PointChaser

Where to find American Express for Target Card

Newbie guide to manufactured spending: American Express for Target

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Ariana Arghandewal

Update: American Express for Target cards can no longer be loaded with credit cards and are said to be phased out by the end of 2015. Thus, they are no longer a viable manufactured spending tool.

Reload Limit: $1,000 per day/$5,000 per month

Fees:

  • Activation fee: $3
  • Per load: $3
  • ATM fee (first transaction every month is free): $3

Where to buy: Target register

Where to load: Target register

How to Cash Out: ATM, Amazon Payments

Where to find American Express for Target Card
American Express for Target Card

The great thing about the American Express for Target card is that you can load it directly with a credit card at the Target register. Amex for Target is different from the Target-branded American Express gift cards. You can find these at the register, and many folks get them confused. When you pick up the card, you are limited to a $500 initial load, then $1,000 after that. You can have up to two Amex for Target cards in your name, though your maximum load limit remains $5,000 across two cards (as opposed to $10,000, which would be much more ideal).

Cardholders get one free ATM withdrawal per month (up to $400 at a time). After that, you’ll incur a $3 fee per withdrawal. You are still liable for ATM operator fees. One of the cheapest ATM’s can be found at Costco, which charges just $1.25 per transaction.

Even though cardholders get a PIN number, this PIN can’t be used for cash back. Or where debit cards are requested (i.e. money orders).

American Express for Target is one of the most expensive ways to manufacture spend. Even taking the discounted Costco ATM into account, you are paying $12.75 per $1,000 in manufactured spending and unloading. The only time I’d recommend using Amex for Target is if you’ve maxed out your other prepaid cards and need to meet spending requirements fast. When you’re earning miles at a cost this high, be sure you’re getting the most out of your redemptions by comparing the cost of paying for a hotel/airfare with the cost of acquiring the miles.

How does the Amex for Target cad factor into your manufactured spending strategy, if at all?

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82 responses to “Newbie guide to manufactured spending: American Express for Target”

  1. Kate Avatar
    Kate

    How about if you used this card very modestly? Loaded $1000 every couple of months or so, and then gradually withdrew $400 a month when you were at Costco,doing the shopping you would be doing anyway?
    Also, if one has a bank that allows ATM withdrawals for free, would that change the equation…or is that likely to be only for the bank’s own ATM card?
    I don’t know that much about manufactured spend…but I feel like I am missing something here. Once the original card is paid for, I assume you can load it for $3 at Target, and then get 400 per month free from the ATM at Costco. If these are stores I am going to anyway, wouldn’t it be a modest addition ? For example, I could meet half Hilton Reserve $10,000 this way?
    Appreciate your posts on manufactured spending!

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      You can do that, but Amex for Target is one of the most expense ways to manufacture spend. Even at just $1,000 you’re paying over $12 in fees vs $7.90 with Vanilla Reload cards. If it’s your only option to meet spending requirements, it’s perfectly fine. I just wouldn’t recommend you do it to earn miles, since that get can expensive fast (i.e. 100,000 miles will cost over $1,200 in manufactured spend).

      Reply
  2. S.h. Avatar
    S.h.

    Well If you stick to the free atm withdrawals and then use amazon payments as well to offload then it shouldn’t be that expensive…I Just signed up to be able to liquidate some amex giftcards

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      Yes, but you can only do $1k per month via Amazon Payments. It softens the blow, but if you load the maximum each month, unloading will still be more expensive than using VR cards.

      Reply
  3. Trevor Avatar
    Trevor

    I have 2 cards and will be getting 2 more for my wife. I use it modestly at only 1 $400 (fee free) ATM withdrawal per card per month so my fee is a mere $3 per $1,000. If you have a convenient credit union with a fee free ATM this makes a super easy and low cost addition to mfg spend. It’s not the highest producing method but nets an additional 19000 miles not including any category bonus

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      I’m way too impatient to wait to cash out the card and avoid ATM fees. If it works for you, then stick to it.

      Reply
  4. Tyler Avatar
    Tyler

    I have not really given this card much of a look but am considering it now. I have a very close ATM to my work that only charges $.50 for a withdrawl. The only thing I am curious about after reading this is why you would want to unload via Amazon payments. Unless you have a card that paid a bonus at Target(none come to mind but please correct me if I’m wrong) then why wouldn’t you just use the card that you were going to use at Target on Amazon payments and skip the middle man and fees?

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      A while back when I had a Amex Business Gold, that card would code Target as a grocery store. I haven’t picked up a personal Gold card yet, but if it codes Target purchases the same, then it’s much more lucrative to load an Amex for Target card than going directly to Amazon Payments.

      Reply
  5. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    i bought $2000 Amex gift card, hoping to use them to buy Visa GCs at stores, but without any luck. So Amex for Target will be the only choice for me now. Will give a try tomorrow. I don’t care about the fee to load and withdraw through ATM, since I got 3% cash back already. But seems the way to unload it is only ATM withdraw other than Amazon Payment. So my question is that if I load $5000 to a card each month, and withdraw all of them through ATM, will I have the risk of being shut down?

    Thanks,
    Jason

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      I’ve been using Amex for Target purely for ATM withdrawals for about two years now and have not been shut down. This could change in the future, but so far Amex doesn’t seem to care that you’re withdrawing all the cash.

      Reply
      1. Jason Avatar
        Jason

        Great. Thank you so much.

        Reply
        1. PointChaser Avatar
          PointChaser

          No problem!

          Reply
    2. Christian Avatar
      Christian

      What was the problem with buying Visa GC’s? I’m working on something similar, and would like to know of any pitfalls in advance.

      Reply
      1. PointChaser Avatar
        PointChaser

        It has to do with some stores not accepting Amex gc’s as payment for Visa gc’s (“You can’t buy a gift card with a gift card”). If you find one that lets you do it, you’re good.

        Reply
  6. John Avatar
    John

    I finally for my AMEX for Target and was planning on testing out swipe loading using GCs, but I am unsure of which GCs would be ideal for this. Can you shed some light on this?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      I always use Amex gift cards since they come in such large denominations. You can certainly do Visa gc’s, but the cheaper way to offload those is via Bluebird.

      Reply
      1. John Avatar
        John

        Thanks…but unfortunately there isn’t a Walmart near me to offload GCs onto bluebird. So my only option would be Target. That’s good to hear that I can use AMEX/Visa GCs…..Side question, do you advise against using a AMEX SPG to swipe load onto a AMEX for Target?

        Thanks for helping me on this.

        Reply
        1. PointChaser Avatar
          PointChaser

          If there’s no Walmart nearby then Target is your best bet. You should be ok using Amex SPG to swipe load Amex for Target – it gets coded as a Target purchase so there should be no problems. I prefer to buy Amex gc’s and swipe load Amex for Target because of the extra cash back from shopping portals.

          Reply
  7. Jack Avatar
    Jack

    Will the OV gift cards with at Target? I heard they are giving hard time at WM since it’s being recognized as a credit card (although a walk around exists).

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      At the register you may run into trouble, but if you use the Bluebird kiosk, it works fine.

      Reply
      1. mbh Avatar
        mbh

        Not any more. As of this weekend, no GCs at WM to BB at all. : (

        Reply
        1. PointChaser Avatar
          PointChaser

          There’s a way around it. Stay tuned!

          Reply
          1. JimJack Avatar
            JimJack

            woah? Really?

          2. PointChaser Avatar
            PointChaser

            Yep, a post explaining this will go live at 12 AM (PT).

  8. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Hi,
    So, I can get 2 amex target card and both cards can get a free withdrawal every month?
    Can you do split transaction in the register – for loading 2 $500 vgc to amex target card in one transaction?

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      Yes, you can get two Amex for Target cards with a free monthly withdrawal for each card. I’ve never tried splitting a transaction, so I’m not sure. I wouldn’t use Visa gc’s this way – you can unload them free via Bluebird.

      Reply
  9. Miles Avatar
    Miles

    Here is some text from the Amex for Target FAQ that gives details on maximum loads and balances, especially for those of us with 2 cards:

    “You can have up to two Cards issued to you. The maximum balance you can carry per Card, at any given time, is $2,500, and you cannot load more than $5,000 across both Cards over a 28 day period.

    “However, we permit you to maintain a higher balance limit and monthly maximum load amount of $10,000 across both Cards over a 28 day period if loaded with direct deposits from your employer or other payor.”

    Reply
  10. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    Could you load $800 say in the middle of the month ($3) then unload $400 via ATM at the end of the same month and another $400 early the following month ($2.50)? Just because I can’t afford extra money sitting in the card for 3 months (if I loaded the full $1000). Also $5.50 to unload $800 is steep.

    Can you unloade AMEX for Target on your BB?

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      The fee-free ATM withdrawal is per calendar month, so you could unload $400 at the end of June and then another $400 on July 1 without fees. Reloading fees are steep, but if you’re earning $40 per $1,000 via cash back portals that isn’t such a bad trade-off. You can’t unload Amex for Target on Bluebird, unfortunately.

      Reply
  11. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Bad News. I got turned down to use American Express gift cards for the target card. I might add the people at that store were complete jerks and don’t deserve anyone’s business.

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      Sorry to hear that, Pat. It’s a real hit or miss. But these stores have high turnover, so if you go back in 6 months, you might come across a more amiable group.

      Reply
  12. dministrator Avatar
    dministrator

    Can you please show how you arrived at $12.75 per $1000 of spend and unload ?

    We have access to fee-free ATMs here. I know I’m missing something; please tell me what is incorrect in this:

    1. Load fee for $1000 – $3
    2. ATM Withdrawal #1 for $400 – $0
    3. ATM Withdrawal #2 for $400 – $3
    4. ATM Withdrawal #3 for $200 – $3

    Thank you.

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      You’re paying $9 in ATM withdrawal fees, plus another $1.25 per withdrawal gets charged by the Costco ATM. Across three withdrawals, that comes to $3.75. Add that to $9 and you get $12.75. If you have fee-free ATM’s, you’d only pay $9.

      Reply
  13. Diotallevi Avatar
    Diotallevi

    Has anyone had luck loading this with Amex Gift Cards at Target? I’m thinking of trying.

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      I’ve been having about an 80% success rate doing this. Go to the customer service desk instead of regular check-out, and try to find an employee that looks clueless. Shouldn’t be too hard since there’s such a revolving door in terms of employees at places like Target.

      Reply
      1. Diotallevi Avatar
        Diotallevi

        Thanks for the info. Do you tell them it’s a credit card or gift card or something else? Or tell them nothing?

        Reply
        1. PointChaser Avatar
          PointChaser

          I don’t tell them anything. If they see the card and say you can’t use a gift card, just tell them it’s a “prepaid card” and can be used the same as a credit card.

          Reply
          1. Mel Avatar
            Mel

            I’ve tried it three times at three different places and all three times they said I can’t use AMEX GC. On the 3rd time the cashier even showed me on his screen that they can not except a giftcard. I guess they’re cracking down on this.

          2. PointChaser Avatar
            PointChaser

            I think the cashier meant Target gift cards. That actually does appear on the screen, but since Amex gc’s are processed like credit cards, that shouldn’t be an issue.

  14. Raj Avatar
    Raj

    Great post and discussion. I am new to MS and was wondering if someone could explain on how to unload Amex for Target on Amazon Payments. Thanks,

    Reply
    1. PointChaser Avatar
      PointChaser

      Other blogs have covered this pretty extensively, so I’m going to refer you to this post until I get one up myself.

      Reply
  15. Diotallevi Avatar
    Diotallevi

    Have you ever loaded Amex for Target w/ a gift card with pin, using it as a debit card. I’ve only used credit cards so far and was just curious. Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Ariana Avatar
      Ariana

      You can use PIN-enabled gift cards, but since those can be unloaded free of charge via Bluebird, I’ve never done it via AFT.

      Reply
  16. jediwho Avatar
    jediwho

    Regarding reloading, can you reload at any Target or select stores that Amex has on their Website?

    Reply
  17. Brenton Avatar
    Brenton

    Do you have any good resources on how to find fee free ATM’s?

    Reply
    1. Ariana Avatar
      Ariana

      This is a good place to start: http://www.allpointnetwork.com

      Reply
      1. Brenton Avatar
        Brenton

        So pretty conveniently, there’s an allpoint atm in the Target I’d plan to load at… You may have answered this somewhere already, but is there a timeline I should use for the load/withdrawal cycle? Could I load on the same day as I withdraw?

        TIA

        Reply
        1. Ariana Avatar
          Ariana

          Aside from the $400 daily limit, there are no other restrictions to worry about. You can load and cash out immediately.

          Reply
      2. thiseye (@thiseye) Avatar
        thiseye (@thiseye)

        Amex for Target is not part of the Allpoint network. There will probably be a $3 charge there.

        Reply
        1. jediwho Avatar
          jediwho

          Yes, most likely there will be a charge of $2 or $3 would be my guess.

          Reply
  18. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    Can I use Amex card (eg, SPG) to load Amex for Target and get points? Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Ariana Avatar
      Ariana

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
  19. Anil Desai Avatar
    Anil Desai

    Has anyone got the card recently? I live in Tampa, couldn’t get the card in any of the Target stores throughout 25 miles radius !!!

    Reply
    1. Brenton Avatar
      Brenton

      https://www279.americanexpress.com/GPServWeb/whereToBuy.do

      This is your best bet. I had to drive (I was already going there) 6 hours to find a target that sold it. What’s ironic is that Minneapolis, the corporate HQ, only has 2 stores that sell the AFT card…

      Reply
      1. Anil Desai Avatar
        Anil Desai

        Thank you. I tried almost all of the Tampa stores mentioned in amex site and I couldn’t get a single store. Only one store had this display Ad and had a clue about this card, but unfortunately they have taken down those it seems since they are having issues with loading those cards.
        I will have to try somewhere outside Florida, when I am on vacation for this fall season.

        Reply
      2. Teri Avatar
        Teri

        What are the 2 stores that see the card in Minneapolis? Thanks

        Reply
  20. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    Is AFT purchase coded as grocery to earn 5x points for some cc?

    Reply
    1. Ariana Avatar
      Ariana

      Some cards do code Target as a grocery store. I know Amex does.

      Reply
      1. Mel Avatar
        Mel

        My Amex code the Target near me as a discount store. Is that consider as groceries? Is there a way to find what Target gets coded as groceries using an Amex?

        Reply
        1. Ariana Avatar
          Ariana

          It’s not. When I had a Amex Gold card, I remember it used to charge Target as a grocery store. They might have changed that.

          Reply
          1. Diotallevi Avatar
            Diotallevi

            My local Target has a grocery store in it, but codes as discount store. Would have been nice to use the Everyday Preferred for loading.

  21. Ram Avatar
    Ram

    Ariana
    Sorry if this has been asked before. But can you withdraw AFT at target ATMs for free?

    Reply
  22. Sophie Avatar
    Sophie

    is this type of manufactured spending still possible? Or has this changed too?

    Reply
    1. Ariana Avatar
      Ariana

      Yes, you can still load Amex for Target cards with a credit card.

      Reply
  23. Diotallevi Avatar
    Diotallevi

    Yes, still possible. I just loaded two cards yesterday at Target.

    Reply
  24. reed Avatar
    reed

    There are target atms in target can i withdraw from those for free from the AFT

    Reply
    1. Ariana Avatar
      Ariana

      Unfortunately they still incur a fee.

      Reply
  25. Frank Avatar
    Frank

    Is it safe to load the AFT with a Citibank card?

    Reply
    1. Ariana Avatar
      Ariana

      Yes, it will just get coded as a Target purchase.

      Reply
      1. Frank Avatar
        Frank

        Thanks. And don’t forget to let me know when you are up in my area – I’ll buy you a coffee and we can compare notes.

        Reply
        1. Ariana Avatar
          Ariana

          Will do!

          Reply
  26. Rich Avatar
    Rich

    Hi Arianna – have really enjoyed your blog the last 6 months – thanks for all the work and the entertaining $80K MS challenge! Amex for Target looks great for handling big minimum spend, although it is lots of ATM trips, and then big cash deposits which may look suspicious to your bank. Any other suggested liquidation options or thoughts? thanks again

    Reply
    1. Ariana Arghandewal Avatar
      Ariana Arghandewal

      I might have to do another challenge, just to keep things interesting around here. 🙂 AFT can definitely be a hassle, but the reason I use it is because it’s virtually free ms if you load the card with Amex gift cards purchased through a cashback portal. As for depositing it back, I stay under the radar by using the cash to make direct credit card payments in-branch. So I’ll go to the local Chase branch and make a $1k payment on my Ink card, then I head to Bofa and pay my Alaska card. The remaining cash I split between my savings and checking account. It has worked well so far.

      If you don’t yet have a Serve card, I recommend you get one. It’s an easy $1k in monthly ms. That’s pretty much all I’m doing these days to keep things frugal. Otherwise, you could hunt for Visa gift cards as well as ReloadIT cards and cash them out via money orders.

      Reply
      1. Rich Avatar
        Rich

        thanks Ariana – Thanks for sharing your cash strategy! I do have two Serve cards already and they are on steady use – I also like frugal options. But I also like having options, and Amex for Target sounds great for meeting minimum spend when I do a big signup card spree, especially for cards that won’t work directly with Serve.

        Reply
        1. Ariana Arghandewal Avatar
          Ariana Arghandewal

          It’s definitely worth keeping on hand for those instances. Especially since it has no monthly fees.

          Reply
      2. anthonyjh21nyjh21 Avatar
        anthonyjh21nyjh21

        I’m actually considering adding this AFT as well. I just got a free year of Amex GC premium shipping. I already go to Target to load RB. My normal shopping trip also includes stopping by Costco ($1.25/$400 w/d). I can even deposit to Chase (also on my way home) to help spread out the deposits.

        Curious how this challenge has gone for you? Also, when you are paying your cc in Chase, how exactly is that working?

        Reply
        1. Ariana Arghandewal Avatar
          Ariana Arghandewal

          I’ve since gotten rid of Serve in favor for Redbird. It’s much more lucrative. I still do AFT, unloading them via ATM withdrawals and occasional purchases. At the Chase Branch, you simply present the cash you withdrew from the ATM and tell them you want to make a payment on your credit card. You just gotta bring your card with you and it’s a quick process.

          Reply
  27. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    I was wondering what do you do with all the cash? Do you use the cash to pay back the credit card like B of A or chase at the bank or do you deposit in the bank and then pay back the bill?

    Reply
  28. David Avatar
    David

    For about two years I used the American Express Target Card. I had a pair of them. I bought American Express Gift Cards at cashback sites, periodically loaded $997 onto my AX Tgt Cards, withdrew $400 cash from each card each month, and spent as much as I could from those two AX Tgt Cards. The last two months I have had increasing problems loading the AX Tgt Card. I’m told that Tgt now prohibits loading AX Tgt Cards from gift cards. It’s clear now that it’s not just the clerks telling me the policy. The transactions simply cannot be initiated on their terminals. I think the deal is over. Now, I’m stuck with $8,000 in AX Gift Cards. True, I earned FF miles for the purchase of those gift cards. But I think it’s really over.

    Reply
    1. Ariana Arghandewal Avatar
      Ariana Arghandewal

      Sorry to hear about your troubles, David. You can try using those Amex gift cards to buy Visa gift cards, which can be used at some Target stores to load Redbird.

      Reply
  29. Tonto Avatar
    Tonto

    Can you still use credit cards to load the AFT card?

    Reply
    1. Ariana Arghandewal Avatar
      Ariana Arghandewal

      Unfortunately, no. You can still use PIN-enabled gift cards though.

      Reply

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