Getting spending up without the Mint
Nov 9, 2012, 9:05 am
#4096
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Spg Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,578
Well there are many ways of looking at this:
1) if nothing being done is wrong, then it doesn't matter except when we thinkn we are 'getting away with something' and we do ourselves in. But in some cases, wrong or not, some mole and his or her bosses have set unknown limits to things we do in here, and they pull the trigger on you and I when they feel we have reached these limits. Cardinals would do this because they look down on us like the three elder bubbleheaded alien dudes in that old StarTrek episode.
2) A mole could be someone who is a double agent, meaning they 'turned,' or they just always played both sides... both racking up miles on gigs WE help find for them, and also exposing said gigs to companies. And I am sure some managers of OD stores have learned to get VN-UR points for example. Some would do this while some would not. I tend to think that in many cases, people in here are very creative and those who work in say, fraud security or customer service management at stores or in banks are not. So they need US to give THEM the easy step-by-step ways and means of things. Thank you MMS. lol We do this for free, thinking WE are winning somehow.
3) There's no doubt that lurkers and even regular posters work for some of these places and may have even joined here just to check it out. We know UA Insider, Starwood Lurker, Cartera Representative, to name a few. Some of those Fters may be only in specific areas or maybe have been helpful to posters here, but some have been as evil as they claim we are. And wouldn't those types of company people also want to know more? I mean, as both agents of their respective companies but also as curious onlookers?
In the end everyone is perceived as trying to screw everyone else. Each party tries to make or save money. In some cases the company WANTS you to play the game knowing that while you think you scored on some hidden gem of stacked bonuses and coupons, you have actually merely paid what the product would have cost anyway but they got you to become almost religiously inclined (see the words, "FlyerTalk Evangelist" or at least very passionate (see: MM, QL, ADK, etc) about THEIR game and THEIR company intent. Other companies think everything is fraud and send out a doctrine that anyone who tries anything outside what they think is the norm is bad and equated somehow to Osama Bin Laden--or at least that's how they teach their underlings to feel about it. Either way, it's all about the money, as always.
I dunno. I'm full of crap.
MM
1) if nothing being done is wrong, then it doesn't matter except when we thinkn we are 'getting away with something' and we do ourselves in. But in some cases, wrong or not, some mole and his or her bosses have set unknown limits to things we do in here, and they pull the trigger on you and I when they feel we have reached these limits. Cardinals would do this because they look down on us like the three elder bubbleheaded alien dudes in that old StarTrek episode.
2) A mole could be someone who is a double agent, meaning they 'turned,' or they just always played both sides... both racking up miles on gigs WE help find for them, and also exposing said gigs to companies. And I am sure some managers of OD stores have learned to get VN-UR points for example. Some would do this while some would not. I tend to think that in many cases, people in here are very creative and those who work in say, fraud security or customer service management at stores or in banks are not. So they need US to give THEM the easy step-by-step ways and means of things. Thank you MMS. lol We do this for free, thinking WE are winning somehow.
3) There's no doubt that lurkers and even regular posters work for some of these places and may have even joined here just to check it out. We know UA Insider, Starwood Lurker, Cartera Representative, to name a few. Some of those Fters may be only in specific areas or maybe have been helpful to posters here, but some have been as evil as they claim we are. And wouldn't those types of company people also want to know more? I mean, as both agents of their respective companies but also as curious onlookers?
In the end everyone is perceived as trying to screw everyone else. Each party tries to make or save money. In some cases the company WANTS you to play the game knowing that while you think you scored on some hidden gem of stacked bonuses and coupons, you have actually merely paid what the product would have cost anyway but they got you to become almost religiously inclined (see the words, "FlyerTalk Evangelist" or at least very passionate (see: MM, QL, ADK, etc) about THEIR game and THEIR company intent. Other companies think everything is fraud and send out a doctrine that anyone who tries anything outside what they think is the norm is bad and equated somehow to Osama Bin Laden--or at least that's how they teach their underlings to feel about it. Either way, it's all about the money, as always.
I dunno. I'm full of crap.
MMAmen Brother Amen
Nov 9, 2012, 9:21 am
#4097
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
The best fraud and security folk are creative, but the field does tend to attract those that are not entrepreneur-minded. Too much money to be made playing cops and robbers on the opposing team, I suppose.<g>
I will say the creativity and effort over here is top notch. Just keep drawing all the colors within the lines.
"I tend to think that in many cases, people in here are very creative and those who work in say, fraud security or customer service management at stores or in banks are not."
I will say the creativity and effort over here is top notch. Just keep drawing all the colors within the lines.
"I tend to think that in many cases, people in here are very creative and those who work in say, fraud security or customer service management at stores or in banks are not."
Nov 9, 2012, 9:26 am
#4098
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
The best fraud and security folk are creative, but the field does tend to attract those that are not entrepreneur-minded. Too much money to be made playing cops and robbers on the opposing team, I suppose.<g>
I will say the creativity and effort over here is top notch. Just keep drawing all the colors within the lines.
I will say the creativity and effort over here is top notch. Just keep drawing all the colors within the lines.
.
Nov 9, 2012, 9:27 am
#4099
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
There are a few retired cardinals in here that I am aware of, a few law enforcement types and a few newer cardinals. Those new puppies are worth keeping an eye on. I think the blog angle is that exposure of strategies draws eyeballs, and eyeballs make revenue in blogland. Follow the money.
Alot of strategic traffic is now running off the boards. That is not necessarily a bad thing.
Alot of strategic traffic is now running off the boards. That is not necessarily a bad thing.
Wouldnt it be somethin if one of the cardinals writes one of the blogs and has been baiting us all like a bunch of netted shrimp
I bet its mms lol
The newbies get to live and try things so they can either become average customers who once dabbled in our world or move to learn and reveal more secrets and mindsets to feed the ever growing machine that the cardnials live within. The older posters may dodge things but often lose several of their flying fortress bombers on their missions over enemy territory.
I bet its mms lol
The newbies get to live and try things so they can either become average customers who once dabbled in our world or move to learn and reveal more secrets and mindsets to feed the ever growing machine that the cardnials live within. The older posters may dodge things but often lose several of their flying fortress bombers on their missions over enemy territory.
Nov 9, 2012, 9:46 am
#4101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
Nov 9, 2012, 10:01 am
#4102
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: many
Posts: 1,437
There are a few retired cardinals in here that I am aware of, a few law enforcement types and a few newer cardinals. Those new puppies are worth keeping an eye on. I think the blog angle is that exposure of strategies draws eyeballs, and eyeballs make revenue in blogland. Follow the money.
Nov 9, 2012, 10:22 am
#4103
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: UA Silver/Marriott Gold/Hilton Gold
Posts: 540
The thing that catches my eye is that the same bloggers that are laying out these spoon-feeding strategies and making it plain as day how to exploit this opportunity are also getting referral money from these same banks.
Now, unless these banks are totally ignoring the content of these blogs and only looking at traffic (which I find hard to believe these days when associating with the wrong so-and-so's can get you in a lot of trouble if they do something stupid), they surely must see what these same bloggers (that they are paying for referrals) are advocating.
For that reason, I think that the banks must be doing alright even with the increased payout for buying beans at certain farmers markets.
Either that, or they are hoping the bloggers will lead the sheep to the slaughter and help them weed out the less profitable customers from their customer base.
I guess only time will tell.
Now, unless these banks are totally ignoring the content of these blogs and only looking at traffic (which I find hard to believe these days when associating with the wrong so-and-so's can get you in a lot of trouble if they do something stupid), they surely must see what these same bloggers (that they are paying for referrals) are advocating.
For that reason, I think that the banks must be doing alright even with the increased payout for buying beans at certain farmers markets.
Either that, or they are hoping the bloggers will lead the sheep to the slaughter and help them weed out the less profitable customers from their customer base.
I guess only time will tell.
Last edited by Majikow; Nov 9, 2012 at 10:24 am Reason: grammarlammardingdong
Nov 9, 2012, 10:30 am
#4104
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: Hyatt Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 241
I'm considering going after a card where I'm a few hundred dollars a month off the spend. I won't get it unless I can make the spend. And I don't want to hurt myself trying to gap the costs and overspend. My budgets are pretty firm right now.
Someone had brought up getting one of those CC runners that you attach to your iphone. And running my own CC thought it. I wouldn't mind paying the 2-3% fee in this case. We are only talking losing $20-40 for a signup bonus I couldn't normally achieve which is worth it to me.
Will one of those shut me down if I run my own CC through a few times for a few hundred each month? I probably wouldn't really be running anything else through it so I'm a bit unsure about doing it. Or should I try and stick to some of the ideas discussed here?
Someone had brought up getting one of those CC runners that you attach to your iphone. And running my own CC thought it. I wouldn't mind paying the 2-3% fee in this case. We are only talking losing $20-40 for a signup bonus I couldn't normally achieve which is worth it to me.
Will one of those shut me down if I run my own CC through a few times for a few hundred each month? I probably wouldn't really be running anything else through it so I'm a bit unsure about doing it. Or should I try and stick to some of the ideas discussed here?
Nov 9, 2012, 10:33 am
#4105
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: LAX
Posts: 546
Nov 9, 2012, 10:39 am
#4106
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Yes - you run your own card you are likely to be the guest of honor at your own BBQ.
I'm considering going after a card where I'm a few hundred dollars a month off the spend. I won't get it unless I can make the spend. And I don't want to hurt myself trying to gap the costs and overspend. My budgets are pretty firm right now.
Someone had brought up getting one of those CC runners that you attach to your iphone. And running my own CC thought it. I wouldn't mind paying the 2-3% fee in this case. We are only talking losing $20-40 for a signup bonus I couldn't normally achieve which is worth it to me.
Will one of those shut me down if I run my own CC through a few times for a few hundred each month? I probably wouldn't really be running anything else through it so I'm a bit unsure about doing it. Or should I try and stick to some of the ideas discussed here?
Someone had brought up getting one of those CC runners that you attach to your iphone. And running my own CC thought it. I wouldn't mind paying the 2-3% fee in this case. We are only talking losing $20-40 for a signup bonus I couldn't normally achieve which is worth it to me.
Will one of those shut me down if I run my own CC through a few times for a few hundred each month? I probably wouldn't really be running anything else through it so I'm a bit unsure about doing it. Or should I try and stick to some of the ideas discussed here?
Nov 9, 2012, 10:51 am
#4107
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Merry Christmas from the Green Recycling Company
Pending a change in news from Citibank, The GRC will be hosting a Christmas Party to end all Christmas Parties. Stay tuned. No PMs yet.
BTW, for all you Spies Like Us, Skyfall turned out OK - saw it at midnight (couldn't make the London premier). Show your appreciation for First Bank of the Spook by buying a ticket to see Jimbo.
BTW, for all you Spies Like Us, Skyfall turned out OK - saw it at midnight (couldn't make the London premier). Show your appreciation for First Bank of the Spook by buying a ticket to see Jimbo.
Nov 9, 2012, 11:09 am
#4108
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 749
Plain and simple Chase can just cut the max spend in office categories to $x,000 and it would be game over. See Amex BCP & Grocery stores. That they have yet to do so just means that we have yet to reach a tipping point. Once critical mass is reached they'll ratchet it back down, and you'll hear great sadness on the blogs.
Nov 9, 2012, 11:13 am
#4109
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 48
China Syndrome
Ok, so this may be a bit of an unconventional strategy to get spending up. To be fair it has its own risks and really only applies to people who go to China.
I was there last spring on a vacation and like usual I underestimated the amount of cash my wife would need to satisfy her desire for more stuff. We were in a high end jewlery store and pretty much told the guy that I didn't have enough cash on hand. "No problem" they take visa. Ok so we swipe the card and he asks if I want change. . .
Heck yes I wanted change. See, the exchange rate is set by the government so it doesn't matter if you get cash at the hotel, a bank, or a jewlery store... the rate is the rate. And it posts as a purchase.
I used this to my advantage while I was over there and was left with a few hundred bucks which I exchanged back to USD at the hotel before I left. Theoretically you could rack up a bunch of cc spend and come back home with cash, however it depends on how much your hotel (or bank) would be willing to exchange back. (NOTE: I think there is a limit of $500usd/day per passport, but I do not know for sure on that. Check with the bank/hotel)
Ok, so like I said it may not be very useful to most of you, but it may be somewhat useful to some of you.
I think a lot of the locals use this trick (or something similar) to get cash to use in Macau.
I was there last spring on a vacation and like usual I underestimated the amount of cash my wife would need to satisfy her desire for more stuff. We were in a high end jewlery store and pretty much told the guy that I didn't have enough cash on hand. "No problem" they take visa. Ok so we swipe the card and he asks if I want change. . .
Heck yes I wanted change. See, the exchange rate is set by the government so it doesn't matter if you get cash at the hotel, a bank, or a jewlery store... the rate is the rate. And it posts as a purchase.
I used this to my advantage while I was over there and was left with a few hundred bucks which I exchanged back to USD at the hotel before I left. Theoretically you could rack up a bunch of cc spend and come back home with cash, however it depends on how much your hotel (or bank) would be willing to exchange back. (NOTE: I think there is a limit of $500usd/day per passport, but I do not know for sure on that. Check with the bank/hotel)
Ok, so like I said it may not be very useful to most of you, but it may be somewhat useful to some of you.
I think a lot of the locals use this trick (or something similar) to get cash to use in Macau.
Nov 9, 2012, 11:23 am
#4110
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 327
Ok, so this may be a bit of an unconventional strategy to get spending up. To be fair it has its own risks and really only applies to people who go to China.
I was there last spring on a vacation and like usual I underestimated the amount of cash my wife would need to satisfy her desire for more stuff. We were in a high end jewlery store and pretty much told the guy that I didn't have enough cash on hand. "No problem" they take visa. Ok so we swipe the card and he asks if I want change. . .
Heck yes I wanted change. See, the exchange rate is set by the government so it doesn't matter if you get cash at the hotel, a bank, or a jewlery store... the rate is the rate. And it posts as a purchase.
I used this to my advantage while I was over there and was left with a few hundred bucks which I exchanged back to USD at the hotel before I left. Theoretically you could rack up a bunch of cc spend and come back home with cash, however it depends on how much your hotel (or bank) would be willing to exchange back. (NOTE: I think there is a limit of $500usd/day per passport, but I do not know for sure on that. Check with the bank/hotel)
Ok, so like I said it may not be very useful to most of you, but it may be somewhat useful to some of you.
I think a lot of the locals use this trick (or something similar) to get cash to use in Macau.
I was there last spring on a vacation and like usual I underestimated the amount of cash my wife would need to satisfy her desire for more stuff. We were in a high end jewlery store and pretty much told the guy that I didn't have enough cash on hand. "No problem" they take visa. Ok so we swipe the card and he asks if I want change. . .
Heck yes I wanted change. See, the exchange rate is set by the government so it doesn't matter if you get cash at the hotel, a bank, or a jewlery store... the rate is the rate. And it posts as a purchase.
I used this to my advantage while I was over there and was left with a few hundred bucks which I exchanged back to USD at the hotel before I left. Theoretically you could rack up a bunch of cc spend and come back home with cash, however it depends on how much your hotel (or bank) would be willing to exchange back. (NOTE: I think there is a limit of $500usd/day per passport, but I do not know for sure on that. Check with the bank/hotel)
Ok, so like I said it may not be very useful to most of you, but it may be somewhat useful to some of you.
I think a lot of the locals use this trick (or something similar) to get cash to use in Macau.