Walgreens: No Purchase Fee On American Express Gift Cards

The Offer

Direct link to offer (p13)

  • American Express gift cards have a $0 purchase price at Walgreens until November 19th, 2016

walgreens

The Fine Print

  • Valid until November 19th, 2016
  • Promo not valid in VT

Our Verdict

Might be useful for people that still need to spend $1,500 on the Chase Freedom for the 5% bonus at drugstores, other cards that earn at a high rate on drugstore purchases can be viewed here. Reader Jeff H also states you need to input your Walgreens Balance Rewards membership to get the fee waiver.

Hat tip to Stars09 on slickdeals

 

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19 Comments
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Chris
Chris (@guest_316068)
November 16, 2016 20:51

FYI I just did this in Georgia it works here.

Jan B
Jan B (@guest_315916)
November 16, 2016 14:30

Considering I am waiting for the other GC promos coming up (BB&B and OD), this one actually will be ok, too, but only because of the no fee.

Joe
Joe (@guest_315881)
November 16, 2016 13:11

I’m trying to decide whether it’s better to buy one of these and liquefy it organically, or buy a Visa or MasterCard and buy a money order.

Let’s assume I buy a $500 card with my 5% Chase Freedom.

Amex $500 * 5% = $25 profit

Visa/MC $500 * 5% + $5.95 * 5% – $5.95 – $0.70 = $18.65
Plus the opportunity to spend $500 on my Chase Freedom Unlimited elsewhere: $500 * 1.5% = $7.50
$18.65 + $7.50 = $26.15 profit

I’m guessing the $1.15 difference would be eaten up by gas…

Charles Chang
Charles Chang (@guest_315864)
November 16, 2016 12:34

good deal to use freedom or obc. only problem is how to liquidate amex gc.

zMay
zMay (@guest_315522)
November 15, 2016 19:32

How do You liquidate these?

Jeff Hix
Jeff Hix (@guest_315567)
November 15, 2016 20:04

My Plan is to use them next week on the OD/OM $15.00 off $300.00 VCG deal. I did this already with the Kroger $100.00 AMEX card last week. Use it as a CC – No PIN involved.
I purchased the no fee $100.00 MCGC for $100.00.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/officedepotmax-15-off-purchase-300-visa-gift-cards-store-limit-1/

Gerald
Gerald (@guest_315709)
November 16, 2016 00:47

Obviously you don’t have an Ink card, else you’d use that for the OD/OM deal.

Since most ways of liquidating gift cards require a PIN, Amex gift cards aren’t so useful.

Wyle
Wyle (@guest_315719)
November 16, 2016 01:13

Unless you’ve hit the many OD/OM deals already and your Ink card needs 6 months to cool off. 🙂

Jeff H
Jeff H (@guest_316755)
November 18, 2016 12:17

I used the Freedom card at Walgreens which @ 5% UR is the same thing for a card that does not give that rate at OM.

No I do NOT have INK, but I do have a new to me competitive card that will give 5 ppd spent. I do NOT want to set alarms and have it killed. I was gong to mix the sales.

AFIK, yes, OM/OD will flush the AMEX GC and indicate a balance due.

Wyle
Wyle (@guest_315726)
November 16, 2016 01:22

Have you previously tried doing split transactions as credit at OD/OM? Does their POS system auto-drain the card as credit and then require add’l payment?
Thanks for the DP.

Josh M
Josh M (@guest_315507)
November 15, 2016 18:55

Do they have variable load amex gcs at walgreens?

Jeff Hix
Jeff Hix (@guest_315559)
November 15, 2016 19:56

Up to $500.00 – yes. Sign on GC display limits purchase to $500.00 per GC brand per day. I was successful going to two locations. Both checked ID vs CC, No bid deal. Walgreen Balance Rewards number required or GC fee automatically rings up. Manager cannot override AFIK

rahul
rahul (@guest_315895)
November 16, 2016 13:38

how many $500 amex GC CAN one buy in one transaction at WG? can i buy 3 x $500 = $1500 at WG?

Jeff H
Jeff H (@guest_316753)
November 18, 2016 12:11

Depends if store enforces the $500.00 per brand per day max purchase rule on the GC display. I bought one card at each of two stores close to each other. Do you have other WGs near each other?

Gene
Gene (@guest_315500)
November 15, 2016 18:48

do most walgreens still not accept credit cards for GCs?

Josh M
Josh M (@guest_315504)
November 15, 2016 18:55

the ones near me accept ccs but sometimes they only let me buy one at a time.

Ed
Ed (@guest_315508)
November 15, 2016 18:58

In the LA area Walgreens has not accepted credit cards for these types of purchases for well over a year. Very rarely you can get a Rite-Aid cashier who is cooperative. And CVS is fine as long as you don’t exceed their daily limit (not sure of the amount, I think it’s $1200). But no Walgreens.

Josh M
Josh M (@guest_315512)
November 15, 2016 19:01
  Ed

Rite-Aids are now hard-coded not to take ccs for variable load gift cards.