If there is one thing I know a lot about, it is the adroit use of **gift cards**. Anyone who is wondering what to get me for a gift only has to ascertain what type of gift card I want.  The end result is that -- not  only have I been blessed with many **GIFT** gift cards but also reaped a rich harvest from places like MyPoints and other reward or survey sites.  Imagine my excitement then when MyPoints offered something new -- for 9,500 points I could acquire a prepaid $50 **Visa "Thank You" Reward Card**.  The thought of $50 to spend anywhere for anything made me palpitate with excitement.  I couldn't have been more thrilled if someone from Publishers Clearing House had been at my front door with a bouquet of roses.  In short, I not only fell for this hook, line and sinker but I even redeemed enough points for **THREE** cards. **CHEEZ, are these cards stupid!** The **Visa "Thank You" Reward Card** is not a credit but a **debit **card.  You can't use it online, **SORRY**!  All that would be fine, if you could at least use it in a **STORE** with no problem but even an in-person transaction is problematic if not impossible.  On the occasion of my first use, I plundered Dominick's for a few fun purchases which included a roast chicken, red raspberries, and a killer bottle of Bacardi, etc. ... a bill which came to $34.85 that was easily dispatched by one of my **Visa "Thank You" Reward Cards**.  On a return trip to the same store a couple weeks later, my order was for $56.  I tried to use the remaining balance of my first **Visa "Thank You" Reward Card** as a **front-end** discount -- in other words, I swiped the **"Thank You"** card first and then was prepared to pay the balance owing with a regular credit card.  The **"Thank You"** card was promptly rejected.  After paying for everything with my regular (non-gift) card, one of the first things I did when I got home was to finally read the fine print which had (I must admit) been provided with the first card I had redeemed. **The Split Transaction from Hell** Unless your order comes to less than the balance remaining on your **Visa "Thank You" Card**, the cashier **first **has to ascertain what your **Visa "Thank You" card** is worth, **then** she has to deduct that amount from your total bill, **then** bill you **first** for that part of your transaction which will not be covered by the balance on your **"Thank You"** card.  **Then** she has to start **ANOTHER** transaction for the amount of the balance on your **"Thank You"** card.  It is a split transaction which is bass-ackwards and **you'll never guess what**, according to the fine print, most merchants won't touch this type of split transaction with a ten-foot pole and who can blame them?  If I was a tired, harassed cashier with a line of customers waiting for my attention,** I** wouldn't want to mess around with all this either! The only way I will be able to really get full use out of these DUMB **Visa "Thank You" cards** is to use them to pay for transactions which come to exactly the balance on the card, no more nor less.  That's harder to do than you would think -- one cent over even just for sales tax -- and the **Visa Reward Card** will turn into a "**No, Thank You**" instead of "**Thank You**." **MY VIEWPOINT:** I don't need fine print to show me that I'm probably going to end up not being able to use all of the balance for each **"Thank You"** card (and no, you can't just redeem them for cash) but maybe **you** can learn from my experience.  If you are offered this as a possible option for a reward, just say **"No, Thank You!"** and choose something else.  Even if someone offers you the choice of nothing but the **Visa "Thank You" Reward Card** or a chance to own the Brooklyn Bridge, I'd take the Bridge instead.  That way, you wouldn't get your hopes up and you won't need a tired, harassed cashier to tell you that **you've been scammed**.     Customer Service Didn't have to use this feature, thank God. Available Rates Not sure, didn't notice.

AnnaBanana

Oak Park, IL