Best Buy Reward Zone primer

[UALOneKPlus]

I got a free BB RZ card last year, and I spent quite a bit of money at BB last year. So far I've received over $150 RZ certs, so it's more than paid off. So with that in mind, I'd like to post my observations about this program.

The card costs $9.99 every 12 months, so you need to spend at least $250 at Best Buy per year in order to benefit.

You'll get 5,000 bonus points just to start you off. Then show your membership card to earn 100 points for almost every dollar you spend. And every time you rack up 12,500 points, get a $5 reward certificate good toward just about any purchase at Best Buy stores (but not at BestBuy.com).

So $5 for every $125 in purchases, or about a 4% rebate.

Here's the key to using the Reward Zone certificates:

You typically get Reward Zone certs in $5 or $10 increments, several weeks after your purchases post to your account.

When you use the certificate, the amount is used to deduct the sales price of the product. For example: CD costs $12. You use a $5 cert. The price reflected on the receipts will be $7.

This is both good and bad. You will get to avoid the sales tax on the $5 saved. However, if you return the CD, you only get $7 back. Best Buy will then mail you the $5 cert again. This may take several weeks, and you never really know if you'll get it. In addition, if there's a rebate on the CD, say $10 rebate, you will only be able to redeem $7 of the rebate.

So with that in mind, here are two simple rules for using the certificates:

1. Always only use BB RZ certs on products that have NO rebates, and you WILL keep for sure.

2. If you happen to have multiple items you're buying, items that have rebates & items that do not, always request two separate purchases. Use the BB RZ certs for the items that have no rebates, and the use other payment methods for the items that will have rebates.

That's about it for now. I hope someone finds this handy.

[hoxlund]

man thats stupid if you have to do a monthly charge every month to keep the card

our staples business rewards is free all the time and has different levels:

Regular, Gold, Teachers:

http://www.staples.com/Services/Dividend/default.asp

you may have to spend $250 each quarter, but if you don't its still free to have and doesn't expire

[Jim]

I believe that is a yearly charge.

Jim

[vsekh]

It is a yearly charge. This program is good if you buy a lot from Best Buy.

[Ian]

Yearly charge? I had no idea I had to pay for that supposedly "FREE" card. Lame...

[UALOneKPlus]

I got mine free in the mail last year. I don't think I would have paid for the card at the time either.

Now I'm not too sure. I've gotten back over $150 in certificates, so it's been worth it for me. I bought a laptop at Best Buy, along with some other stuff, which resulted in those large certificates.

This year I don't see myself spending that much on electronics, so it probably won't be worth it once the free period expries.

[vsekh]

I also got it for free. Probably because I've had the Bestbuy credit for so long. I probably would not have paid the $10 either at the time, but I have bought a little of everything from them. We'll see when the time comes on whether I will renew my membership.

[kevincott]

I also have received around $100 in certs. Good program.

[Jim]

I got the card too. It is free for the first year and then they start charging you. At least that is what was listed in the fine print of the offer I received.

[BuddhaTB]

I got my card free the past 2 years. I guess I spend WAY too much at Bestbuy.

Since last June, I've racked up about 9 of those $5 coupons and one $10 coupon. I will continue to shop at Best Buy!