Originally Posted by blitzen

Not sure if I would consider Kiva loans MS.
You are not buying GC > buying Money Order > ..... or other easy circular methods but you are using your money to issue micro loans.
1) currency losses
2) defaults
3) money is locked in the loan for 6,7,8,9..... month
4) you are missing out on interest (Amex Savings i.e. 1.55%)
All of the above doesn't really make it a MS opportunity ( 8 month loan = 0.75% Interest lost - 0.5% currency losses - 0.5% default > just the "value" of a mile/point lost / break even). My currency loss and default is I think around 1% each but I'm still using Kiva . It is more doing something good and once in a while help to meet minimum spend (which i would do anyway but if I use Kiva I don't have to track/remember/ ....).