Get a Jump Start on Your New Year’s Resolution with 5% PowerPerks!

Get a Jump Start on Your New Year’s Resolution with 5% PowerPerks!

Posted by Kelsey Shea on December 30, 2011 in 5% PowerPerks

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As we all exhale the chaos of the holidays, it’s time to consider new beginnings and a new year. January’s PowerPerks are all about helping you create a fresh, healthy starts, with a focus on personal finance. Thousands of votes were cast last week, so we hope you enjoy 5% cash back at the following retailers and in the following categories.

Art Supply, Craft, and Fabric Stores

Stretch those holiday dollars and keep busy during the most wintery month yet with some DIY projects. Whether you’re making thoughtful gifts for spring, improving your home, or are hosting some frugal family activities, put your skills to work in January. Receive 5% cash back at all art supply stores, craft stores, and fabric stores. (MCC codes 5970 and 5949)

Sport and Athletic Clubs

Getting into shape is one of the top resolutions every year, so why not make 2012 the year you shed those extra pounds, drop that resting heart rate, reduce your stress levels, or simply keep up with your current, healthy routine while earning extra cash! Pay your membership in advance or sign up for a fresh start somewhere new. At the very least, your wallet will already be in shape this January as you earn 5% cash back at all sport and athletic clubs. (MCC code 7941)

TurboTax®

It’s never too early to get your taxes done. Get your finances in order for the New Year and reward yourself with an extra 5% cash back you when you use any of TurboTax’s paid services. Can’t get them done this month? Not planning to use TurboTax®? Don’t worry! We’re working to offer PowerPerks on tax prep services for the next three months, featuring an array of providers. You asked for more flexibility with this over the last week, and we’ve listened! PerkStreet is all about finding ways to provide you the most useful PowerPerks we can. Thanks for all your great feedback on this topic.

Details: The amount you can earn at the 5% cash back bonus rate is limited to $250 per household annually (starting on the day your account was opened). The total amount of cash back you can earn remains unlimited. Unless specific stores are named, qualifying purchases are determined by MCC codes. Non-PIN debit card purchases will earn 5% cash back in January 2012 at the following retailers: TurboTax® (paid services), Art Supply, Craft, and Fabric Stores (online and in-store), Sport and Athletic Clubs (online and in-store).

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Jeff_dawnmo

So I’m not sure how the 5% cash back works, do I need to remember these codes and do something with them? Or does it automatically show up when I visit this type of retailer?
Anonymous

Hi Jeff,

It’s automatic based on the retailer’s specific name (Turbo Tax) or on, when it’s a broader category like fabric stores, the MCC code.

Great question. Have a very happy New Year.

Lily
–
PerkStreet Financial
Guest123

From experience, can Perkstreet please give 3-4 examples of real merchants guaranteed to be classified correctly for 5% PowerPerks in each month moving forward? Is Gold Gym a “sport and athtletic club”? WOW workout gym? LA fitness? Weight Watchers? Nutrisystems? Is it cheaper to buy 2011 tax software CD at a store, when they begin advertising specials?
Julie

And Planet fitness?
CathyF7

Instead of paying for tax prep software, I use TaxAct (www.taxact.com) and have done for years… virtually free!
Katie

YMCA?
Pokors

How do I use the MCC code to know what businesses the 5% perks applys to?
Nancyjselig

I would love to know this, too. How do I purchase my year’s membership at the Y, and make sure I get 5% back
Anonymous

Hi everyone,

We’re looking into these individual MCC codes. It’s very likely applicable to WOW, Planet Fitness, Gold’s Gym and LA Fitness. It’s similarly not applicable to weight loss programs like Weight Watchers. YMCA might also be tricky. I suspect that’s more in a non-profit or community-based code. We’ll get back to you ASAP! Our analysts are on it.

- Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Medfordnurse

How about Michaels? How do we document the MCC code?
Anonymous

Hi Julie,

Planet Fitness is MCC code 7997. 5% back this month. - Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Anonymous

Hi Julie,

Planet Fitness is MCC code 7997. 5% back this month. - Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Anonymous

Hi Katie,

YMCA’s are categories as charitable and social services. They do not qualify for this PowerPerk.

- Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Anonymous

Hi Katie,

YMCA’s are categories as charitable and social services. They do not qualify for this PowerPerk.

- Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Anonymous

Hi there,

Work Out World, Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, and Gold’s Gym are all MCC code 7997, “Sport and Athletic Clubs.” Any purchases here via non-PIN debit will qualify for 5% cash back. Weight Watchers and Nutrisystems are not considered sports and athletic clubs, unfortunately.

Thanks for your questions!

- Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Anonymous

Hi there,

Work Out World, Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, and Gold’s Gym are all MCC code 7997, “Sport and Athletic Clubs.” Any purchases here via non-PIN debit will qualify for 5% cash back. Weight Watchers and Nutrisystems are not considered sports and athletic clubs, unfortunately.

Thanks for your questions!

- Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Anonymous

Hi Pokors,

There’s no real way for you to “use” the MCC code. If you have a question on a specific retailer, I’d be happy to look into it for you. Below, I posted a few clarifications re: vendor inquiries on the Sports and Athletic Club category.

Best,

Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Anonymous

Hi Medfordnurse,

Michael’s will qualify as part of this Art, Craft, and Fabric store categories. As I mentioned to Pokors below, if you have questions on specific retailers and their MCC codes, I’m happy to provide an answer for you. Please let me know how I can be of further assistance.

Best,

Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Guest

This MCC code business gives me a headache. I already have enough stress. PerkStreet is supposed to make my life easier, not more complicated. Why doesn’t PerkStreet look up the largest merchants in category xyz and just list them, plus, “other similar merchants” (MCC code 7997). Where’s the link to the MCC codes? Is this provided to all account holders? Do you have a website with a map showing me all of the MCC compliant merchants in my area? Why do I have to hunt for your 5% specials information, paging through a lengthly blog to get to the right space, and subsequently reading through a lengthly blog to get the real scoop? Can’t you send me an email that I can flag? Do the MCC codes show up on my statement?
Do the merchants even know that you are doing this discount? Do they have an opportunity to offer members piggy-back discounts or exclusive discounts? Are your blog writers researching additional coupons and specials from the MCC merchants to provide us with some tangible value, in accordance with the monthly theme? Is there a section with links to the MCC merchants websites, so we can check them out? Is the “PowerPerks” earning month a calendar month, and does it go by transaction date or posting date? Really PerkStreet, this program has a ways to go.
Anonymous

Thank you for your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear that you find this frustration, especially since PowerPerks are meant to be our way of giving even more back to our community.

We welcome the opportunity for open dialog and are proud to have built a community which affords such. You have some great questions, some of which may be on everyone’s mind. Here are some answers:

Our blog writers, as it regards PowerPerks polls and results, are part
of our founding team in our Boston headquarters. Poll options are
hand-selected for seasonal relevancy and are informed based on customer
spend habits as well as economic implications. We pull together a list
of around ten retailers and/or retailer
categories and let the community vote monthly for the coming month’s
selections. Selecting specific retailers is always an option, but
because some large retailers can be regional and may not have a sound
e-commerce site, they’re not always favorable for our national
community.

MCC codes are not always readily available to consumers — PerkStreet or not — but we select categories (for voting) which are hopefully broad enough to apply to stores with a glance (e.g. Joann’s Fabrics = 5%, IKEA fabric purchase = standard 1% or 2%). Many customers will have questions on specific retailers (a few are posted here) and we do our best to answer in a timely fashion. MCC codes are not provided to PerkStreet account holders (as there are thousands) and they’re not something we have any control over as it regards how a business is categorized for tax purposes and the like. We do not provide a map of where these merchants may or may not be, but all of these are great food for thought. Thank you.

PowerPerks polls are hosted on our blog and are posted to Facebook and to Twitter once voting is live. Polls are open for about a week and thereafter the results are posted — via the blog — to Facebook and Twitter. We do not send e-mails to the community as PowerPerks are not always of interest to our members. We received over 4,400 votes for this month’s PowerPerks, and accordingly, we’re confident in our current means of communication. I apologize that you find it lengthy to read or otherwise cumbersome. Here is a link to all blog posts labeled as PowerPerks on our blog: http://blog.perkstreet.com/category/perkstreet/deals/

PowerPerks are not merchant-funded or discount-based. We do not notify the merchants, as such. We’re simply driving business to them and are giving more of our revenue (via interchange) back to our customers. At this time, there are no additional opportunities for discounts via PerkStreet’s PowerPerks. We do not research additional coupons (if you saved more, you’d actually earn less), and believe that 5% back on debit is tangible value.

5% Perks are accrued per month (calendar). All Perks — 1%, 2%, and 5% — are calculated based on posting date. We cannot control when a vendor settles their card transactions, unfortunately.

Please let me know if you have any further questions I might be of assistance with. Thanks again for being an active member of the PerkStreet family.

Best,

Lily
PerkStreet Financial
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_RSUEIYFPRGMJ7R3VZR3ZZY3BEU Nichole

Is TurboTax considered a retailer or product only? Ie can I buy TurboTax at Staples or on Amazon and get the 5% or do I need to go through TurboTax’s website? Thanks.
Anonymous

Hi Nichole,

TurboTax regards payment to that retailer/merchant directly. Purchases at Staples, etc. do not apply. Good question!

LilyPerkStreet Financial
Katie

Lily,

Have you had a chance to research whether or not YMCA membership would be qualified as Athletic/Sport Club? The Y is a more useful choice for my family than another athletic club such as Golds Gym.
Anonymous

Hi Katie,

I responded above and I apologize for you not receiving notification. YMCA’s are categorized as charitable and social services. They do not qualify for this PowerPerk.

Lily
PerkStreet Financial
JACKSONB442005-PRKST

Is Hobby Lobby qualified for Jan 5% perks
Roberts

Any reason why the mcc codes are not disclosed to us for any purchase that posts to our accounts??? It would be cool to know for all of us customers. This way, we would know if a purchase would qualify for 5% powerperks; and, if so, we would buy more before the month is over. BTW, using Chase or American Express credit card’s loggin’ online, there’s way to find how it’s kinda categorized (no codes).
Anonymous

Hi Roberts,

This is not technically possible right now, though we do hope to be offering perks statement in the coming months where you’ll be able to see how much you’re earning per-purchase. For now, if you have a question on a specific retailer or store, please feel free to email up at help-at-perkstreet.com and we’ll research for you.

- Lily
PerkStreet Financials
Anonymous

Hi,

Hobby Lobby is under MCC code 5945, which regards Hobby, Toy, and Game Shops. By all accounts it seems like they’d be under the selected category, but PerkStreet cannot control how merchants have pre-established themselves for legal or tax reasons, unfortunately.

- Lily
PerkStreet Financial
Courtney

Hi Lily,

What about Retro Fitness?
Anonymous

Hi Courtney,

It appears this is eligible for the 5% cash back. If you only receive 1% or 2%, however, please email us at help@perkstreet.com.

- Lily
PerkStreet Financial