmEx gift cheque, much less actually used one—I went to AmEx’s web site to research these things, and couldn’t believe what I saw!
A shipping fee will be added to your Order Total based on the shipping method you choose.
There is a $2.50 fee per Gift Cheque, which is subject to change. This amount will be added to your Order Total.
S&H appears to be $5.95 for standard mail. So let me get this straight. If, for whatever reason, I wanted to buy a single $25 gift cheque (tangent: I might flip if I have to type “cheque” one more time), it would cost me $25 + $8.45 in fees???
I know what you’re thinking: these things are probably meant for companies buying several of these gift checks at a time. I suppose that’s a valid point, except
In an effort to protect our customers against unauthorized transactions, Gift Cheques purchases are limited to $1,000 every 14 calendar days.
Forty $25 gift checks, at $2.50 per check, equals $105.95 in fees!
I suppose these checks are better than GCs because of the fact that they could be easily replaced if they were lost or stolen, plus they could be used at multiple stores, but is that “convenience” really worth 10% in fees?
I’m sleepy.