True cost of MS
Nov 24, 2014, 3:17 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Beach
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,171
Nov 24, 2014, 5:45 pm
#18
Formerly known as FTRox87
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: TX
Programs: AA/US 1M, AS, BA, CX, EK, EY, JL, KE, LH, NH, OS, QF, QR, TG, UA/CO | *$G
Posts: 1,428
y'all need to take it easy on jeniqua.
Nov 24, 2014, 7:11 pm
#20
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 108
tilleyd, i agree with you--many of these posters are sarcastic, crass, and insensitive. As a relative newcomer myself, i felt the same way reading through these forums; the mean ones presuppose we're lazy and want to be spoonfed; so not true; glad you shared and hope the oldies show some friendliness, patience and grace!
Nov 24, 2014, 7:28 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
Nov 24, 2014, 11:59 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,505
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Offer not valid on purchases made through Staples Business Advantage, Staples National Advantage or Staples Industrial
Offer applicable only to qualifying purchases made with a valid enrolled Visa Business card
Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law
Discount provided as a statement credit on a future account statement
Applicable taxes must be paid by bearer
Offer only redeemable in the U.S.
Offer may be subjected to additional terms and conditions. Please see the VisaSavings Edge Terms & Conditions for more information
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Nov 25, 2014, 7:15 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Don't forget the cost of transportation to buy and unload the cards. MS at the casual level is likely a breakeven proposition at best after strip mining credit card sign on bonuses. That is assuming the casual MS folk fly economy. 
y'all, i'm seeing how costly MS can be. for example, if I buy $4,000 worth of VGC from OS using Ink-Plus (twenty $200 VGC Cards) , that translates into 20,000 Ultimate-Reward Points with the 5X multiplier.
But it cost me $139.00 in VGC fees to earn the 20,000 points!!!! That's about .7 cents per point.
Is spending $139 really worth it for 20,000 points? Is there a cheaper way to earn the points?
But it cost me $139.00 in VGC fees to earn the 20,000 points!!!! That's about .7 cents per point.
Is spending $139 really worth it for 20,000 points? Is there a cheaper way to earn the points?
Nov 25, 2014, 7:53 am
#28
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
At the professional level it's quite lucrative. Some of us run it like a side business....a non-profit as far as IRS is concerned.
Nov 25, 2014, 7:58 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Beach
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,171
Nov 25, 2014, 8:04 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 57
When I talked about MS to another colleague, they made it sound as though "how poor do you have to be to do this?"
Yet it's pretty much the opposite. To me it seems like most MSers are already well off, and do this as a hobby &/or to minimize travel costs. Where a normal well off person would fly economy & stay at a mid tier hotel for their annual vacation, an MSer will fly first class & stay at a top tier hotel, for less money.
That's the value I see in it at least. I'm new to MS and haven't scaled yet. But for now, I already see the benefit... it's not about free hand-outs, it's about getting more (much more) for less.
Yet it's pretty much the opposite. To me it seems like most MSers are already well off, and do this as a hobby &/or to minimize travel costs. Where a normal well off person would fly economy & stay at a mid tier hotel for their annual vacation, an MSer will fly first class & stay at a top tier hotel, for less money.
That's the value I see in it at least. I'm new to MS and haven't scaled yet. But for now, I already see the benefit... it's not about free hand-outs, it's about getting more (much more) for less.