Save 3-5% on virtually everything

With a cash-back rewards earning credit card and a simple strategy, it’s possible to save 3-5% on virtually everything you buy. The first thing you need is a credit card with cash-back rewards. The most common of these offer 3% cash back on purchases at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations, but it may still be possible to find some 5% cards

• Chase Rewards Plus Visa
  5% at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations, 1% everywhere else
  This card has been usurped by the Chase Freedom card, which is a 3% card. Try calling 1-800-432-3117 and see if they’ll give you the Rewards Plus
• HSBC Direct Rewards Platinum MasterCard
  5% at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations, 0.5% everywhere else for the first $3000 spent

A list of 5% Reward Cards is maintained at fatwallet.com.

The next thing you need is a strategy for anticipating purchases and a willingness to make a quick stop at a grocery store or drug store first. Grocery and drug stores sell an increasing selection of gift cards for a number of other stores, like Best Buy, Circuit City, Home Depot, etc. If you expect to make a purchase at one of these stores, you can effectively get the same 3-5% back those purchases by buying a gift card at the grocery store and using it to pay instead of your credit card.

Caveats
1) While rare, it can take 24 hours to fully activate a card, so plan your shopping.
2) Gift cards do not offer chargeback protection and you won’t have access to price protection or extended warranty coverage.

* AMC Theatres- available at Walgreens, Safeway
* American Express Gift Card- Charges a hefty activation fee. Don’t be tempted.
* American Airlines- cards available at Safeway
* America West Airlines- $50 cards available at RiteAid
* Applebee’s- available at Walgreens
* Barnes & Noble- 5% off of books, What a NOBLE idea! at Safeway
* Bass Pro Shops- Available at Safeway.
* Best Western- available at Walgreens
* Bed, Bath & Beyond- available at Safeway
* Blockbuster- available at Walgreens, Safeway
* Borders- available at Walgreens (but Discover gives an added 25% thru their Cash Back Bonus Program)
* Brinker Restaurants (Chili’s, Corner Bakery, On The Border, Maggiano’s, Macaroni Grill and Rockfish)- Walgreens & Rite Aid
* Build a Bear- available at Walgreens
* Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones and Bahama Breeze)- Walgreens, and Safeway
* Disney- Special offer gift card at Safeway… I don’t know anything else.
* Finish Line- Walgreens
* Foot Locker- Safeway
* Gap- Safeway (but Discover will give you an added 25% if you get a GC thru their Cash Back Bonus program)
* Great American Days (experience gifts)- available at Walgreens
* Hollywood Video- Available at Walgreens
* Home Depot- available at Safeway
* iTunes- Available at Walgreens, Safeway, Rite Aid (Thats 95 cents/song!)
* Landry’s Restaurants (Landry’s, Joes Crabshack??)- available at Walgreens
* Linens n Things- RiteAid
* Lowes- available at Rite Aid
* Marriott- at Safeway (does this include the Ritz? Its owned by Marriott?!)
* Nordstrom- available at Safeway
* Old Navy- available at Safeway
* Pizza Hut- Available at Walgreens
* Radio Shack- Safeway
* Regis Salon- Walgreens
* REI- Safeway
* Sears- available at Safeway, Albertsons
* Sharper Image- Safeway (but if you have Discover, get the gift card for 2x value using your Cash Back Bonus)
* Shell- available at Walgreens but most drug store cards give you 5% on gas too.
* Spa Finder- at Walgreens
* Sports Authority- at Safeway
* Starbucks- Available at Walgreens, Rite Aid?, Safeway (Also, in select Albertsons you can turn your coinstar credit into a Starbucks for no counting fee… thats a 9% savings!)
* TGI Fridays- at Walgreens
* Tower Records- at Walgreens
* Toys “R” Us- Walgreens
* US Post Office- Not really a GC, but buy stamps at the grocery drug store to save 5%
* Virgin Digital Music- at Walgreens

A list of Which card to use where?!? is maintained at fatwallet.com.

If you are going to spend money at one of these stores anyway, why not use a gift card and get a better deal than the 1% you’d otherwise get on a cash rewards credit card.