WOOHOOO REI dividend is here!

Guess what was waiting patiently for me when I got home tonight.... that wonderful slip of paper from REI telling me I had lots of new $$ to spend there :-) Free $$ too (at least I like to think so:rolleyes: ) And it was even bigger than I thought....I forgot about the full price items I had bought.... most of it is from my REI Visa card (I love that thing).

Now.... how to spend it best :-) I think that a new smartwool t-shirt is in my future, some new low top hikers, and maybe a new pair of bike shoes (I want to get some mountain shoes). I will probably use the 20% coupon on one of the pairs of shoes.

hmmmm.... off to shop :D

Oh goodie! Mine should be arriving soon then!

Love the REI Visa!

happy happy joy joy !

I racked up a whole $3.51 :rolleyes: Hopefully I'll do better on my tax returns.

On the REI Visa, I know it can be used like a regular Visa, but you get dividends on that??

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Originally Posted by SouthernBelle

On the REI Visa, I know it can be used like a regular Visa, but you get dividends on that??

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Using the REI Visa, you get the full dividend on REI purchases, plus a small percentage (~0.5%) dividend on everything you buy with that Visa card.

I use my REI Visa card for everything - groceries, gas, pay bills, etc. I thought it was a 1% rebate. It adds up nicely!

yup, 1% back on (almost) all purchases on the REI visa card, and there is no annual fee (unlike many reward cards). In addition it has really good travel protection and rental car insurance. Even covers rental car insurance in Mexico, which a lot of cards don't do.

I use it for everything, just pay it off each month. This summer I was in Houston doing an internship, and I was even able to put my rent on it! I now have almost $200 in REI dividend to spend :D $175 of that is from the REI visa.

It's 1% on everything except for cash advances and balance transfers.

US Bank isn't hyper on fraud protection, either. I was using an LLBean card, and every time I would travel they would cut off my card (at least since Bank of America took over from MBNA). I gave them my cell number so they could call to verify, but since they couldn't use it for telemarketing, they wouldn't call it for fraud alerts either. It didn't take many times of being stranded for me to stop using that one all the time.

Plus, I should be getting a good dividend next year:)

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Originally Posted by CA_in_NC

US Bank isn't hyper on fraud protection, either. I was using an LLBean card, and every time I would travel they would cut off my card (at least since Bank of America took over from MBNA). I gave them my cell number so they could call to verify, but since they couldn't use it for telemarketing, they wouldn't call it for fraud alerts either. It didn't take many times of being stranded for me to stop using that one all the time.

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Interesting, CA. I have an LL Bean Visa also and have don't recall them ever cutting off my card when traveling. Of course, we charge everything (gas, groceries, etc.) on the card, so they are used to us having large bills, so maybe the travel expenses haven't raised any flags. I guess it's based on usual spending patterns?? I've not used my REI Visa when traveling, but it's my backup card for all purchases (and used for all REI purchases, of course!) Since I use it a lot less, I suspect I'd be more likely to get flagged when traveling if I used it, since those larger expenses would look unusual for me.

Yay on the REI dividend, and the 20% off coupon that came with it! Course, I have to split mine with DH, but it's still nice. :)

Emily

I want mine to come!

We have a whole list of stuff to buy for camping this summer.

V.

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

Interesting, CA. I have an LL Bean Visa also and have don't recall them ever cutting off my card when traveling. Of course, we charge everything (gas, groceries, etc.) on the card, so they are used to us having large bills, so maybe the travel expenses haven't raised any flags. I guess it's based on usual spending patterns?? I've not used my REI Visa when traveling, but it's my backup card for all purchases (and used for all REI purchases, of course!) Since I use it a lot less, I suspect I'd be more likely to get flagged when traveling if I used it, since those larger expenses would look unusual for me.

Yay on the REI dividend, and the 20% off coupon that came with it! Course, I have to split mine with DH, but it's still nice. :)

Emily

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We used ours for everything too. So, we had massive bills. However, we went to DC around the holidays, and they cut it off (no warning). They did it again when I went to buy lunch at an out of town CLE. Odd.....

What's kinda scary is that US Bank (REI) didn't call when we went from no spending to putting all of the expenses on that card.

The 20% coupon and my dividend came today! Yay!!!

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Originally Posted by MDHillSlug

I racked up a whole $3.51 :rolleyes: Hopefully I'll do better on my tax returns.

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I haven't seen mine yet! :mad:
But that's generally in the range of where I come in - sub $10.
Too much shopping on the sales rack!

I got mine! I can buy the Sidi's !!!!!!!!!!:cool:

Hmmm. I'm not trying to throw a wet blanket on this (really!), but I have a question. I've been told by my credit card company (a regular cash-back dividend program, not related to REI) that my cash-back is taxable income and being reported to the IRS as such! I wonder if the REI is the same way?

Does anyone know if this is true? :confused: It's not much, but I don't want to claim it as income if it doesn't have to be... and I want to claim it if it should be!

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Originally Posted by Haudlady

Hmmm. I'm not trying to throw a wet blanket on this (really!), but I have a question. I've been told by my credit card company (a regular cash-back dividend program, not related to REI) that my cash-back is taxable income and being reported to the IRS as such! I wonder if the REI is the same way?

Does anyone know if this is true? :confused: It's not much, but I don't want to claim it as income if it doesn't have to be... and I want to claim it if it should be!

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My thought: If it was taxable, They should send a 1099 to you and the IRS. I did'nt get a 1099 for my REI dividend.

If is below a certain amount, they won't send you a 1099 nor report it in your name. Otherwise, I believe you get a 1099-div for dividends. I don't believe it is considered earned income so not subject to social security or medicare taxes.

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Originally Posted by MDHillSlug

I racked up a whole $3.51 :rolleyes: Hopefully I'll do better on my tax returns.

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mine is a whole $9.20 ooooooohhhhh. i'm doing taxes this weekend. hopefully i do better too!

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Originally Posted by PABadger

I now have almost $200 in REI dividend to spend :D $175 of that is from the REI visa.

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so my good new friend. ;);) i'm eyeing a pair of sidi mtb shoes ;);)
i want to get them, but i can't put them on! stupid foot surgery. hopefully i can get them before that 20% is over and hopefully i can try them on.

Yeah, I just found out I spent $479 at REI last year. Huh. Still probably a lot less than if I were still working there part time!

Got mine today. I think I will buy a garmin forerunner 305 with mine. Do you think it will be able to track me when I do my Grand Canyon hike? Hope so. Whoo Hoo for dividends! :D

oh ya... i want one of those too. well my dividend next year should be more. :rolleyes:

got mine! $18!! Yeah, baby! I think I'm almost as excited about the 20% off coupon.

Hmmm, new pants? (the only ones I like and would work for my job are mens... sigh) Wool t-shirt? (microlight smartwool, half the price and half the wool and durability of Ibex) New Pocket Rocket stove? (exDPITA got custody of mine by default. dammm) Yet another case of Cran-Razz Clif Bloks? (mmmm, Clif Bloks... nature's most perfect food:p )

Really, I should just go get a job at REI. 30% off everything, health benefits, work with one of my favorite patients, maybe I could influence their buyers to FINALLY START BUYING REAL WOMEN'S CLOTHES AGAIN, dammmmit! (I'm sick of all the cutsey mall-rat clothes in the women's section. Can't even get decent hiking pants anymore.... grump grump grump.)

Eee-gads. Ours came to $43 this year! Guess we got a bit more carried away than usual at REI this year! :o
Was at the local REI after dinner tonight - had my dividend in my pocketbook, and couldn't find anything to buy!! :eek:
Tried on some Novara casual bike shorts (great in concept, always poor in execution), looked at a Bento Box and other gadgets for the bike. Nothing lept out as a "gotta have."
Man, dis stinks! Money in the pocket, and nuthin' to buy.

No fair. The west coast gets it's dividends before the east coast.

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Originally Posted by DebW

No fair. The west coast gets it's dividends before the east coast.

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I'm in Maryland. Pretty far from the left coast, too!

I got mine middle of last week in NC - maybe it's done by something other than location??

Went to REI today, they didn't have the Sidis in stock. Probably for the best, the line to check out went to the back of the store.:eek:

I ordered the shoes online - they should be here in a week.

Blue ruby slippers! I love them!!! Won't they match that gorgeous Terry Classic?

Mine came yesterday. I'd be at the bottom of the list alphabetically or geographically.

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Originally Posted by DebW

Mine came yesterday. I'd be at the bottom of the list alphabetically or geographically.

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It must be geographic (but by zip code as opposed to geographic area) - mine came yesterday too...

I could've ridden my bike this afternoon, but instead I went to REI with my friend.

I couldn't find ANYTHING to buy with my dividend and 20% off coupon.

Sad.

(although there was this very cute titanium spork...)

I had hoped to find pants or a black wool t-shirt. The pants (men's, cuz women's clothes at REI are ludicrous) didn't fit, but they were so close. They didn't have the wool t-shirt at all.

Might have to go back for the ti spork. (lessee, umm, $7.95 at 20% off is what, $6.35?) Admirable use of my coupon.

(actually, I'll probably order the wool t-shirt over the internet)

My dividend this year was a whopping $62! I have no idea how I spent so much darned money (especially since I finished grad school in May)! Now to decide what to spend it on. Maybe put it towards some outdoor climbing gear, so I can actually DO some of that this summer instead of relying in my friends who have gear to get themselves together and go.

I just got back from spending mine. They will let you cash it out as well.

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Originally Posted by Fredwina

I just got back from spending mine. They will let you cash it out as well.

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That won't be necessary. :D

Emily

My $3 dividend and 20% coupon cost me $90+: new gloves, new helmet, and a stockpile of Shot Bloks and Sport beans. Happy birthday to me. :D

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Originally Posted by MDHillSlug

My $3 dividend and 20% coupon cost me $90+: new gloves, new helmet, and a stockpile of Shot Bloks and Sport beans. Happy birthday to me. :D

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That's funny, Nicole. But you deserve a present--happy birthday!

I'm embarrassed to admit that my dividend is $161, with over half from the REI visa. I'm really embarrassed to admit that I spent over $1300 at REI last year outfitting myself for winter/bad weather commuting and just generally being self-indulgent (though some of it was glucosamine chondroitin dog treats for my arthritic dog and some was spent on gift cards for the dog walker, etc). I've got just about everything I could possibly need now, so maybe I'll stick with the austerity program and cash it out. Trouble is, you have to actually go into the store to cash it out, and then all bets are off.

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I'm embarrassed to admit that my dividend is $161, with over half from the REI visa

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$161 is embarassing to you? :eek: In that case, I won't tell you what ours is :o We use the REI Visa religiously for everything (groceries, gas, etc.). The interesting thing on our statement was that 70% of our REI purchases were sale items and non-dividenable.

Still, I'm thinking my 20% coupon is going to be for a quality floor pump--one that should last longer than 2 years.

I use my REI Visa for everything too...including deposits and payments for the AV Jersey order. :eek:

My new Sidi shoes will arrive next week......:D