Hey! I gambled (and lost, sort of) this year when I did 3 transcon MRs back in the AADER period to make sure that I would keep EXP status. I figured I wouldn't travel to Africa 2 more times (20k EQMs each trip), but I also figured if I did go well over 100k EQMs maybe I could get to 125K and score 2 extra eVIPs.
However, I did end up going to Africa twice more as part of my work for an NGO, and will finish the year with 135K EQMs! So.... should I have done that 1 extra transcon MR that gave me 10K EQMs? If I hadn't done it, I still would have gotten 125K and scored the 2 bonus eVIPs, and would have saved $350 or so.

Conclusion, when you gamble you don't always win. In this case, I spent $350 more than I theoretically needed to, but then I am EXP again, and I will get two more eVIPs... all's well that ends well.