If you try hard enough, Gucci kind of rhymes with douchey. Regardless, I admit my basic-ish side has wanted either an iconic Gucci or Ferragamo belt for a while now. One that’s not so bulky and screaming faux nouveau riche influencer, but just a classic black leather belt with gold hardware that fits well and that matches with anything and everything for years to come. A closet staple, if you will.
Naturally, I’ve been keeping an eye on Gucci belt pricing the classic styles not only never go on sale, but they also frequently sell out of my size so I knew the only way I could get one without forking over the painful $350+ was through a combination of cash back apps and a well-timed credit card offer bonus. I kept an eye out for all of the above at the retailers I knew that carried it (Saks.com, Farfetch, Nordstrom, etc) until I came across the combination deal where I could justify the splurge. So lo’ and behold, here is how I managed to get a combined $92 total in cash back for my Gucci Marmont Belt:
Retail Price: $350
Purchased from: Saks.com (Saks Fifth Avenue)
Total paid at purchase: $350 (free shipping with Shoprunner membership from American Express)
Payment Method: American Express Blue Cash Preferred
Cashback:
| App/Offer | Cash Back |
|---|---|
| AMEX Offers: $50 cash back on $250+ purchases at Saks.com | $50 |
| 1% Cash Back on any purchase with AMEX Cash Preferred Card | $3.50 |
| Rakuten Ebates 11% Cash back on all Saks.com purchases | $38.50 |
| TOTAL Savings: | $92 |
Net cost: $258
Extra Tips:
Which payment method to use? Here’s what to consider:
- Do you have a credit card that gives you extra rewards/cash back at department stores?
- Have a Chase card? Check your Chase offers and check the Shop Through Chase portal to see if there are extra ultimate rewards or higher cash back for the stores the item is available through.
- Have an Amex? Check the “Offers” tab (note that the offers differ from card to card, person to person so if you have multiple cards with Amex, check the offers for each of them). Amex tends to have many upscale online shopping and department store offers. I’ve seen Bloomingdales, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Farfetch, and more.
- Calculate the # of points, miles, or cash back that each card would yield and choose the one with the highest benefit
Suggested Apps and Browser Extensions:
- Honey is a great desktop extension that searches for promo codes whenever you make a purchase so you can get the best deal possible.
- Rakuten Ebates: Ebates has cash back at most department stores and a HUGE selection of sites- you just have to remember to shop through the Ebates app link in order to get credited for the purchase. Also make sure the cards you are using for your purchase are synced into Ebates already. Always take screenshots afterwards of your order submission page as sometimes you have to follow up with Ebates in order to be credited.
- Cash Direct Club (Formerly Affinityy): Has many higher cash back offers for purchases over $99, however you need a minimum of $50 to cash out and your cash back is often pending for anywhere from a month to up to 90 days. Examples of current cash back percentages for $99+ purchases are: 8% for Saks, 6% for Neiman Marcus & Farfetch (one of the best offers for Farfetch), 5% for Bloomingdales.
- Drop: Drop’s cash back comes in the form of points that you can then redeem for various gift cards (so no, not actual cash back) but their interface is way cleaner and less spammy looking than most other apps. They also have a large variety of merchants so it’s a good app to check if none of the other ones are offering anything exciting.
The Microhustle 