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Free Money Alert! Staples Waives Fees on Mastercard Gift Cards (Again!)
Published on December 1, 2025, 2:30 AM

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Heads up, deal hunters! Staples is running another promotion where they're waiving the activation fee on $200 Mastercard gift cards. This means you can buy these cards without paying the usual $6.95 fee. The deal is valid from November 30th to December 6th.

Why should you care? Well, this is a great way to manufacture spending and rack up rewards on your credit cards. Just use a credit card that earns bonus points at office supply stores (like the Amex Business Gold with its office supply credit or cards with Chase Offers), buy the gift cards, and then use those gift cards for your regular spending. Think of it as turning everyday purchases into extra points or cashback!

Keep in mind there's a limit of 9 cards per customer per day, and it's an in-store only deal, so you'll need to head to your local Staples. This offer pops up pretty frequently, so if you miss it this time, don't worry, it will likely be back. But while it lasts, it's a simple way to boost your points balance!

Why This Matters for Your Strategy

News in the points-and-miles world moves fast, and promotional changes often have a short window. If this announcement affects a card or program you hold, log into your awardtrail dashboard to check your current benefit usage, bonus progress, and whether a transfer or redemption makes sense right now — before terms change.

As a general rule: transfer points only when you have a specific redemption in mind — transfers are almost always one-way and non-reversible. If you're unsure of the value, check our redemption guides before acting.

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