LadyBelle

I have a Chase Sapphire, Freedom, Ink, SPG, 2 Bluebird accounts, 2 Amazon Payments, and 2 Paypals (2 users) I want to MS for a dream trip to Europe for me and my little girl. Im in NYC and It appears that Vanilla Reloads are dead, Home Depots are too. What is there to buy that I can use my credit card for, so that I can transfer it into bluebird and use that to pay CC bill, rent, etc. I know I can do 2k for free thru AP, but I was hoping to MS about 7-10K/month. It just doesn't seem worth it to pay 3% cc fees to pay with your cc thru paypal and other services.

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

TMKTakot

Read all threads with multiple pages on the first page of this forum. Opportunities are there.

skibum7732

There are numerous opportunities, but if you do not perform your own due diligence you will get in over your head and get into trouble...take some time and read, read, and then reread some threads in this forum

whitey4545

I will never understand how some just want to be spoon fed. How much is that dream trip to Europe worth? Is it worth putting in 5-10 hours of researching? Maybe a few hours driving to different stores to see who allows what to be purchased with a CC. There are lots of deals out there where you can MS for less than 1%

maksimfa

I have done about $20k in the past 48 hours. Opportunities are there. Many others do A LOT more in the same time frame.

1. Figure out the game from the top level, ie... where do you make money, where do you lose money.

2. Find the tools that make you money, and tools of how to liquidate.

3. Figure out how to maximize the income, and minimize the expenses.

4. Learn more

5. Do MORE to make more.

6. Never stop learning.

7. Give back.

LadyBelle

I have read plenty, so it is strange to assume that I haven't. Had I not, I wouldn't have the cards/accounts I mentioned above. But my plan was to do the vr way. Now that that is gone, I have spent countless hours reading the threads in the front as well as googling. However, my confusion is that I hear a lot of people buying giftcards to stores, and I just don't understand what they are doing with those. Those threads are not really giving advice as much as just conversing in general or arguing. A lot of the info is also dated.
So perhaps you can point me to a thread that can guide me a little better.Just that the clock is ticking as I have 3 months to meet the points requirement on the cards.

PaulMSN

The information is there, so either you haven't read enough or you're not really understanding what you've read. If the latter, I suggest you drop the idea, because the risk of losing money doing manufactured spend is real and you have to understand what you're getting into.

The thread to read first is right at the top: " New to Manufactured Spending? Start Here."

jan_believes

Hi, there.

The use of the word "to" is troubling. Is it possible you are interpreting that members are buying "store" GCs? I would like to reference those posts for the ambiguity.

I am buying VISA GCs at the local Simon Mall. Located inside the mall, not in any particular store. Here's the info:

Simon Mall (variable) Visa Gift Card has the word "debit" on front, also.
Loads to $500. Fee: $2.95. Daily Limit: $10K worth (but that's my area)

I noticed NY area listed as your locale but according to policy rules in another thread, nearby CT is not a participating area for purchase of these GCs. I don't think NJ is, either. Some kind of state prohibition.

There are Simon Malls in the state of NY, but not in the actual metro NY areas, like Brooklyn, Manhattan, etc. If you have to make a road trip, call ahead first.

What do peeps do with their Visa GCs? Load their BB or other debit instruments. Also, peeps buy MOs to the amount of $999.31 with two swipes and a fee of around $.69.

I have nothing else at this time to recommend. However, there are a couple of blogs you might want to continue to read that might help, also. Some of those blog writers are also FTers. If this info was not helpful, LMK and I will delete it. HTH!

PS. Don't forget the Staples deal this week and keep eyes open for the next promotion possibly by OM.

silver6054

Depending on your cards though, buying here for a $2 reduction in purchase price doesn't sound that effective. If you can get 5x at drug stores or supermarkets, that is a lot easier for many and earns more rewards.

jan_believes

I don't have grocers that sell the variable GCs. That's why I can't reap 5% with my category CC. That's the only 5% CB opportunity I have with my CCs. I don't have 5% at drugstores either and I would not be able to buy more than one or two per visit at Walgreens, anyway.

I have covered that the mall trips are effective because the $10K daily allowance means I don't have to make multiple trips as one had to do with CVS $5K limit. Simon Malls are usually smaller and have few parking issues.

I can also charge to the $ value what I want put on each card at the mall inside the total transaction cost. So, if I can only charge up to $2200 for a miles Visa CL, I can put exactly that amount and let other CB CCs pick up the slack. Or if a CB category has a limit, I can customize the amount I need to meet it and not a penny more. It has worked well, so far.

Example of $5000 in GCs using miles card with low CL, CB card:
$5000 - $2200 + 29.50 (fees for 5) = $2829.50 x .015% = $42.45 (rounded) CB bonus.
Then, $42.45 - $29.50 (fees for other 5) = $12.95 net CB and I receive 2200 airline miles. And, I can have a float, if I need it in timing.

I could then do another similar $5000 worth GCs with another miles/points card and the same CB bonus card. Not doing this to get rich but miles and points rich is nice.

Love how I can set the same pin on all the cards as I go, too.

prasha11

U are right, there is not much of substance to read, most of the things people do are hit or miss (not counting the lies or bragging). If U are able to find a source for reload card with CC, Unload is the issue. your funds get blocked. The only reliable MS is BB and AP

Doctor of Credit

It's always easy to have rose colored glasses about the past. Now is one of the easiest times to MS large amounts. Do a bit of reading of this page and you'll discover a whole heap of nuggets in this forum.

It is annoying having to read, but you'll have a better understanding because of it.

envoy245

Buying gift cards to stores is helpful to meet min. spend only. It's about timeshifting your purchases.

Since you have the Ink card, use it for 5x at Staples or OM/OD. BUT only buy gift cards for those stores that give you a 5% discount than gift card granny or giftcardmall.

With Chase Freedom this quarter, you can buy gift cards to restaurants you frequent.

silver6054

Right, when I started with my 5x TYP I was being very clever buying Petco gift cards at CVS and getting 5% off. Only later did I discover that Giftcardgranny links to vendors selling them for 20-27% off (plus whatever discount the credit card gives you).

kingrat

This sounds like a troll - Why is this going on so much with FT lately