Keeping track of manufactured spend
Jun 18, 2014, 2:40 pm
#151
Join Date: May 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: AA, DL, AS
Posts: 183
Should be a phone application.
You would configure it with CC and checking account information after installing it.
When you buy GC, the phone would OCR the receipts and gift card numbers, storing the data in a DB, along with the image used for the OCR.
The app would also regularly search for online purchases at gift card sellers.
After getting purchase information, The phone app would then go online to the gift card issuer and verify the amount loaded, then set the pin to a value that the user configured on the computer.
When you cash out, the phone app would OCR picture of the cards used and the receipts, tie that to the cards and you cashed out (BP vs. MO vs. swipe reload), so that the application can look for those transactions. The phone application would then verify that the card used was drained.
It would log in to your Bluebird, credit card, checking and other MS related accounts on a regular basis to get newly pending and posted transactions. From those transactions, it would detect obvious MS transactions such as online purchases of GC, BB swipe reloads, etc.
It would use the GPS to track the number of miles driven and time spent on MS activities.
It would generate several reports or alerts:
* current MS status report, with a balance sheet, and a list of anomalies.
* current MS liability report, broken down by CC
* current MS asset report (GC, MO, BB & checking deposits)
* gift cards not cashed out report
* inactivated gift cards alert
* missing GC alert (bought online at a gift card store more than X days ago, and never scanned in)
* unknown MS purchase alert (posted transaction amount indicates an MS transaction, but no receipt or GC tied to it)
* unexpected fees and charges alert
* unexpected and/or missing deposits alert
* non-MS related charges per CC and GC
* a detailed list of daily spend type charges, so you can make sure to account for those.
* statement closing alert for each CC, telling how much you need to pay to zero out the statement.
* A report of how much each mile/point/cash back dollar earned cost, including gas used and time spent.
* a printed document that can be folded into an envelope upon cash out, where you can stash the GC and all the receipts to file away
You would configure it with CC and checking account information after installing it.
When you buy GC, the phone would OCR the receipts and gift card numbers, storing the data in a DB, along with the image used for the OCR.
The app would also regularly search for online purchases at gift card sellers.
After getting purchase information, The phone app would then go online to the gift card issuer and verify the amount loaded, then set the pin to a value that the user configured on the computer.
When you cash out, the phone app would OCR picture of the cards used and the receipts, tie that to the cards and you cashed out (BP vs. MO vs. swipe reload), so that the application can look for those transactions. The phone application would then verify that the card used was drained.
It would log in to your Bluebird, credit card, checking and other MS related accounts on a regular basis to get newly pending and posted transactions. From those transactions, it would detect obvious MS transactions such as online purchases of GC, BB swipe reloads, etc.
It would use the GPS to track the number of miles driven and time spent on MS activities.
It would generate several reports or alerts:
* current MS status report, with a balance sheet, and a list of anomalies.
* current MS liability report, broken down by CC
* current MS asset report (GC, MO, BB & checking deposits)
* gift cards not cashed out report
* inactivated gift cards alert
* missing GC alert (bought online at a gift card store more than X days ago, and never scanned in)
* unknown MS purchase alert (posted transaction amount indicates an MS transaction, but no receipt or GC tied to it)
* unexpected fees and charges alert
* unexpected and/or missing deposits alert
* non-MS related charges per CC and GC
* a detailed list of daily spend type charges, so you can make sure to account for those.
* statement closing alert for each CC, telling how much you need to pay to zero out the statement.
* A report of how much each mile/point/cash back dollar earned cost, including gas used and time spent.
* a printed document that can be folded into an envelope upon cash out, where you can stash the GC and all the receipts to file away
Jun 18, 2014, 3:32 pm
#154
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, AS, DL, BA, F9, IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, SPG Gold, MR Silver
Posts: 1,786
It's easy to try to write things off but I want to avoid that. I use a combination of Mint and pen and paper. Mostly because writing things down by hand forces me to memorize steps and I find it easier to see and scan all financial actions. But I'm not running 18 cards at once, either.
Jun 22, 2014, 8:30 pm
#155
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 12
I'm going to be creating an all-encompassing MS spreadsheet in the next few days but I'm looking for a few experienced voices to help provide input as I'm fairly new to the game. If anyone is interested in joining the project please shoot me a PM. I will gladly include all requests.
Jun 22, 2014, 8:35 pm
#156
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 148
I'm going to be creating an all-encompassing MS spreadsheet in the next few days but I'm looking for a few experienced voices to help provide input as I'm fairly new to the game. If anyone is interested in joining the project please shoot me a PM. I will gladly include all requests.
.I use a workbook + Quicken, you cannot do complete tracking with just workbook, it will take hours everyday if you only use excel and not quicken.
Jun 22, 2014, 8:40 pm
#157
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 93
I'm going to be creating an all-encompassing MS spreadsheet in the next few days but I'm looking for a few experienced voices to help provide input as I'm fairly new to the game. If anyone is interested in joining the project please shoot me a PM. I will gladly include all requests.
http://milenomics.com/2014/05/purchase-tracking-tools/
Jun 24, 2014, 7:47 am
#158
Join Date: May 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: AA, DL, AS
Posts: 183
You can only create an all encompassing *workbook* not worksheet. You'll need 1 tab for each different MS activity. You cant merge say, BB loading and VISA Buxx in 1 tab (assuming you're not loading BB with VISA Buxx, if you are, stop doing it it's a terrible idea .
I use a workbook + Quicken, you cannot do complete tracking with just workbook, it will take hours everyday if you only use excel and not quicken.
.I use a workbook + Quicken, you cannot do complete tracking with just workbook, it will take hours everyday if you only use excel and not quicken.
The more I think about it, the more I think I'd organize the tabs by item to track: sources, CCs, debit cards, GCs, MOs, bank accounts, bank deposits, and then set up a form for each activity. A couple of examples:
1) if you were to buy VGC with an AGC, you would enter the type, last 4 of the card number, amount and activation fee for each GC bought. The spreadsheet would deduct the purchase amount from the AGC and add rows to the GC tab for each item you bought.
2) if you were to do WM BP with GC, you would enter each GC used and the amount taken from that GC. the spreadsheet would deduct the amount taken from each GC.
As a side benefit, it would be very easy to figure out what GCs you're supposed to have, what MOs you have to deposit, what bank accounts should have how much money, how much CL left on each CC and so on.
For those of you who complain this is too much work, you don't have to do it if you don't want to. But I do like knowing exactly where everything is.
Jun 24, 2014, 7:52 am
#159
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 156
There are a few ways you can break out tabs. By activity as mentioned above is one way. Another way is by MS pipeline, ie SMGC -> WM BP, TCB:AGC -> AFT, etc.
The more I think about it, the more I think I'd organize the tabs by item to track: sources, CCs, debit cards, GCs, MOs, bank accounts, bank deposits, and then set up a form for each activity. A couple of examples:
1) if you were to buy VGC with an AGC, you would enter the type, last 4 of the card number, amount and activation fee for each GC bought. The spreadsheet would deduct the purchase amount from the AGC and add rows to the GC tab for each item you bought.
2) if you were to do WM BP with GC, you would enter each GC used and the amount taken from that GC. the spreadsheet would deduct the amount taken from each GC.
As a side benefit, it would be very easy to figure out what GCs you're supposed to have, what MOs you have to deposit, what bank accounts should have how much money, how much CL left on each CC and so on.
For those of you who complain this is too much work, you don't have to do it if you don't want to. But I do like knowing exactly where everything is.
The more I think about it, the more I think I'd organize the tabs by item to track: sources, CCs, debit cards, GCs, MOs, bank accounts, bank deposits, and then set up a form for each activity. A couple of examples:
1) if you were to buy VGC with an AGC, you would enter the type, last 4 of the card number, amount and activation fee for each GC bought. The spreadsheet would deduct the purchase amount from the AGC and add rows to the GC tab for each item you bought.
2) if you were to do WM BP with GC, you would enter each GC used and the amount taken from that GC. the spreadsheet would deduct the amount taken from each GC.
As a side benefit, it would be very easy to figure out what GCs you're supposed to have, what MOs you have to deposit, what bank accounts should have how much money, how much CL left on each CC and so on.
For those of you who complain this is too much work, you don't have to do it if you don't want to. But I do like knowing exactly where everything is.
Jun 24, 2014, 8:33 am
#160
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Jul 7, 2014, 8:19 am
#161
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 201
Forgive me mods if this violates the ToS regarding self-promotion, but since this thread is specifically devoted to tools for keeping track of MS and I'm not using a referral link, I thought I'd share. Feel free to delete.
I have a site manspender.com. I think it does a lot of the things people have requested here, and we're actively developing it to add features. Check it out if you're interested.
I have a site manspender.com. I think it does a lot of the things people have requested here, and we're actively developing it to add features. Check it out if you're interested.
Jul 7, 2014, 9:16 am
#162
Join Date: May 2014
Location: New York
Posts: 391
Forgive me mods if this violates the ToS regarding self-promotion, but since this thread is specifically devoted to tools for keeping track of MS and I'm not using a referral link, I thought I'd share. Feel free to delete.
I have a site manspender.com. I think it does a lot of the things people have requested here, and we're actively developing it to add features. Check it out if you're interested.
I have a site manspender.com. I think it does a lot of the things people have requested here, and we're actively developing it to add features. Check it out if you're interested.
Sep 20, 2014, 1:28 pm
#165
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 90
this how I do it in quicken, $504.95 (1 OV purchase), split: $499.54 Category to checking account (where the money deposited), $4.95+0.46 MO Category as MS expenses. when the reward posted/deposited in the account, category as MS income.