Getting spending up without the Mint
Nov 13, 2012, 10:11 pm
#4231
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 385
Tissues would be painless but if I was a Blogger especially one dumb enough to post pictures and use real names I would be well protected and staying in secure areas for quite some time. Just think as you watch an episode of Sons of Anarchy or any mob or gang show or even the news which almost daily has a psycho go off somewhere. Do you really think there isn't several people maybe with a terminal disease, or just crazy, or on drugs like Meth, or any combination who may have been planning a trip for a fantasy or some lost love interest and now they feel cheated and robbed. Oh well maybe that is just part of the risk of blogging. If even David Letterman can have a stalker a selfish blogger sure can have worse. Sure hope I am wrong but I wouldn't want to be one at least not one people think of first
Nov 13, 2012, 11:25 pm
#4232
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: CVG
Programs: Hyatt Giraffe
Posts: 1,665
Nov 14, 2012, 1:23 am
#4233
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 79
Lending Club, a peer to peer lending site, allows initial accounts to be funded up to $5000 using a CC via Paypal. I used an AMEX business gold to fund an account and my MR 75K bonus appeared yesterday (the LC funding pushed me over the 10K initial spend requirement).
I actually put 60% of that money to work earning 20% a year (there is clearly risk in doing that). Of course, do your own research folks, but there's no reason you can't let that money just sit in the account temporarily, and then pull it out -- although the fine print may indicate otherwise (my intention all along was to chase yield on some idle cash while hitting some lofty spends, so I never closely looked into the possibility of just pulling the money out quickly).
Sorry if this is old news but just relaying my own experience.
I actually put 60% of that money to work earning 20% a year (there is clearly risk in doing that). Of course, do your own research folks, but there's no reason you can't let that money just sit in the account temporarily, and then pull it out -- although the fine print may indicate otherwise (my intention all along was to chase yield on some idle cash while hitting some lofty spends, so I never closely looked into the possibility of just pulling the money out quickly).
Sorry if this is old news but just relaying my own experience.
Nov 14, 2012, 6:22 am
#4235
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 142
Lending Club, a peer to peer lending site, allows initial accounts to be funded up to $5000 using a CC via Paypal. I used an AMEX business gold to fund an account and my MR 75K bonus appeared yesterday (the LC funding pushed me over the 10K initial spend requirement).
I actually put 60% of that money to work earning 20% a year (there is clearly risk in doing that). Of course, do your own research folks, but there's no reason you can't let that money just sit in the account temporarily, and then pull it out -- although the fine print may indicate otherwise (my intention all along was to chase yield on some idle cash while hitting some lofty spends, so I never closely looked into the possibility of just pulling the money out quickly).
Sorry if this is old news but just relaying my own experience.
I actually put 60% of that money to work earning 20% a year (there is clearly risk in doing that). Of course, do your own research folks, but there's no reason you can't let that money just sit in the account temporarily, and then pull it out -- although the fine print may indicate otherwise (my intention all along was to chase yield on some idle cash while hitting some lofty spends, so I never closely looked into the possibility of just pulling the money out quickly).
Sorry if this is old news but just relaying my own experience.
When did you do this? What is expected yield? Amex gold, are you paying eom or extending payments?
Nov 14, 2012, 6:47 am
#4237
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, United, BA, Delta, MR, SPG, PC
Posts: 190
There's a lot of uncertainty atm because their rebate site sucks. Last time, it only worked on MC GCs, so was easy, bought 10 $100s and got $100 staples gift card back. Limit was 10 per household. Took about one month to receive gift cards.
This time, the visas work and are avail in $200 denominations. So it's unclear if it's 10 X $200 or 5 X $200 because the ad states "$15 Staples GC per $100 limit 10". This seems to imply a $1000 top limit again but who knows. People have bought over $1000 worth and the rebates submit, BUT we don't know if they'll validate.
On top of that, their site is valuing the GCs wrong. As noted above, 3 X $200 gives you $135 when it should be $90. Your best combo, assuming $1k limit, is 3 X $200 for $135 gift card and 2 X $200 for $75 gift card. Best case, you rake in $210 or worse case, they fix the rebate system, you stay beneath the cap and still get the promised rebates of $150.
So.... the math. For $1,000 spend: $200 + $6.95 activation fee X 5 = $1034.75 OOP. Chase Ink Bold gives you 5174 UR points or $51.73 back. MM of ~$17 AND you get minimum of $150 in Staples gift cards back, more if their rebate system doesn't get fixed.
Just need multiple addresses, I'm up to my 10th set now. Will drain using a combo of AP and Serve. It's raining free tablets at Staples
Oh and for MMS <--------------------------------------
This time, the visas work and are avail in $200 denominations. So it's unclear if it's 10 X $200 or 5 X $200 because the ad states "$15 Staples GC per $100 limit 10". This seems to imply a $1000 top limit again but who knows. People have bought over $1000 worth and the rebates submit, BUT we don't know if they'll validate.
On top of that, their site is valuing the GCs wrong. As noted above, 3 X $200 gives you $135 when it should be $90. Your best combo, assuming $1k limit, is 3 X $200 for $135 gift card and 2 X $200 for $75 gift card. Best case, you rake in $210 or worse case, they fix the rebate system, you stay beneath the cap and still get the promised rebates of $150.
So.... the math. For $1,000 spend: $200 + $6.95 activation fee X 5 = $1034.75 OOP. Chase Ink Bold gives you 5174 UR points or $51.73 back. MM of ~$17 AND you get minimum of $150 in Staples gift cards back, more if their rebate system doesn't get fixed.
Just need multiple addresses, I'm up to my 10th set now. Will drain using a combo of AP and Serve. It's raining free tablets at Staples
Oh and for MMS <--------------------------------------
Nov 14, 2012, 6:54 am
#4239
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Nov 14, 2012, 7:05 am
#4241
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 124
Limit 10 Staples Gift Cards per name/address/household. For questions or a status inquiry about this rebate offer call 1-877-266-6483. Fraudulent submission of multiple requests could result in federal prosecution under the U.S. Mail Fraud Statutes (18 USC, Section 1341 & 1342).
Nov 14, 2012, 7:32 am
#4242
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 757
I liquidated my staples GCs via beans from C V S. The register seemed to freeze after 6 cards, so the clerk was nice enough to split them into two transactions. Worth the 3.95x2 since I don't have serve or AP. Net profit in the $80 range + finished off min spend from my August cycle.
Nov 14, 2012, 7:51 am
#4243
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: TBD
Posts: 840
I liquidated my staples GCs via beans from C V S. The register seemed to freeze after 6 cards, so the clerk was nice enough to split them into two transactions. Worth the 3.95x2 since I don't have serve or AP. Net profit in the $80 range + finished off min spend from my August cycle.
Nov 14, 2012, 8:04 am
#4244
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
not to mention when the police went to his house in belize apparently he was trying to hide by burying himself in the ground with his face above ground covered in a cardboard box. at least we know there are far whackier people than all of us :O
Nov 14, 2012, 8:17 am
#4245
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: 5280/8150
Programs: Flying and sleeping
Posts: 341
My Staples was on top of their stuff last night. They said they get about one person a week coming in to buy bulk gift cards. We chatted about some of the crazier things they've seen, like people coming in with fake IDs and skimmed cards trying to buy GCs. I grabbed 5 x $200. Rebates worked perfectly online, but it seems they fixed the glitch - only $150.
Tried to unload via AP, but for some reason, it won't let me claim the payments. Email verified and everything. I get the "try again later or contact customer service" message. Any thoughts? I'm not keen on contacting customer service.
On the other hand, it says that if payments remain unclaimed for 30 days, they get refunded. I've already removed the GCs from the original AP account. Maybe they'd just refund to the AP balance? Then I could withdraw them directly. It may be a way around the inability to load AP from GCs if you can float the balance for 30 days.
Tried to unload via AP, but for some reason, it won't let me claim the payments. Email verified and everything. I get the "try again later or contact customer service" message. Any thoughts? I'm not keen on contacting customer service.
On the other hand, it says that if payments remain unclaimed for 30 days, they get refunded. I've already removed the GCs from the original AP account. Maybe they'd just refund to the AP balance? Then I could withdraw them directly. It may be a way around the inability to load AP from GCs if you can float the balance for 30 days.