Yesterday I went to CVS to use my $5 off $25 coupon. One of the items I picked up was a $20 Blockbuster gift card. I went up to the register and checked out with no problem. But then when I got to my car I looked at my receipt a bit more closely and realized that I hadn't been charged for the gift card!
So I went back in to the same cashier. He was puzzled as to what had happened because the gift card had scanned - so it could've been used! He rang it up for me again, and I handed over a $1 CVS ecb which made it $19. Then I swiped my gift card (from mypoints.com) and it wouldn't work. He tried getting it to work - no can do.
Finally got a manager over who tried to get it to work. She finally asked me exactly what I was trying to buy. When she saw it was a gift card, she told me I couldn't buy a gift card with a gift card! So I just left - didn't even bother seeing if I could get my $1 ECB back.
I could've walked out of there with a $20 free Blockbuster gift card (for my brother and sil for Christmas I was thinking) but instead I was honest and ended up losing $1. Oh well - maybe I'll have some good repercussions come my way for doing the right thing. 
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I checked my mail this afternoon, and was VERY happy to see that my Stimulus check had arrived. Now I just have to wait till Friday after work to deposit it. Then probably Monday or Tuesday for it to finish clearing. Then the following Monday or Tuesday for it to be fully in my Ing checking. Then probably another week for it to be deposited in my HSBC account and start earning the 3.5% interest their offering right now.
I need to check if there's a way I can just send the check directly to HSBC rather than messing with all the transfers, etc.
Stimulus finally & an almost free gift card
June 14th, 2008 at 09:38 pm
June 14th, 2008 at 09:40 pm 1213479645
June 14th, 2008 at 09:42 pm 1213479779
June 15th, 2008 at 03:23 am 1213500181
June 15th, 2008 at 03:38 am 1213501086
For some reason Chase bank doesn't even credit CASH deposits on the same day - nor direct deposits. So, while the check MAY clear right away, it doesn't mean it will be available for transferring right away.
Then of course ING will take up to 7 business days before the transfered funds become available for withdrawal.
Then to transfer to HSBC it will take another 5 business days before it shows up in the available balance (i.e. earning interest).
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I called HSBC today and got the mailing address to mail the check for deposit. Hopefully that will get it in there a bit faster.
June 15th, 2008 at 05:47 am 1213508877
June 15th, 2008 at 02:32 pm 1213540342