As long as some of the office supply stores keep giving away free money, I will share the news here! And until someone gives me a better one, I will continue to use the Mad Lib construct to announce them.

Solve the Mad Lib

Save _____ (amount) when you buy _______ (purchase amount) in _______ (type) Gift Cards at _______. Refund will be given in ___________

This time, the Mad Lib answers are:

1) $15

2) $300

3) Mastercard

4) Staples

5) Staples Gift Card

To follow along, if you buy $300 in Mastercard gift cards this week at Staples, you’ll get a $15 Staples gift card by Easy Rebate in the mail.  It’s in next week’s weekly ad ( H/T: Doctor of Credit)

Making the most of the Staples free money deal

A Staples gift card is the worst of the 3 different types of these free money deals (best is instant rebate, and next is Visa gift card).  Even discounting the $15 you’ll get back from Staples, I do think that this deal is probably worth doing. The hardest thing I have is remembering to use my $15 gift card (since I usually am using a CC for points when I spend).  You could also sell it online if you want.

Definitely I would recommend using a Chase Ink or other card that gives 5x points on office supply stores. I love the Chase Inks for exactly this reason, and it’s one of the reasons that I think Chase Ultimate Rewards are the best points out there!

I always recommend 2 $200 cards (if they have them) – the activation fee is $1 more than the $100 cards, but IMO that is worth the 500 extra points you’d get.

I never know what to do when I show up at the store and Staples is (inevitably) out of the $200 gift cards. Do I just buy the $100 cards, even though the deal isn’t as lucrative, or do I try stopping back later at another store. I even wrote a poll about this (how much your time is worth) awhile back, and the consensus seemed to be to just buy the $100 cards in the store that you’re in, and not go back.

Doing the math

If you find and buy 2 $200 Mastercard cards, you’ll spend $413.90, but then receive:

• $400 back on the actual card
• a $15 Staples gift card
• 2065 Chase Ultimate Rewards

I’d say it’s definitely worth a stop to Staples this week!!  If you have the (targeted) $25 off $100 Staples Amex Offer (I have it on 2 of my cards), that makes it even better!