Amazon holiday hack: Get a $150 gift card and up to 25 percent cash back
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Need some extra cash to buy holiday gifts? What if I told you you could score $150 in Amazon credit with just a few clicks?
You'd probably say there were strings attached. Sort of yes, but also sort of no: If you're an Amazon Prime subscriber (non-subscribers, keep reading), you can get a $150 gift card when you sign up for the Prime Rewards Visa Card. Assuming you qualify, approval happens in about the time it takes to read this paragraph — and the gift card is provided instantly, meaning you now have $150 to spend on anything Amazon sells.
This is a no-annual-fee Visa, so there's literally zero cost to you. And there are benefits beyond the gift card: You get 5 percent back on nearly all Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, 2 percent back on restaurants and gas and 1 percent on just about everything else.
Amazon also runs Prime Card exclusives from time to time, with up to 25 percent back (in the form of Amazon credit, which is processed after your purchase) on select items. Right now, for example, you can get 10% back on some already-discounted electronics:
Amazon Fire 7 tablet: $31.49 after 10% back
$100 Xbox gift card: $85 after 15% back
Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones: $117 after 10% back
OK, but what if you don't have the aforementioned Amazon Prime subscription? There's still a gift-card option when you apply for the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, though it's $100 instead of $200. And while that card does offer cash back, it doesn't qualify for the bonus exclusives.
Speaking of Prime, I think it's worth the $119 price of admission, at least for most folks. In addition to fast shipping (meaning two-day, one-day and sometimes even same-day) on most products, you get a boatload of media: Prime movies and TV shows, a different batch of PC games every month, a modest but diverse music library, a rotating selection of e-books and so on.
So here's a thought: If you sign up for a subscription now, then grab the Prime Rewards Visa, you'd be paying $119 and receiving $150 — meaning this gift card more than covers the cost of the subscription.
Newcomers can sign up for a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial, though I don't know if you can also get the Prime Rewards Visa as part of that trial or you have to be a full-fledged paying subscriber. My guess is it's the latter.
My question to you: What will you buy with all that sweet, sweet free money? Here are just a few ideas:
TV deals:
Vizio 70-Inch M-Series Premium 4K Quantum Color Smart TV, $750 (was $1,100), amazon.com
Insignia NS-32F201NA22 32-inch F20 Series Smart Fire TV, $120 (was $200), amazon.com
TCL 55-inch Class 4-Series 4K Smart Roku TV, $380 (was $600), amazon.com
Toshiba 43-inch Class V35 Series LED Smart Fire TV, $200 (was $320), amazon.com
Headphones and earbud deals:
Jabra Elite 75t True Wireless Earbuds, $80 (was $150), amazon.com
Sony WH-XB910N Extra Bass Noise Cancelling Headphones, $148 (was $250), amazon.com
Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds, $180 (was $250), amazon.com
Sennheiser HD 450SE Bluetooth 5.0 Wireless Headphones, $90 (was $200), amazon.com
Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Earbuds, $199 (was $279), amazon.com
Smartphone and tablet deals:
Fire HD 10 tablet, $100 (was $150), amazon.com
Fossil Women's Gen 5E 42mm Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch, $169 (was $249), amazon.com
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Factory Unlocked Smart Phone, $690 (was $1,200), amazon.com
Fire HD 8 tablet, $55 (was $90), amazon.com
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 11-inch Android Tablet, $499 (was $650), amazon.com
Video game deals:
NBA 2K22 75th Anniversary Edition for PlayStation 4, $70 (was $100), amazon.com
Razer BlackShark V2 X Gaming Headset, $40 (was $60), amazon.com
Just Dance 2022 for PlayStation 4, $30 (was $50), amazon.com
Sonic Colors Ultimate: Standard Edition for Nintendo Switch, $23 (was $40), amazon.com
Smart home deals:
TP-Link Deco Mesh WiFi System 3-Pack, $110 (was $150), amazon.com
Molekule Air Large Room Air Purifier, $479 (was $799), amazon.com
Ring Video Doorbell Wired, $42 (was $60), amazon.com
Vacuum deals:
Shark ZU782 Rotator Lift-Away DuoClean Pro Upright Vacuum, $210 (was $370), amazon.com
Tineco Floor One S3 Cordless Hardwood Floors Cleaner, $280 (was $400), amazon.com
eufy by Anker BoostIQ RoboVac, $140 with on-page coupon (was $230), amazon.com
Fashion deals:
Dearfoams Women's Cedar Sleeping Bag Closed Back Slipper, $23 (was $35), amazon.com
Fossil Women's Liza Leather Mini Wallet with Keychain, $38 (was $55), amazon.com
Levi's Women's The Melanie Performance Faux Fur Trimmed Snorkel Jacket, starting at $57 (was $90), amazon.com
Pinkmstyle Women's Casual Color Block Hoodie, starting at $16 (was $36), amazon.com
Kitchen deals:
Instant Vortex Pro 10 Quart Air Fryer, $110 (was $160), amazon.com
Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, $525 (was $700), amazon.com
Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, $140 (was $200), amazon.com
Anova Culinary ANVS01-US00 Precision Vacuum Sealer, $60 (was $80), amazon.com
Beauty deals:
Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips 20 Treatments, $33 with on-page coupon (was $48), amazon.com
Braun Epilator Silk-épil 9 9-030 with Flexible Head, $140 (was $180), amazon.com
Foot Peel Mask 2 Pack, $12 with on-page coupon (was $28), amazon.com
Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga Liquid Eye-Lie-Ner, $14 (was $20), amazon.com
Prism Makeup Highly Pigmented Eye Makeup Palette, $8 (was $14), amazon.com
Bedding deals:
Mellanni Queen Sheet Set, $28 (was $48), amazon.com
Madison Park Queen Comforter Set, $104 with on-page coupon (was $195), amazon.com
Lush Decor Reyna Ruffled 3 Piece King Bedding Set, $86 (was $320), amazon.com
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