zanzibar

Over the years I have participated in manufactured spending primarily in order to achieve my initial credit card 50k or higher miles/points bonuses. Once I hit a bonus, I rarely participate in this hobby. One notable exception was when FM came out with the original vanilla reload game a few yeas ago when I actively participated for a month or so.

The funny thing is that at that time, I ran into one of the real pros at this game (he is a member on FT) at my local Office Depot, and he warned me that sometimes he wished that he could stop despite raking in millions of miles and points and rewards over the years! I think the stress was not worth it for him. Judging from his high intellect, I would guess that he could easily make $150k a year at a job in my part of America and perhaps he had that thought at the back of his mind too.

So my question for members is that once you get your initial credit card sign-on bonuses, how much do you think are you guys making for each hour of time (minus expenses) that you put into this hobby. This "time" should include driving, filling gas, phone calls, reading the forums and blogs daily, arguing with checkout staff and phone support, thinking through strategies, scratching or peeling of certain types of gift cards, tracking everything, the stress of remembering when to cancel cards, the stress of reading through instructions many times over before visiting a store etc...). And do you think about the opportunity cost of this time?

I am sure there are some real pros on here who might do this as their full time living (so do not ever miss the best games out there), but for most average working people who do not visit forums and blogs daily, can this hobby equate to even $30 per hour AFTER credit card sign-on bonuses are attained?

littlewinglet

$150-200, depending on the day, and accounting for the cashback / point value not being taxable

CodeAdam10

The game for me is typically way too spread out to come to any meaningful hourly conclusion. But for the sake of this discussion, if I could continuously MS using one of my favorite methods without having to worry about being shut down for ‘too much too quick’, my hourly rate for it would be around $1,100 — though it does come with a max cap so only worth about 10 hours every year. LoL.

zeppoloveskafka

As far as hourly rate, it's debatable whether reading blogs should count. I personally enjoy it and it has other benefits (keeps my mind sharp, etc).

For me personally, things are less profitable than they were a few years ago. I try to make it a goal that if it doesn't net me about $100 an hour, I don't do it. I try and combine deals... free gas and 5%. A grocery store where I get my food, get my money order, go to the bank inside and deposit it. I fill out money orders while driving etc.

My day job is a teacher of young kiddos, and it does not work the "schemy" part of my brain too much. Having something to keep me more sane now, while allowing me to retire 10 years early if necessary when my job drives me too far insane is a great feeling. I look at manufactured spending as a video game I'm playing in 3D.

lobo411

The time I spend msing is part of my goofing off time, so it's all cream to me. 😉

satman40

I have never worked by the hour, as for miles, I do it to enjoy the ride or give them away.

My taxable income exceeds 150k a few times.

Most of my miles are given away, it is not about money,