Heads up! We share savvy shopping and personal finance tips to put extra cash in your wallet. Android Central may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network. Please note that the offers mentioned below are subject to change at any time and some may no longer be available.
Bank issuers have been trying to find creative ways to convince credit cardholders to keep their accounts open during the coronavirus pandemic.
In recent months, we’ve seen issuers like Chase and American Express add temporary perks and statement credits to several of their premium cards. Amex recently increased the Dell annual statement credit (for U.S. purchases) on The Business Platinum Card® from American Express from $200 to $400 a year.
I haven’t spent my Dell credit for the second half of the year yet, so I was amazed to see anotheroffer from Dell, this time on The Platinum Card® from American Express. From now through Jan. 31, 2021, cardholders will receive a one-time up to $100 statement credit after using your enrolled Amex to spend a minimum of $100. Note that you can make more than one transaction to meet the terms of the offer.
The credit can be used toward your total purchase at Dell and can be stacked with the existing Biz Platinum credit. If you are looking to get something for $0 out of pocket, there are plenty of items that you can buy for $100 or less. Here are five items you can “buy” with the new $100 credit.
Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet: $99
If you’re trying to keep the kids entertained while you work, this $99 kid-proof tablet should keep them busy. The tablet comes with a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, 16 GB internal storage, up to seven hours of battery life and a two-year “worry-free” guarantee.
Two Nintendo Switch games: Starts at $29.99
If you’re lucky enough to have the hottest game console on the planet, you (and the kids) are going to need games for it. Most games start $59.99 each, like Yoshi’s Crafted World. But if you’re trying to get more games for your buck, there are a few games under $40 like Tetris 99, which starts at $29.99.
Google Wi-fi: $99
Many people will be working from home for the foreseeable future, so this could be an excellent time to upgrade your home office setup. Google Wi-Fi can improve your Wi-Fi experience by seamlessly connecting with your modem or gateway.
JBL Bluetooth wireless headphones: $79
If you’ve been working from home for a while, you’re probably more attuned to noise from the outside like trucks or barking dogs. If you want to drown out the noise, you may want to invest in a good pair of headphones like the JBL TUNE 700BT. They aren’t noise-canceling but boast a 24-hour battery life.
Vizio TV 24-inch LED TV: $139
Sure, this last item isn’t under $100, but using the credit can drop your purchase to only $40. When is the last time you bought a TV that cheap? This Vizio TV has Chromecast built-in, which means you can access apps like Netflix and stream thousands of Chromecast-enabled apps from your phone to your TV.
What doesn’t work
Dell gift cards can seem like an easy way of maximizing the statement credit — banking funds for a larger purchase later. Unfortunately, Dell doesn’t sell its own gift cards directly. So the purchase won’t trigger the statement credit.
Also, international transactions, international contact center, Global events, Dell Financial Services, Dell Outlet for Home, Dell Outlet for Work, Dell PartnerDirect, Dell Premier, Dell Premier Connect, Dell Premier Select and authorized retailers are also excluded.
Maximizing your purchase
Before you make your purchase, make sure to register for the Amex Platinum Dell statement credit, if you’re targeted. And while you’re on the American Express website, check your Amex Offers to see if your Amex Platinum is targeted for an Amex Offer on Dell purchases, like the one I got below:
Bottom line
The calendar on this offer doesn’t reset until January 2021, so there’s no rush to use up the new credit. If you need goodies, however, now is as good a time as any to hit “checkout.” With Dell selling a ton of different items, you should have no problem finding the next new piece of technology or gadget for your family. Just make sure you check when your item is scheduled to ship — in some cases, gadgets take over a month to ship.
Featured photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy
