Some people think of gift cards as a lazy gift. Naysayers say it's akin to giving someone a boxful of cash so you don't need to put any effort into thinking of a personal, thoughtful gift. I say gift cards are awesome for both the sender and recipient. And right now, it's better than ever for the sender. I have a deal that can net you a free $15 just for giving a $50 Amazon gift card. What can be sweeter than that? All you have to do is order a $50 Amazon gift card and apply promo code GIFTCARD2021 at checkout. You should get a $15 promotional credit applied to your Amazon account a few days later.
If that sounds too good to be true, you're partially right. There are a lot of terms and conditions, not the least of which is that it's exclusively for new gift card customers -- so if you've bought a gift card with your Amazon account before, you're out of luck. Some other rules: The gift card must be $50 or more and you need to complete the order before June 28. When you apply the promo code at checkout, you'll know it worked if you see this message at the top of the page:
"Congratulations, your purchase qualifies you for an Amazon.com credit. A one-time $15 promotional credit will be automatically applied to your account and emailed to you within three (3) days after shipping."
While the deal definitely works, it appears to be finicky. I've heard from a handful of readers who don't recall ever buying a gift card, but can't get the deal to work anyway. Others breezed right through. So I suppose you'll have to give it a shot to see if the Amazon gods bestow a credit upon your account. Good luck, and if it works for you, enjoy spending your free $15.
CNET's deal team scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest promo codes from Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon and more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page.
