AGC to Serve?

[DoB]

My apologies if this is already answered here - I haven't been able to find it.

I recently bought $4000 in Amex Gift Cards (to quickly meet the Amex SPG spend threshold). I was planning to use the AGC's to buy VGC's and then cash them out through my REDcard, but it looks like giftcardmall.com and giftcards.com no longer accept AGC's. So I'm in a bit of a pickle.

If I closed my REDcard account (I haven't used it since May) and opened a Serve account, would I be able to fund it online with my AGC's (over the course of four months)?

Any other suggestions? It isn't urgent that I wipe out the AGC's immediately, but I'd rather not have them lingering around longer than necessary.

[SearchGuy]

The answer is no, as you won't be able to verify that you're the account holder, which Amex is constantly asking for.
But I "think" there's a thread for the subject of Serve card

[DoB]

True, and I'll ask there if I don't get a definitive answer here, but I'm more focused on ways to cash out my AGC's than to use Serve. Serve was just a thought I had.

Thanks.

[snapit]

True, and I'll ask there if I don't get a definitive answer here, but I'm more focused on ways to cash out my AGC's than to use Serve. Serve was just a thought I had.

Thanks.

Buy vgc in store?

[isaac1]

True, and I'll ask there if I don't get a definitive answer here, but I'm more focused on ways to cash out my AGC's than to use Serve. Serve was just a thought I had.

Thanks.

It's a bit tedious but you can buy vgc with agc at Sam's club.com but they don't have more the $200 vgc and are notoriously inept in general.

[lunatic]

Buy vgc in store?

+1. Plenty of stores will sell vgc with agc.  Though easier with a personalized agc

[ShlockDoc]

+1. Plenty of stores will sell vgc with agc.  Though easier with a personalized agc

I've had a lot of success at grocery stores in particular...

[DoB]

Buy vgc in store?

I'd rather not get eaten alive with the fees, and it looks like a $6 fee per $200 is pretty standard.  Can I do better or am I stuck spending $120 or so to liquidate $4000?

Target sells a Visa Prepaid Card for $400 with a $6 fee.  Could I load my REDcard with a stack of them?
http://www.target.com/p/400gc-6-fee-400-visa-prepaid-card/-/A-17214227
https://www.mybalancenow.com/faq.html (indicates that it is PIN-enabled)

[ShlockDoc]

I'd rather not get eaten alive with the fees, and it looks like a $6 fee per $200 is pretty standard.  Can I do better or am I stuck spending $120 or so to liquidate $4000?

Target sells a Visa Prepaid Card for $400 with a $6 fee.  Could I load my REDcard with a stack of them?
http://www.target.com/p/400gc-6-fee-400-visa-prepaid-card/-/A-17214227
https://www.mybalancenow.com/faq.html (indicates that it is PIN-enabled)

You can get $500 cards at grocery stores or some drug stores.

[DoB]

You can get $500 cards at grocery stores or some drug stores.

Thanks, I'll look around.  I'm in NYC, so I may not find anything......

[lunatic]

Thanks, I'll look around.  I'm in NYC, so I may not find anything......

Try drugstores,  should work

[noturbizniss]

Thanks, I'll look around.  I'm in NYC, so I may not find anything......

Many duane reade and Walgreens have been letting with personalized. Other drug stores ime have even let split tender of 5 or6 for one transaction. I got a bunch of $200 agc for the amex promotion.
The bigger problem you'll have is finding a Target in NYC where you can unload the vgc.

[DoB]

I tried three Duane Reades today.  At the first, the cashier started to ring it up and I swiped my card, but then the manager came over and told me that I couldn't buy a gift card with a gift card.  At the second, the cashier asked if I was paying with a gift card and then went ahead and processed the transaction, and all went fine.  At the third, the cashier asked if I was paying with a gift card and insisted that the the transaction wouldn't go through - even after I told him that I had just done the same thing at a different branch, he refused to try. So I guess I'll be frequenting the second branch, although I'll try to spread it out over several weeks since I don't want to draw too much attention to myself.

I assume the other drug store chains (CVS, Rite Aid) are similarly inconsistent? Are there any chains that aren't even worth trying?

I haven't been to Target since May.  Has the REDcard situation gotten worse?  Back then the only Target that gave me problems was the infamous Atlantic Terminal branch.

[lunatic]

I assume the other drug store chains (CVS, Rite Aid) are similarly inconsistent?

Correct, though I generally have not had a problem.

Be aware that Cvs has a hard coded limit of 2k per day across all stores

[noturbizniss]

Correct, though I generally have not had a problem.

Be aware that Cvs has a hard coded limit of 2k per day across all stores

I tried three Duane Reades today.  At the first, the cashier started to ring it up and I swiped my card, but then the manager came over and told me that I couldn't buy a gift card with a gift card.  At the second, the cashier asked if I was paying with a gift card and then went ahead and processed the transaction, and all went fine.  At the third, the cashier asked if I was paying with a gift card and insisted that the the transaction wouldn't go through - even after I told him that I had just done the same thing at a different branch, he refused to try. So I guess I'll be frequenting the second branch, although I'll try to spread it out over several weeks since I don't want to draw too much attention to myself.

I assume the other drug store chains (CVS, Rite Aid) are similarly inconsistent? Are there any chains that aren't even worth trying?

I haven't been to Target since May.  Has the REDcard situation gotten worse?  Back then the only Target that gave me problems was the infamous Atlantic Terminal branch.

I'm cvs they scan your license. Ive had one cvs out of close to ten that gave me issues with agc, but I explained the process and they agreed to try it and it went through. Have had no issues since.

[DoB]

Thanks.  Any reason to use my loyalty card at any of these drug stores, incidentally?  I assume I don't get the usual 2% back at CVS, for instance - or am I wrong?  Or should I specifically NOT use my loyalty card?

[noturbizniss]

Thanks.  Any reason to use my loyalty card at any of these drug stores, incidentally?  I assume I don't get the usual 2% back at CVS, for instance - or am I wrong?  Or should I specifically NOT use my loyalty card?

Doesn't matter. Sometimes you get the 10 coupons that print out.

[mord1]

I rarely have a problem at CVS- I even have had cashiers ask the manager if its ok, with a non personalized card and he said it was fine. My stores have $500 VGC for 3.95. pretty good deal.

[bermo]

I rarely have a problem at CVS- I even have had cashiers ask the manager if its ok, with a non personalized card and he said it was fine. My stores have $500 VGC for 3.95. pretty good deal.

Its a big ymmv
I was told many times by the cashiers and managers that it's not allowed by company policy.

[pixi]

RC questions should be asked in the RC thread , serve questions should be asked in the serve thread .