Originally Posted by
Sam - DFW
i've mentioned this before, but it seems worth repeating.
in a lot of instances using partners specifically to get miles is very wasteful, and grocery store shopping can be one of the most flagrant examples of this.
spending up to 30% more for groceries just to get 2% back in the form of miles is not necessarily financially wise.
if you already shop Tom Thumb, etc, then getting miles for "nothing" is great, but don't leave your current grocery store and think that you are automatically getting ahead.
my experience was with a flagship Tom Thumb by my house in Las Colinas where prices were SIGNIFICANTLY higher than other options in close proximity (item-by-item comparisons, same brand, same size, etc). for me, it made NO sense to have grocery bills 15% - 20% higher to get miles that I value at .02 cents. also, it seemed like there were restrictions in place that pretty much necessitated i shop at Tom Thumb exclusively to spend enough each month. that may or may not still be the case.
Great advice Sam. I see all too often where folks overpay just get devaluing miles. Great marketing job by the airlines.
This seems particularly true with the airline credit cards. Folks paying an annual fee + high rates to carry balances for relatively few miles.
As they say, buyer beware. Sometimes miles are a good deal, but often not.