Has anyone heard of "Main Street Savings?"

mjrube94 · #1 (**permalink**) 04-08-2005, 10:23 AM

I have a GM Card, and they link to a site called Main Street Savings, where you can buy gift cards for 20% off. The deal is that the monthly fee to participate is $9.95, and you can buy up to 20 cards per retailer, per year. ($25 gift cards you get for $20 savings=$5). Companies include Home Depot, Target, ToysRUs, Circuit City, Barnes and Noble, Blockbuster, etc., restaurants (Bennigans, Red Lobster, Olive Garden), as well as movie tickets through the major chains for $4.50 each.

I usually go through EBAY to get discounted gift cards, but don't usually get them at 20% off. And I could definitely see me using at least 2/month, which would offset the $9.95 fee. Plus, EBAY is hit-or-miss as to what's available on a given day.

So has anyone heard of this outfit? Do you think this is where a lot of people selling gift cards on EBAY are getting them from? To me, it seems like a no-brainer to buy the 20 cards per retailer, use what I need, and resell what I can't on EBAY, figuring that most are bid up to only a 10-15% discount. What am I missing?

2moretrees · #2 (**permalink**) 04-08-2005, 11:00 AM

I think there are a number of these programs out there. Most charge $79.95 a year which is better than the rate you mentioned.

These are a good deal IF you purchase things for yourself at the stores they have every month.

Ebay doesn't work well (very slim margins) because you have to pay the ebay fees, paypal fees and usually offer free shipping with gift cards.

jodi · #3 (**permalink**) 04-19-2005, 06:52 PM

I have never heard of Main Street, but I was a member of a similar program called "Homeworks". The fee was 9.95 per month and you could purchase g.c. for $25, then receive $5 back after 30 days (creditied to whatever credit card you used to purchase the cards). I joined on a trial basis to receive a free g.c. to Lowe's (which I had to call twice to receive - it kept getting "lost"). I used it to purchase $150 worth of gift cards and then had to wait 30 days to get my credits back. I also was entitled to a free magazine subscription, which also got "lost" after I ordered it, requiring another phone call. It's not a bad program, if you'll use it - but after I ordered all the cards I could reasonably use, I wanted to cancel the program and got hassled again when I tried to do that (although they did send me another free g.c. to stay in for another month). So, if you think you will use the cards, go for it. I hope Main Street has better customer service than Homeworks.

crashcartjockey · #4 (**permalink**) 05-23-2005, 05:32 PM

I used it a couple of years back. I didn't have any problems with it, however when I was trying to log back into it recently, the link I have, wouldn't go through anymore. I'm not sure why. If you still have a link to get to it, I would appreciate the new web address for it.

mjrube94 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-23-2005, 07:39 PM

Try this link: www.mainstreetsavings123.com. If that doesn't work, post again and I'll do more homework. After my initial post, I looked into it some more and it seemed on the up-and-up, so I went ahead and joined. (First 30 days free/cancel any time). When I signed up I got my membership # right away, placed an order and received it within a week. I've used 2 of the gift cards already and they work fine, though I won't receive the credits back until the end of the month. I looked into some of the other programs available, and they didn't seem as customer-friendly. It seems they all try to persuade you not to cancel, but in doing so, they usually throw in an extra gift card, or lift the $500 limit per company, so it may be worth trying to cancel just to see what else they'll give you.

In my case, I've found that I only have a need for some of the companies, but friends/family members use the others, so I order for them as well. It seems like a good deal to me.

mom-from-missouri · #6 (**permalink**) 05-24-2005, 08:12 PM

I tried this link, but it wont let you go any further without a username and password....

mjrube94 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-25-2005, 07:02 AM

Sorry, try this one instead...

https://www.membershipme.com/savings...=hhdmssgift003

hhicks · #8 (**permalink**) 07-09-2005, 10:22 PM

I have used them for several years. It is a real discount. If you lose the card (s), you lost the money. Other than that, they are great and it is a savings of 20%. This has to be a trap for the person who uses credit cards and doesn't pay the bill every month; I pay the entire bill every month and never had a credit, so Main Street Savings gives me a fabulus 20! You can even use Olive Garden/Red Lobster, restuarant cards to leave a tip at the estaurants, so it saves you one in every five dollars! Highly recommend

Hobie

saver · #9 (**permalink**) 07-12-2005, 01:03 PM

Sounds like a good way to save some money. Mjrube94, could you check the link out again please. Link was not working when I tried to check out the offer.

mjrube94 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-12-2005, 06:47 PM

I don't know why, but I'm guessing it may be closed to new members. I read alot about this and other similar programs on the finance forum at fatwallet.com, and although I haven't seen anything specifically about Main Street Savings closing to new customers, it seems that other offers have. Also, it is no longer listed on the GM Card website, where I initially saw it.

As a member, I can still get into the member site using my number, but when I try to place an order, the shopping cart always comes up empty at checkout. I've tried the 1-800 number and that seemed to be working, though I didn't have my credit card handy at the time, so I had to hang up before completing the transaction.

I'm hoping they may be having a technical glitch and will be back up and running soon. I've already placed 4 orders for gift cards through them, received each order within one week, and received my credit at the end of the month as promised. If I find anything else out, I'll post and keep you up to date.

saver · #11 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 11:33 AM

Thanks Mjrube94. If you hv a working link, I'll appreciate it. Like to save some money.

mjrube94 · #12 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 01:14 PM

I was just reading Retire@50's latest journal entry, and she found the following link, http://giftcardsestore.com/store.asp, where you can buy gift cards for 14% off, no monthly fees. I'm going to check it out when I'm done here, and you may want to check it out as well until a working link for Main Street Savings comes back up.

(By the way, when I clicked on the link before posting it, I noticed something on the page that said "refer a friend, get $$". If we provide Retire@50's paypal email address and/or name, she gets $1 for each $100 ordered by her friends. Retire@50, if you're reading this, post the appropriate info so you can get the credit you deserve...)

retire@50 · #13 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjrube94

I was just reading Retire@50's latest journal entry, and she found the following link, http://giftcardsestore.com/store.asp, where you can buy gift cards for 14% off, no monthly fees. I'm going to check it out when I'm done here, and you may want to check it out as well until a working link for Main Street Savings comes back up.

(By the way, when I clicked on the link before posting it, I noticed something on the page that said "refer a friend, get $$". If we provide Retire@50's paypal email address and/or name, she gets $1 for each $100 ordered by her friends. Retire@50, if you're reading this, post the appropriate info so you can get the credit you deserve...)

Thanks for the info, the email address is eileen_turner55@hotmail.com

saver · #14 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 09:07 PM

Just got an email from Savingadvice's postmaster that you have replied. I didn't know this forum provide such service. I am very pleasantly surprised. New the site.

Thanks Mjrube94. Will check the site out and wrote down Eileen's email as well.

mainstreetsavingsrocks · #15 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 03:18 PM

My husband received a complimentary membership to Main Street Savings from work and it is AWESOME! We have saved so much money using it. Whenever we have a large purchase to make (e.g. a freezer from Sears), we order gift cards. We saved $60 on a $300 freezer (already on sale). The only problem is this: they are discontinuing the program this fall (2005)! It WAS a great deal. (btw, you aren't allowed to sell the gift cards...they're for personal use or gifts only, so the eBay idea someone suggested wouldn't work.)

shop · #16 (**permalink**) 12-28-2005, 04:41 PM

Can anyone send me a working link for joining this program to buy gift cards for 80% of the face value. I tried all these links and it doenot work. TIA

Ima saver · #17 (**permalink**) 12-29-2005, 02:19 PM

To be very trueful, I have never heard of it, but the real way to save money is not to spend it. Most of the "things" people buy they can do without.