Best points reward for a one-off purchase

[JessicaTam]

I am about to buy a MacBook Air for about $1800. I have a number of options as to how to purchase it to maximise my points haul. Any purchase will involve my co-branded Amex for 1.5x $ spent.

1. Online or in person from the Apple store.
1800 x 1.5 = 2700 QFF pts

2. Buy JB HiFi gift cards from Coles and swipe my FlyBuys card.
2700 QFF pts, and 5400 FlyBuys (1800 x 3 using my triple points voucher).

3. Buy Myer gift cards from WW and swipe my EDR card, then buy and swipe my (just applied for) Myer One card.
2700 QFF and 1770 EDR QFF points, plus nearly enough M1 points for 2 x $20 Myer vouchers. I would time this with an EDR bonus spend offer, so my EDR QFF earn may be higher.

Option 1 has obviously the worst return, and I am thinking option 3 is the best, but I am open to other suggestions.

I am flexible for the place of purchase, as Apple do not really allow retailers to discount, so prices between retailers will be much of a muchness. Except for the occasional 10% off at JB - which I have just missed.

Cheers.

 

[straitman]

Option 3 IMHO.

 

[JessicaTam]

Thanks straitman.

Supplementary question: Will a purchase from Myer made with vouchers still contain sufficient information for a TRS and ATO claim?

 

[Sojourner]

Are you set on earning QFF only?

Buy it through the velocityrewards global estore, and get 4 points per dollar spent = 4 x $1800 = 7,200 VFF points*. Use your Amex Qantas card and get additional points on top of that.

Apple Store Australia - Earn Velocity Points you can redeem on Everyday Items

This is only valid until 30 September. After that, the points earned through the estore falls to 2 points per dollar spent.

 

[JessicaTam]

Are you set on earning QFF only?

Buy it through the velocityrewards global estore, and get 4 points per dollar spent = 4 x $1800 = 7,200 VFF points*. Use your Amex Qantas card and get additional points on top of that.

Apple Store Australia - Earn Velocity Points you can redeem on Everyday Items

This is only valid until 30 September. After that, the points earned through the estore falls to 2 points per dollar spent.

Thanks for the suggestion Sojourner, however I don't have much use for VA points.

 

[DeKa]

Thanks for the suggestion Sojourner, however I don't have much use for VA points.

I wouldn't really recommend doing this anyway - Apple points from shopandearn take many follow ups and many months to come through.

The Myer option sounds best. Thanks for giving me the idea

 

[whatmeworry]

Bonus point offer with AMEX at Harvey Norman, might be worth it if they sell MacBook Air?
https://enroll.amexnetwork.com/AU/en/harvey-norman-2013/

 

[ronicat]

Adaptation of option 3
Use Amex to buy wish cards through RAC to get 5% discount
Then buy myer card from Woolworths as planned. 5% less Amex points but 5% less cost

 

[whatmeworry]

Yes but the OP is in VIC. This option is a bit hard to do.

 

[JessicaTam]

Adaptation of option 3
Use Amex to buy wish cards through RAC to get 5% discount
Then buy myer card from Woolworths as planned. 5% less Amex points but 5% less cost

I like your thinking.

Yes but the OP is in VIC. This option is a bit hard to do.

A day trip to ADL if I can get the $89 fares could be done. If the laptop is $1800, then 5% is $90, which is a one way flight. So the other $88 for 20SC.

Fortunately I have kept my RAA membership.

 

[whatmeworry]

I like your thinking.

A day trip to ADL if I can get the $89 fares could be done. If the laptop is $1800, then 5% is $90, which is a one way flight. So the other $88 for 20SC.

Fortunately I have kept my RAA membership.

At those cheap QF prices you can avoid the Deathstar, plus QFF 2000 points.

 

[JessicaTam]

At those cheap QF prices you can avoid the Deathstar, plus QFF 2000 points.

I have just checked, and no cheap QF days that suit me. Mind you, Myer now have $100 off any Mac until 20 October so that sort of makes up for it.

 

[Buzzard]

Have a look at buying Wish gift cards online and still get 5% discount:

https://www.unionshopper.com.au/page/giftcard-wish

Off course you are always welcome in ADL.....

 

[JessicaTam]

Have a look at buying Wish gift cards online and still get 5% discount:

https://www.unionshopper.com.au/page/giftcard-wish

Off course you are always welcome in ADL.....

Almost made it worthwhile, however 1% CC fee and no Amex ability. i.e 4% discount will cost ~1000pts. I am still thinking option 3, although I appreciate the efforts to maximise the earn.

 

[Cynicor]

My plan for the air was always-
Wait for 10% off all apple at dick smith and within 2 months of overseas trip (for 2) -10% discount
get the vouchers from RAC or similar - 5% discount
Use vouchers at Wow to purchase wish/dick smith vouchers - EDR points
Use vouchers at Dick Smith, buy laptop
Claim tax back on TRS- 9% discount

Not sure which areas of this plan you can adapt but I'm mostly sure it all works.

 

[JessicaTam]

My plan for the air was always-
Wait for 10% off all apple at dick smith and within 2 months of overseas trip (for 2) -10% discount
get the vouchers from RAC or similar - 5% discount
Use vouchers at Wow to purchase wish/dick smith vouchers - EDR points
Use vouchers at Dick Smith, buy laptop
Claim tax back on TRS- 9% discount

Not sure which areas of this plan you can adapt but I'm mostly sure it all works.

I think I am getting close to that, with the exception of the RAC vouchers. Myer have the $100 off sale, but if Dick Smith have a 10% off sale that would be slightly better.

 

[Cynicor]

how long can you wait? They either just had one or have one now, so it may be a month or so. Ozbargain will have a few past ones so you can ee how regularly they come up.

 

[JessicaTam]

how long can you wait? They either just had one or have one now, so it may be a month or so. Ozbargain will have a few past ones so you can ee how regularly they come up.

Good suggestion as the sale ends tomorrow. However it only applies to 'in store' models, and as I would like to up the RAM I miss out.

 

[Cynicor]

Hmm. I don't know tonnes about apple, but can you buy it and upgrade the ram in an apple store after the fact, so as to maintain warranty etc but obtain discount? Otherwise, find a student or employee who can get their own discounts...

 

[JessicaTam]

Apples* are pretty well only upgradable at time of purchase, as many items are now hard-wired in. I can get student discount, but will then miss out on the EDR/FB points haul.

*Edit: specifically MacBook Airs