American Express Membership Rewards - need 17,000 MRs in the next couple months, can't get most bonuses

Hey all, I borrowed 60k MR points last year to get my 1MM before Dec 1 with AA, now I have 2 months to spend $17k on stuff, or spend $462 to "buy out" the MR point deficit.

It's my wife's card, and she's got a PRG 75,000 and a Business Plat 100,000 (last year). Anything out there which she won't get DQ'd (from having gotten the previous offers) for that makes sense in this situation?

Also, any ideas other than a new CC?

There is a way to make MR from FX Transfers (maybe targeted) for business.

If you could justify sending money from US Business Bank to an overseas bank (must be 1 currency to another, not USD to USD account, so they make a little vig).

15K for first transfer, 15K for completing 3 more transfers after that, free from transfer fee for 6 months then $10 per transaction.

Note - I did get an interview over the phone to assess if I had genuine need for the service, so consider that before this option being viable.

There is a thread about getting 2,500 MR for watching a Bose sound system demo, and 20k MR if you buy one. If you're looking for a sound system, this could take care of the deficit in one shot. If not, 2,500 for watching seems like a decent start.

Bose MR Thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-express-membership-rewards/1369537-2500-membership-rewards-points-looking-bose-videowave-ii-entertainment-sys.html)

Refer a friend for 5,000 points, or sign up for extended payments for 5,000 points. Either may take a long while to post, but if you need them and call the helpline they may shunt it forward. Also, if you haven't done so already, hit the $30,000 annual spend on the PRG, and you'll get a bonus 15,000.

Refer a friend for 5,000 points, or sign up for extended payments for 5,000 points. Either may take a long while to post, but if you need them and call the helpline they may shunt it forward. Also, if you haven't done so already, hit the $30,000 annual spend on the PRG, and you'll get a bonus 15,000.

I think you get 5k for each card that you sign up for extended payment. So in the OP's case, he could get 5k for the PRG and 5k for the Platinum.

You may also want to try to get a retention bonus. People are reporting getting anywhere from 5k-50k for retention. Here's the thread: Retention Bonuses (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-express-membership-rewards/1290571-retention-bonuses-21.html)

The Blue Card has a 10,000 MR Point sign-up bonus. $1K spend in 3 months. The card is kind of unexciting, but it has no annual fee, and I think you're eligible for the bonus as long as you don't already have a Blue card. (Make sure you apply for the regular Blue, not Blue Sky, Blue Cash, etc.)

Are they still giving out 5k bonuses for signing up for pay over time? I haven't seen a banner or anything on my account for ages.

My next thought would be an American Express Card for one of your relatives.
Just to "cash-in" the MR reward points and then cancelling the Card after the use of one year or so. So you only invest one annual fee for issuing that card.

This is an info how this works in Germany:

http://www.americanexpress.com/germany/mgm/default.cgi#

Think you have a similar opportunity to get referral bonus for your card and the relative (who is new cardmember).

Other opportunity would be to prepone some daily purchases. If you have a department store or grocery story where you buy your food and products for daily needs you may buy some ;) git certificates and use it on your own.

So just check your department store/grocery store if he sells shopping vouchers/certificates and then buy them. Pay them with the credit card. This should be reflected as a normal transaction at a store and not as cash withdrawel. And then use it for the daily purchases.

Just try it with a very low amount and then look how this will appear on your statement. Would be my idea to get 2,000-3,000 points without buying anything senseless.

Hope this helps and let´s know about the result.

i too borrowed 60k in may 2012 to use avios 50% transfer and now i owe 6k,but i have close to 8 months to pay it off.Even i am looking for options ,i am thinking if i dont get 6k in next 8 months then i will just buy for 175 dollars.which seems easier option than spending 6k.

Come on. Don't give up so easily. Amex has tons of other ways of getting MR points apart from spending. This thread is full of some really good ideas for starters.

I *remember* one dedicated link that the US mint wants to enhance the circulation of 1 US Dollar coins instead of 1 US Dollar bills.

So you can order 1,000 coins and then use it for normal purchases in shops and so on. This should be reflected as a normal transaction.

But don´t use that method to often. The other dedicated link here at FT states that it would trigger a Financial Review if used to often.

But this would deliver 1,000 points without buying anything. :)

Hope this helps.

One phrase:
In German you would say "Mühsam ernährt sich das Eichhörnchen" so you have to collect the points in small increments and not get the 17,000 or 6,000 needed points only with one transaction.

I *remember* one dedicated link that the US mint wants to enhance the circulation of 1 US Dollar coins

I believe you are referring to this thread, with 16,000+ posts:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/833911-buy-presidential-dollar-coins-cc-face-value-free-shipping.html

The US Mint stopped selling coins at face value about a year ago.

Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

:o