Cities to avoid for MS
 

Hi everyone
I am new to both MS and Flyertalk. I am currently living in a Midwestern city and generating a low level of MS is not that difficult. However Ill be graduating soon and looking for jobs elsewhere also.
So, I was wondering if the more experienced FTers could name some cities/states that you from your experience think are difficult to generate MS. I know its much harder in big cities like NYC, SFO, LAX etc. but if you have some other names also that would be great!
Thanks a lot for your help :).

I am not sure if this post belongs in this forum. Please move it to the appropriate one if it doesn't.

I don't know where you got the notion LAX was difficult for MS but it is not. Been flying there a lot because I'll be moving there shortly for a new job, and it is much easier than NYC/SFO. NYC and SFO aren't as bad as people make them out to be, either. Not quite as easy as the Midwest or LAX, but far, far from impossible.
That being said, doubt worry about MS opportunities justifies turning down an attractive job offer, or other important considerations for choosing a location to live in (public transit, night life, culture, etc), but I'm guessing you know that already.

Las Vegas was pretty rough during my vacation - I didn't try Vons - but CVS is a regional no-go.

Please leave MS out of your list of priorities when searching for a job. Wouldn't you be better off getting a job that has the best pay and benefits and is in a city that provides you with a better quality of life?

Anyways MS opportunities come and go, so no one place is always going to be good or bad for MS in the long run.

Says a lot about the education system and then the following job prospects, doesn't it?

Degree in hand and a major concern, enough to start a thread on the subject, is which cities offer more preferential treatment towards those that manufacture spend.

Could have probably saved yourself $30K-$40K in tuition and simply started 'manufactured spending' 4 years ago. Plus, you'd also have more of the needed liquid capital available to do so.

I had different luck in Vegas. VRs errywhere...they did need to call and have my cc approved before processing, though. Also was there during OM black Friday promo.

Wingsoffire, go where the job offer is great, in a city with lots of resources (cultural, social, etc.). Plus, consider this. It goes without saying that you'll be doing lots of travelling since you're in the MS game--you can always pick up some VRs while visiting other MS-friendly cities! ;)

Better pay just enables a bigger war chest for more MS. :D

Thanks a lot everyone for your informative and perceptive replies. I should have been more clear in my OP about how important MS would be as a deciding factor. Fact is I am going to have a lot similar job opportunities in various cities so in that case I might choose
depending on MS.
But I think you all are right that there are other more important factors to consider.

LAX is easy.

Vegas, on the other hand was a challenge...maybe it was to do with an out-of-state license, but it sure got me more scrutiny.

Pacific Northwest, Portland specifically, is a barren wasteland

Dallas is easy.

My advice is, look for a job in a place that has a lot to offer for your lifestyle. MS should not factor into your lifestyle, as there are many different MS opportunities that frequently change. Yesterday it was the mint, today it is VRs, tomorrow something else. This decision is all too important to factor in something as variable as MS.

My luck was more in-line with jewsus. 2 trips of 3 days each netted me $6k. Seemed like candy from a baby given the slightly harder treck in NYC, though as noted it's not impossible here.

Couldn't get a damn thing in Vegas! Cash-only and cold shoulder was all I got. :td:

SF Bay Area is relatively difficult to MS compared to other areas, but it's still definitely doable

1. Focus on getting a job first. Dont count your chickens before the eggs hatch. You may be smart, I dont know, But first get a job and then structure your MS accordingly.

2. If you get a job say in city X which is definitely great for MS, but if the cost of living is high, if you pay higher rent and more money for day to day commute and expenses. It will not be worth it. Peace of mind is imp at the end of the day.

3. What if MS is great in a City X but job opportunities and career growth is more in City Y. Please dont choose X for some extra MS money/miles. Be Prepared always for emergencies.

4. Even better -> Just a personal suggestion -> Save up money, start a business or invest in stock market wisely, put money into retirement. You can do lot of things and make WAY MORE money than MS and the effort and the risk that it involves.

Sorry for being your mom! I know this response will attract lots of haters...

But dont choose you life/future/career based on MS, structure MS around the life that you want.

Yeah, PacNW sucks, nothing to see here.. move on :)

My Vegas experience was cash only and some dude chasing me out of a CVS and trying to confiscate my license. When I talked to the manager the next day, he advised me their regional manager shut down purchases although their register allows them. Those of you who got through in Vegas must have had friendly cashiers. For the most part, you're going to get yelled at for trying - but I guess if you can just "get them to try" - it will work.

Cities to avoid for MS
 

Get a notepad and write job prospects vs cost of living. In addition you need to consider quality of life and whether you want to be close to family or not that close.

When I was 27 I decided to have fun and see the world. So I started working for AA. ( IT is my job area ). Dallas was a nice base city and inexpensive. I had a blast traveling everywhere mostly in FC , and met lots of wonderful people. But that was pre 9/11 when it was lots of fun. Then moved to SoFla where got a great job, great weather, nightlife , convenient to lots of places and no taxes. And add to this good MS.

So, hopefully you will get a job that you like and pays you well in a city that you enjoy. No reason to move to a place you know you will hate just for a job or because it has lots of VR.
Maybe you will get a job that requires relocation to an exiting city like London or Paris. No MS there but honestly who cares !

I live in Vegas and can't disagree in my area of the city. I do more than I should on business trips, so my time at home is used to get rid of the cards.

well, SF Bay Area including South Bay is very difficult to make a living and to MS **

unless you you're making 80K+ Rent is crazy expensive... traffic and you need a car. if you don't live in the city of SF.

I read CVS is opening 3 stores in Seattle soon, and as of 2 weeks ago there's still one VERY nice opportunity in Portland.

I can't even find CVS in the Silicon Valley with VRs. All sold out.

I'm actually considering a move or Orlando. Any news from there?

$80k+ annually in SF will barely enable you to afford a studio in the mission district. Rents are terrible in SF. All the evil twitter and facebook new money is destroying the diversity of the city and ensuring that only pretentious coffee shops and pseudo hipster hangouts survive.

On another note, stay away from anywhere in NY and NJ. No MS opportunities there. All cash only. always sold out. etc. etc. :)

One thing I noticed is they VRs here don't seem to be bought up very quickly. When they are out, however, the CVSs can't seem to be bothered to replenish them for a while.

Living in a state that doesn't have abundant opportunities for MS doesn't preclude you from MS. Always the option of MS if you take vacations/business travel to other states with more MS opportunities. (I read about mileage runs in the other forums here, I wonder if people do beans runs?):p

I can't even begin to comprehend what life would be like if my apartment/house was sandwiched by CVS to the right, Walmart to the left, Staples to the north, and some gas station/grocery store to the south.

Do not come to CT. It's a barren wasteland of rolling tumbleweeds, hard coded cash registers, and people paying cash for aspirational trips.

DC area CVS stores tend to run out of VRs quickly. Other than that, the DC metro area is a land of opportunities.

I cannot believe this thread. Determining where you live is a huge life decision and you're choosing based on where you can MS!? How about you focus on the important things, like culture, activities, climate, family, friends, cost of living, job prospects, etc., rather than ease of MS. If the most important thing in your life is MS I feel very sorry for you.

seriously, if you're MSing in vegas, you have a problem (unless you live there, of course). there are WAY more distracting and attractive things to worry about.

Dude, I was there for black Friday and couldn't pass up the OM deal! lol

If you're really serious about basing a move on MS opportunities, anywhere in CO would be a bad move as there are no CVS stores anywhere in the state.