Small Business Saturday - $25 AmEx statement credits!

[JL514]

American Express sponsors "small business saturday" which is the saturday after Black Friday. You can register every Amex you have, and you will get a $25 statement credit on each if you spend $25+ in a single transaction at a small business on their map.

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/

For example, I have 3 AmEx cards:

• My favorite local restaurant is on their map, so I can go and get 3x$25 giftcards for free
  OR
• My local liquor store is on their map, so I can go and get 3 $25+ bottles of liquor for $25 less than retail
  OR
• Local pizza place is there so I can get two large pies and a dozen wings for $3 after statement credit for lunch/dinner on saturday

If you have an AmEx and you've added an authorized user, the AU card also qualifies as AmEx gives separate account numbers to each AU. Non-Amex Amexs (like Jetblue amex or Citi AAdvantage Amex) also qualify, but prepaid amex cards do not.

Also, if you're scared of credit cards and are still using a debit card to pay for everything, you can read my credit primer here

 

[cbunn]

But you can only get the $25 statement credit once per card, right? I only have one Amex card.

 

[JL514]

Yes, only once per account number (this is why authorized users on the same card can also get the credit, as they have different account numbers). I've added ORs for clarification to the OP, I was just trying to show the options available.

 

[drshivas]

Thanks, OP! Registering our cards now. There's a local computer place by me, and I may try to pick up an ITX case.

 

[Primergy]

Neat.. Costco Membership = 2x Amex = $50

HAH Found a local liquor store that's participating - FREE BOOZE!

 

[drinkmorejava]

Thanks OP. I'm also eyeing my local liquor store.

 

[AlexAL]

How does this work, first spend $25 and then wait for $25 credit and spend that too? Does it work on those refillable amex cards?

 

[Rockinacoustic]

looks like Amex Serve cards don't qualify

 

[JL514]

How does this work, first spend $25 and then wait for $25 credit and spend that too? Does it work on those refillable amex cards?

You get 1x $25 statement credit per registered card. Spend $25+ at a local small business and you will get a $25 statement credit. Typically this happens immediately and you will receive an email before you even leave the merchant.

Does not work on prepaids, refills, serve, bluebird etc.

 

[marvdmartian]

Used this last year, and got a good deal from it. However, it looks as though the local stores that are participating in it, this year, pretty much all suck.

 

[philipma1957]

yeah this will work well for me. there is a supermarket that is small enough to be in on this. it is only 5 or 6 miles from my home.

I can buy a 25 dollar amazon card with one of my amex cards and I can buy a few steaks with the other card.

Middle class welfare curtesy of amex cool.

 

[Pardus]

Used this last year, and got a good deal from it. However, it looks as though the local stores that are participating in it, this year, pretty much all suck.

Suggestions:
locally owned restaurants
locally owned grocery stores
locally owned liquor stores
locally owned sporting goods stores
local meat market
local tanning salon
local mechanic
local gas station (no chain)
independent book stores, if there still around
buy a gift card in any of the above to use later on

 

[JL514]

bump this is today

 

[cytoSiN]

Free booze you say? Why did I not know about this until now? Two cards on one account, but they have different numbers, so that's $50 of free wine. Awesome! :thumbsup:

 

[drshivas]

Bought $100 worth of local craft brews from a local grocery across four Amex cards. Hope the credits go through! Thanks Amex!

 

[JL514]

awesome, wish i had a craft brewery around here!

 

[cbunn]

Amex's web site is not exactly winning my admiration. Dragging around the map works fine, but try to search by a business name (even one I see listed) and it gives up.

 

[philipma1957]

Amex's web site is not exactly winning my admiration. Dragging around the map works fine, but try to search by a business name (even one I see listed) and it gives up.

yeah it was a bit tough . I had 2 cards got 4 of these


http://www.amazon.com/Ruffino-Ducale.../dp/B007IT3DMS

at my local spirits wine and booze store. they were on sale for 20 so 2 for 40 25 off is 15 for 2.

30 for 4 with tax 35 for 4. these run 24 to 29 bucks each. at 8.75 a pop I am a happy camper. thank you op!!

 

[JTsyo]

crap saw this too late. My favorite Thai place was on the list.

 

[zanemoseley]

We have 2 cards. With one I got a Maker's Mark gift set for a little over a buck after the $25 off, check off the step father on the Christmas list.. Then we went to eat at a ridiculously good yet cheap Mexican restaurant (think $3.99 32oz Dos Equis) and left for like $5 after the $25 off, life is good.

 

[marvdmartian]

Suggestions:
locally owned restaurants
locally owned grocery stores
locally owned liquor stores
locally owned sporting goods stores
local meat market
local tanning salon
local mechanic
local gas station (no chain)
independent book stores, if there still around
buy a gift card in any of the above to use later on

That was the problem. Bunch of places (~100 listed), but nothing like what you're talking about. No restaurants, grocery stores, liquor stores, sporting goods.....NOTHING but a few garages (that I don't use), some businesses that I don't need anything from (plumbing supply houses, etc), and the bail bondsman.

Almost as though none of the local small businesses had any idea it was going on......or didn't care to sign up for it.

 

[cbunn]

As if the horrible map interface wasn't enough, when I went to pick up my extra large take out order (extra food to get to $25) from my favorite local Thai restaurant listed on Amex's page, I'm told that they don't accept American Express. *facepalm*

I also went to the Wine & Spirits store to pick up some Scotch for a gift, but they were not listed, so who knows.

 

[cytoSiN]

Is this a new promotion this year? Never heard about it before, but my local wine store knew all about it and there were lots of people inside laughing about free booze.

 

[cbunn]

Is this a new promotion this year? Never heard about it before, but my local wine store knew all about it and there were lots of people inside laughing about free booze.

This is the third year (it started in 2010).