I like to thank instructors and camp counselors with presents at the end of each term for their hard work so I usually purchase gift cards. I do however take advantage of Rite Aid’s bonus cash offers when buying them. Every week on Sunday, Rite Aid releases their weekly circular. Most of the time, they have a weekly deal on a gift card where you will get a cash back bonus ranging from 5-8.00 when you buy a gift card for a certain amount. Sometimes it’s 5.00 for a 25.00 spend or 8.00 for a 50.00 spend. The next business day you can use the cash back bonus, automatically loaded to your card, to buy any other necessities you might need from the store. I like to try and get other things I’ll get more bonus cash for so that I’m in a never ending loop of cash back. It doesn’t always work out though since there are occasionally things we’ll need that don’t have a special offer. It’s smart to stock up ahead of time on items with these offers so by the time you are running low on them, there is usually another cash back offer waiting. My husband thinks the whole thing is ridiculous, but I’m spending less on my gift shopping, buying things I need and stocking up on gift cards ahead of time. It’s better than rushing and buying a gift card at full price the day of. Unfortunately, you can’t use other bonus cash to buy the gift cards but there’s really no other limitations on the bonus cash you receive from the purchases. They also have these offers on gift cards of all types, Game Stop, Regal, Applebees, Netflix etc… It might even work out to your advantage to buy them for yourself if you shop at any of those places and get both cash back and save on the overall amount you’d be spending at the store. If you really want to go wild, you can pair that up with  Ebates and get even more cash back when you purchase things online with your gift card balances. If you ask me, that’s the mom version of a video game. Happy shopping!