Acme is offering a new “deal” to stretch your tax refund a bit farther.

It’s called “refund rewards”.  Now through 4/15, buy a $250 gift card for the store, and get $20 extra on the card…or buy a $300 gift card and get $30 extra on the card for free.  That’s an additional 10% “free money”, with no activation fee on the card.

It sounds like a great deal, free money!  My problem is that I would have to commit the $250 – $300 up front to buy the card, and that’s a huge piece of my grocery budget.  I can really stretch a dollar at Acme with sales and coupons, so I’d be getting quite a bit with the free $30.  Then again, I probably spend a total of $300 a year at Acme.  It’s not the store I generally shop at, other than when there is a really good deal.  Acme’s every day prices are higher than most stores, and I think I’d be tempted to pick up a few “extra” items rather than planning ahead and waiting for a better price.

Hmmm…tempting, but I will probably have to pass this time.