I saved $49.38 at Old Navy's Stuff & Save sale.
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
This past weekend my sister and I headed to the mall in search of a graduation dress for her and a couple of gifts. We ended up at Old Navy where we found an adorable dress. Although I’m reluctant to use retail credit cards because of their high interest rates, I was delighted to score a discount when I charged my Old Navy card.
I intended to pay with cash but the sales associate asked if I wanted to save 20% on my purchase.
“Oh, I already have an Old Navy card,” I responded. I didn’t know they were having their Stuff & Save promotion were you get 20% off of anything you can stuff into an adorable reusable bag.
“If you charge this purchase, you’ll get the discount.”
“Really?”
I begin to stall with other questions about the sale so I can dig through my wallet to find the card. I found rewards cards and gift cards, but not that card.
“Rats! I don’t have it with me. ”
“No problem. We can still charge your card if you have an ID and know your SS number.”
I hesitated. I’m not comfortable giving out personal information. What if the 20% savings ends up costing me more in the long run? I could become a victim of identity theft.
“You don’t have to write it down.”
I handed her my ID. Covered the number pad (you never know who’s watching) and punched in my number.
“Your total with tax is $106.33 and with the discount it comes out to $85.06.”
Some of the gifts I picked up where on sale and I saved $30 (this is reflected in the original price) on top of the 20% discount, which saved me $21.27. My total savings were $49.38!
Later that day, I sent off my Old Navy payment to avoid getting slapped with interest. Other good reasons to avoid store credit cards are that you don’t have the flexibility to use them at other stores and these companies tend to do the bait and switch. You are promised perks, but they don’t reveal that it’s only on qualifying purchases.
I only have two retail credit cards that I use when I have money on hand. The cards I have allow me to get points without carrying a balance. If you shop often at a store and their credit card has perks that include discounts, then go for it. Just remember to read the fine print to know what you’re getting into as some cards only offer introductory perks.
Good customer service will also save you money, like the clerks that saved Bargain Babe $40.
May 6th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Using your SSN to look up your store card won’t make you a victim of identity theft. Even if you wrote it down, the cashier doesn’t keep that piece of paper. I’ve worked at Macy’s as a cashier and people use their ID/SSN to look up and use their accounts all the time, just FYI.
Congrats on your savings! As long as you pay them off on time, store cards can save you a lot of money.
May 6th, 2011 at 10:54 am
i use my vs card all the time last month i bought something on sale it was backorded so i got two shipments and got 2 10 reward cards i used a free water bottle with pink purchase and i got 6 lotions body wash the underwear and bottle for 0.86 so it was sooo worth it
May 6th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
I love my Old Navy credit card. It’s the Visa one I can use anywhere so if I spend $1000, i get $10 towards Old Navy, Gap, or Banana Republic. Plus I get coupons all the time!
May 6th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
i have 5-6 credit cards—including my TJ Maxx Master Card which i get rewards from.($10 gift cards) I pay all my credit cards in full every month! Once the bill comes you see can see the due-date-put it in your computer calendar & get reminders—no finance charges & you build great credit! Why pay cash when you have better proof of purchase & pay it off every month! (i even keep a list of “end dates” in my wallet! I then know how many days till the bill is sent out.
May 6th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
I must say, I am a bigger fan of Macy’s that I ever was. Though they have lots of sales, I found that the best one is the One-Day Sale. Used in combination with coupons that are sent to Macy’s cardholders, I am less likely to shop anywhere else these days.
Today, for instance, I went to peruse the clearance racks only, to spend as little as possible in order to use my coupon for $10 off $25 purchase. Mission accomplished.
However, I had had in hand, copies of items printed from the Macy’s website – items I couldn’t find in the store that I was waffling on ordering online at home (note that I watched the online prices hit optimum levels and they seemed to be at their lowest this morning).
The salesperson was very helpful in telling me that she could order them for me in the store, and throw out shipping charges (usually Macy’s online site offers free shipping for purchases $99+ only, and I wasn’t spending that much). She referred to it as “Search and Send.”
On her register, the prices were coming up higher than those online. She not only matched the lower online prices: she threw out the shipping AND accepted my $20 off a $50 purchase.
So, for Macy’s, it helps to bring proof of lower online prices, and order at the store vs. online. I was pleasantly surprised!
May 6th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
You can get some amazing deals at Macy’s. The problem with working there was I wanted to buy all the clothes!
May 6th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
@The Girl Next Door I have a friend who became a victim of identity theft after she had a sales associate look up her card info. She doesn’t believe it was the sales associate, but someone who was watching her.
It’s best to be careful. There have been many people who have fallen prey when putting gas in their cars or simply grabbing a bite at a restaurant.
May 6th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
@bgc I agree credit cards are a good proof of purchase. They’re also good in case you have to stop a payment. I’m just trying to cut back on my use. New Year’s resolution. But I will use it to make reservations.
May 6th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
@Valley Girl That’s really good advice! I’ve never tried bringing proof of lower online prices. I’m going to have to try this some time.
May 7th, 2011 at 12:11 am
@Yasmin ~ I’m somewhat puzzled by your comment that you are “reluctant to use retail credit cards because of their high interest rates . . .” But that’s a non-issue if you pay your balance in full, which is what I would think you’d do, considering your write bargain/smart-spending blogs and that is the prudent way to go.
May 7th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
@Diane Although it is the prudent way to go and I write smart-spending blogs, I too have slip ups just like anyone else.
As you may recall, a while back I wrote about my coffee addiction costing me money because I kept on charging it on my credit card and I hadn’t paid my balance in full. In this same post, I believe I also mentioned that since I’m a freelance writer my income does not come in on a regular basis and that was one of the main reasons why I had gotten into the mess.
I actually prefer using regular credit cards (if they have a lower APR and have perks) over retail credit cards because you can use them anywhere and not just in one store.
May 10th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Hope your readers will check out my girlfriends site http://www.selfishstyle.com that has really cute women’s clothing and apparel at great prices.
May 14th, 2011 at 9:23 am
[...] Bargain Babe Retail credit cards with perks: I saved $49.38Even if you wrote it down, the cashier doesn't keep that piece of paper. I've worked at Macy's as a cashier and people use their ID/SSN to look up and use their accounts all the time, just FYI. Congrats on your savings … The salesperson was very helpful in telling me that she could order them for me in the store, and throw out shipping charges (usually Macy's online site offers free shipping for purchases $99+ only, and I wasn't spending that much). … [...]