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What if I told you by using Raise gift cards I’ve saved over $1,100 in the last year? That’s a little like getting a raise, right?
Raise.com buys and sells discounted gift cards, partnering not only with consumers but also with companies willing to sell their gift cards at a discount.
Why? Well, because they’re banking on one of three things: First, that you’ll be more likely to shop with them once you buy a gift card or two; Second, they hope you’ll buy more gift card than you can spend and; Third, they hope you’ll forget to use your cards altogether (billions of gift cards go unspent each year).
Since you’re a Krazy Coupon Lady, you’ll do none of those things. You’ll just buy discount gift cards at Raise.com before you make any significant purchase and, in doing so, you’ll save an average of 12-15% on all your purchases. Here are the reasons you’d have to be straight-up crazy not to use Raise.
TIP: Buy, don’t sell. eBay takes less of your commission from sales (10%) than Raise.com (15%).
1. All new members get $5 off of a $35 purchase.
When you sign up and use code KCLNEW5 at Raise.com, you receive $5 off of a $35 purchase.
2. Email alerts let you know when cards you want are available.
Looking for Kroger cards at 7% savings or higher? Kohl’s for 20% or more? Alerts trigger an email to your inbox as soon as a card meeting your set parameters hits the marketplace.
To set your alerts, simply choose your store-brand card, “Set alert,” set your desired percentage off, and the maximum amount of the card you’d like to buy.
This feature works when you’re shopping Raise online, but it’s not available in-app.
TIP: Buy those alerts cards immediately, since many often even disappear by the time I’ve even received the email.
3. Sorting by the highest percentage off is the quickest way to search deals.
Because Raise.com works with both national companies and consumers looking to get rid of gift cards they don’t want, you get pretty remarkable deals on most of the brands, stores and restaurants you already visit.
And we’re not talking about weird, one-off brands, either:
- H&M: Up to 34.7% off
- Coldstone Creamery: Up to 29.9% off
- Hollister: Up to 28.9% off
- Autozone: Up to 26% off
- Abercrombie & Fitch: Up to 25.4% off
- Build-A-Bear: Up to 25% off
- Lane Bryant: Up to 22.5% off
- American Eagle Outfitters: Up to 21.4% off
- Macaroni Grill: Up to 20.1% off
- P.F. Chang’s: Up to 20% off
- Victoria’s Secret: Up to 15.8% off
- Regal Cinemas: Up to 13.2% off
- Starbucks: Up to 11.1% off
- JCPenney: Up to 11% off
- Cabela’s: Up to 7.5% off
- Kohl’s: Up to 6.7% off
- Olive Garden: Up to 6.1% off
- iTunes: Up to 6% off
- Southwest Airlines: Up to 6% off
- Ulta: Up to 4.1% off
- Macy’s: Up to 4% off
- Lowe’s: Up to 3% off
TIP: Give a card to someone as a gift? If something goes wrong, the 100-day, 100% satisfaction guarantee still applies, but only when the company is contacted by the card purchaser (you).
4. The Raise mobile app makes organizing cards a breeze.
As soon as your gift card order is processed, all of your cards appear in “My Cards.”
Keep updating “My Cards” by deleting used cards, or you’ll end up with a lot of unnecessary digital clutter.
TIP: Accidentally delete a card? Never fear: You’ll still have the gift card numbers and pins in your account and email.
5. The best day to shop is Monday.
This is because people aren’t yet planning for weekend noshing on a Monday when cards are restocked.
Also, as the weekend approaches, watch for emails advertising an extra-percentage off certain categories or across the board. For example, on Fridays and through the weekend (and sometimes as early as Thursday), Raise.com often sends out emails like “Extra 5% Off Everything” or “Extra 10% off Dinner and a Show.”
This means that 13.2% off Regal Cinemas card will now be 23.2% off.
Just add featured cards to your cart, check out, and click “Use a Promo Code” (like TAKE5) to apply the savings.
TIP: Check out the new “On Sale” cards featured at an added 1% off. Just click the “Buy Gift Cards” tab, click “On Sale,” and apply the promo code at checkout.
6. Old Navy Gift Cards can also be used at Gap. Here’s why:
Some retailers that share a parent company accept each other’s gift cards as forms of payment. So, if you find an Old Navy gift card for 16% off at Raise.com, while Gap cards are 11% off, your best bet is to buy the Old Navy card and redeem it at either store.
Same goes for Pottery Barn Kids/Pottery Barn/West Elm/Williams Sonoma, and others. Sometimes Darden Cards are better buys than specific brands (think Olive Garden and Bahama Breeze). Buy any Kroger gift card (Fry’s, Fred Meyer, Smith’s, Kroger, King Soopers) to use at other Kroger Stores. FYI, you can buy Bonefish Grill cards for use at Outback Steakhouse.
TIP: While Raise.com gift cards don’t expire, they are only guaranteed for 100 days (so only buy what you can use in that time).
7. Digital gift cards are delivered in minutes.
This means you can typically apply them to purchases almost right away. Instant gratification FTW! To use them:
In-store, once you click “My Card” and confirm the 4-digit PIN of your card, you can give the serial and PIN numbers on the back of the cards to the cashier as a gift card/payment.
Online, once you fill your cart and know the total cost of your purchase after discounts and coupons, purchase the number of Raise.com gift cards you need to cover the order. Complete your purchase by entering your gift card and PIN number as payment on the website.
TIP: It could take up to 24 hours to verify your digital gift card, so plan for that possibility.
8. Vouchers must be spent in the store.
If you select a “voucher,” this means you’re buying an electronic gift card that you can only use in-store. You’ll receive the gift card quickly like a digital gift card, but when you go to spend it, you must shop in-store, not online.
TIP: While Raise.com gift cards state no expiration date, spend the full amount and return whatever you don’t need for full store credit.
9. eGift cards must be spent online.
When you buy an “eGift Card,” it means you’re buying a digital gift card that you can only use when you’re shopping online.
10. Multiple gift cards can be used in the same order.
Once you know what you plan to buy, nearly all online retailers will let you use up to five or more cards in a single transaction.
Just purchase the right amount of cards for delivery to your account.
TIP: We like to buy a little less than the total amount when possible, just so we don’t have to remember to use those cards later (it’s a bummer having $1.47 left on a JCPenney gift card).
11. Stacking coupons with cards will save you the most.
To get the best oomph for your moolah, shop the sales, apply store coupons, loyalty card information, and discounts.
Don’t forget those added app savings (Ibotta, Checkout51, etc.) on the back end of the purchase.
Better yet, buy your Raise.com cards with a rewards credit card.
TIP: Paribus is an app that monitors your purchases and requests a price adjustment on your behalf if there’s a price drop.
12. For every friend who signs up, users earn $5.
When you refer friends to join the Raise.com marketplace, they’ll get $5 off their first order.
They just have to make a purchase within 30 days of signing up, and you get $5, too. Redeem your rewards at checkout for any gift card.
13. Join Raise Pay to earn credit toward future gift card purchases.
Some gift cards offer a percentage off in the form of Raise Cash toward your next purchase.
For example, Nike gift cards are 1.5% off but if you but them through the “Raise Pay” portion of the app, you can earn 6% back in Raise Cash.
Of course, your Raise Cash is only good on future gift card purchases, but if you’re shopping Nike anyway, why not take the 6% in Raise Cash and then use it to buy a restaurant gift card next time you dine out? It’s like rolling your savings into the next purchase.
Honesty is the best policy (except maybe store return policies with no receipt required, amirite?) so we want you to know that companies like Paribus compensate us when you sign-up using the links we provided above.
