Jan 2, 2017, 7:37 pm
Last edit by: Marathon Man
NEW TO MS: Do some serious reading for a month of all the posts and wiki to get an understanding of MS before asking common questions.
Note: the 2016 version of this thread is here: www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1737819-new-manufactured-spending-start-here-2016-a-39.html#post27694986, the 2015 version of the thread is here: www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1642283-new-manufactured-spending-start-here-2015-a.html
Welcome to Manufactured Spending. Marathon Man did not write this message, but he has edited it and anyone can. If you are new here, please spend some time reading before posting. Most likely your questions have already been answered multiple times. Consider deals that you share. These threads are searchable by Google. A volatile deal may be worth holding close to the vest.
Hints
1) On FT, topics are heavily consolidated. Sometimes the title of the thread and first few posts may not properly reflect the broad range of discussion inside the thread. Be sure to visit any thread relating to the product or service you want to learn more about because you might be surprised by how in depth the discussion really is. High "View Count" and "Replies" are good indicators of active "master threads" on a specific topic.
2) Use Google to search FT. It works a lot better than the built-in search.
3) A glossary wiki for MS located in the thread Glossary, Manufactured Spending Forum
Important Rules
1) MSing is very YMMV. It varies by store, manager, and right down to the cashier working at the moment. Some might argue that MS is like card counting in a casino. It is not illegal but casinos don’t like it. Orhers have said it’s like having a fake ID in college to use just to get into bars where all the fun is. Just because it worked here yesterday doesn’t mean it will get you in today. MS is like being a wood worker constantly using a table saw. Always watch what you are doing—always! Or you will lose something. That being said, always be nice and courteous in the face of rejection. The biggest secret for success is to lay low so you can try again.
2) DO NOT spend more than you can afford. START WITH SMALL AMOUNTS TO TEST THE WATER! As an example.. don't start with a $5000 purchase of VGCs if you can't afford to float that much! Instead, buy one and try it, and scale up once you are comfortable with a new method. It's easy to lose track, or get robbed, when you are handling so much money. Getting a refund is NOT always possible.
3) DO NOT ask employees, cashiers, customer service representatives, etc... about how to MS, or about things you read on this forum. The information you read here are very specific, unknown, legal uses of products or services. Most employees, cashiers, and even managers do not know about them. At best you'll get bad information. At worst you'll create a lot of unnecessary misunderstanding.
4) It bears repeating that there are no guarantees. you could easily buy $10,000 in gift cards or some other instrument, only to discover that your method for liquidating them vanishes the very next day. MS is not "normal" financial activity ("normal" being defined by the banks), and thus is often perceived as "suspicious" even if it is legal.
5) never underestimate the risk of criminal activity. gift cards can easily be stolen, loaded onto a compromised account, loaded in a debit card skimmer, or even fraudulent (e.g., an already used card put back on the rack).
6) MSing can be used for a variety of purposes, ranging from smallish amounts to meet minimum spend requirements to get a credit card signup bonus, to accumulating huge numbers of points for travel/cashback/etc. Remember too that you will often have expenses such as purchase fees, liquidation fees, and gas.
If you have a question that does not seem to fit anywhere, or you have not found an appropriate place for it, post it here.
- A helpful note from seat17D about some of the inherent risks of MS
New MSers can also read all these threads:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending-719/
Note: the 2016 version of this thread is here: www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1737819-new-manufactured-spending-start-here-2016-a-39.html#post27694986, the 2015 version of the thread is here: www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1642283-new-manufactured-spending-start-here-2015-a.html
Welcome to Manufactured Spending. Marathon Man did not write this message, but he has edited it and anyone can. If you are new here, please spend some time reading before posting. Most likely your questions have already been answered multiple times. Consider deals that you share. These threads are searchable by Google. A volatile deal may be worth holding close to the vest.
Hints
1) On FT, topics are heavily consolidated. Sometimes the title of the thread and first few posts may not properly reflect the broad range of discussion inside the thread. Be sure to visit any thread relating to the product or service you want to learn more about because you might be surprised by how in depth the discussion really is. High "View Count" and "Replies" are good indicators of active "master threads" on a specific topic.
2) Use Google to search FT. It works a lot better than the built-in search.
3) A glossary wiki for MS located in the thread Glossary, Manufactured Spending Forum
Important Rules
1) MSing is very YMMV. It varies by store, manager, and right down to the cashier working at the moment. Some might argue that MS is like card counting in a casino. It is not illegal but casinos don’t like it. Orhers have said it’s like having a fake ID in college to use just to get into bars where all the fun is. Just because it worked here yesterday doesn’t mean it will get you in today. MS is like being a wood worker constantly using a table saw. Always watch what you are doing—always! Or you will lose something. That being said, always be nice and courteous in the face of rejection. The biggest secret for success is to lay low so you can try again.
2) DO NOT spend more than you can afford. START WITH SMALL AMOUNTS TO TEST THE WATER! As an example.. don't start with a $5000 purchase of VGCs if you can't afford to float that much! Instead, buy one and try it, and scale up once you are comfortable with a new method. It's easy to lose track, or get robbed, when you are handling so much money. Getting a refund is NOT always possible.
3) DO NOT ask employees, cashiers, customer service representatives, etc... about how to MS, or about things you read on this forum. The information you read here are very specific, unknown, legal uses of products or services. Most employees, cashiers, and even managers do not know about them. At best you'll get bad information. At worst you'll create a lot of unnecessary misunderstanding.
4) It bears repeating that there are no guarantees. you could easily buy $10,000 in gift cards or some other instrument, only to discover that your method for liquidating them vanishes the very next day. MS is not "normal" financial activity ("normal" being defined by the banks), and thus is often perceived as "suspicious" even if it is legal.
5) never underestimate the risk of criminal activity. gift cards can easily be stolen, loaded onto a compromised account, loaded in a debit card skimmer, or even fraudulent (e.g., an already used card put back on the rack).
6) MSing can be used for a variety of purposes, ranging from smallish amounts to meet minimum spend requirements to get a credit card signup bonus, to accumulating huge numbers of points for travel/cashback/etc. Remember too that you will often have expenses such as purchase fees, liquidation fees, and gas.
If you have a question that does not seem to fit anywhere, or you have not found an appropriate place for it, post it here.
- A helpful note from seat17D about some of the inherent risks of MS
New MSers can also read all these threads:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending-719/
New to Manufactured Spending? Start here(2017-2018)
May 21, 2017, 1:52 pm
#196
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 10
Does Bancorp work at WM?
May 22, 2017, 3:58 am
#197
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Spg Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,578
It was to meet spend on 4 different cards , 3 Citi and 1 Amex . I think Chase might be risky , and for the other poster , it was in NYC .
May 22, 2017, 5:58 pm
#198
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 59
you were able to get a mo at the po with ovgc in nyc? do you mind sharing which borough it was in? from my experience, all the clerks in manhattan ask to see cards even for purchasing stamps
May 29, 2017, 7:49 am
#199
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 817
A little over 2 years ago, I MSed a CSP and United Explorer, main way I hit my targets was buying $500 GCs, then using those as debit to buy money orders. Is that still a viable strategy?
May 29, 2017, 2:30 pm
#200
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 59
there are two separate threads devoted to the topic. check out "Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2017) and "Buy MO's at Post Office (2017)"
Jun 6, 2017, 11:28 am
#201
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 25
any easy way to to do MS as of june 2017..im talking from the confines of your home not leaving house on pc..thx
thanks in advance
thanks in advance
Jun 6, 2017, 12:26 pm
#202
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 286
That would be nice, but I haven't found anything. While not MF, if you have rent you can use Radpad but it costs 3%, so not really a great choice unless you're in a hurry to meet that minimum spend.
Jun 15, 2017, 3:26 am
#203
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: IAD
Programs: All of them to one degree or another
Posts: 447
Jun 15, 2017, 7:50 am
#204
Jun 15, 2017, 9:04 am
#205
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 284
There are a few unicorns out there, but no one is going to just out and disclose them, because most are still under wraps (and the second they get posted, people take advantage and the loophole gets closed out for everyone).
Jun 15, 2017, 6:55 pm
#206
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 4
NEW British Airways Visa trying to get 50K avios
Hey Folks - brand new here and also brand new to MS ...so much so I tried being slick on venmo and got my accounts frozen :-/ ...anyway long story short -I'm trying to make my $3000 spend for 50K avios on my new British Airways visa - and only have about $1,500 left to go BUT my 90-day dead line ends early July (yikes) ...so I'm trying to find ways to do MS ...I have paypal accounts (yes plural) and even managed to knock out $500 on 'em- but after my venmo experience I'm terribly afraid of my paypal accounts being shut down (paypal owns venmo remember) so I don't dare use 'em again.
Anyway - I heard about this "buying visa gift card and buying money orders" but it seems darned dangerous ...I'm simply trying to hit that amount before July 8th deadline and not so much into making a career outta' MS ...so is there a simpler way if you're looking for a 1-hit-wonder type thing? Any and all ideas out there will be appreciated. Again -brand new to this - but please do tell me what's currently working (and yeah, yeah - I get that what works today may not work tomorrow yadda', yadda', etc... I understand the risks.)
Thanks in advance!
Anyway - I heard about this "buying visa gift card and buying money orders" but it seems darned dangerous ...I'm simply trying to hit that amount before July 8th deadline and not so much into making a career outta' MS ...so is there a simpler way if you're looking for a 1-hit-wonder type thing? Any and all ideas out there will be appreciated. Again -brand new to this - but please do tell me what's currently working (and yeah, yeah - I get that what works today may not work tomorrow yadda', yadda', etc... I understand the risks.)
Thanks in advance!
Jun 16, 2017, 7:53 am
#207
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: IAD
Programs: All of them to one degree or another
Posts: 447
Hey Folks - brand new here and also brand new to MS ...so much so I tried being slick on venmo and got my accounts frozen :-/ ...anyway long story short -I'm trying to make my $3000 spend for 50K avios on my new British Airways visa - and only have about $1,500 left to go BUT my 90-day dead line ends early July (yikes) ...so I'm trying to find ways to do MS ...I have paypal accounts (yes plural) and even managed to knock out $500 on 'em- but after my venmo experience I'm terribly afraid of my paypal accounts being shut down (paypal owns venmo remember) so I don't dare use 'em again.
Anyway - I heard about this "buying visa gift card and buying money orders" but it seems darned dangerous ...I'm simply trying to hit that amount before July 8th deadline and not so much into making a career outta' MS ...so is there a simpler way if you're looking for a 1-hit-wonder type thing? Any and all ideas out there will be appreciated. Again -brand new to this - but please do tell me what's currently working (and yeah, yeah - I get that what works today may not work tomorrow yadda', yadda', etc... I understand the risks.)
Thanks in advance!
Anyway - I heard about this "buying visa gift card and buying money orders" but it seems darned dangerous ...I'm simply trying to hit that amount before July 8th deadline and not so much into making a career outta' MS ...so is there a simpler way if you're looking for a 1-hit-wonder type thing? Any and all ideas out there will be appreciated. Again -brand new to this - but please do tell me what's currently working (and yeah, yeah - I get that what works today may not work tomorrow yadda', yadda', etc... I understand the risks.)
Thanks in advance!
Go to CVS pharmacy and purchase a One Vanilla gift Card for a small amount as a trial. Say $100. Check the back to make sure the particular version you picked up is not issued by MetaBank. Pay for the gift card with your credit card. Leave the store. Take the card out of the packaging. Drive to a post office. Mentally subtract the cost of a money order from the value you have added to your gift card. Go to the counter and politely ask for a money order for the amount you just derived using simple math. Swipe said gift card and enter the last four numbers of the card as your pin. This will complete the transaction. Take the MO from the clerk and leave the post office. Drive to a financial institution with whom you do business. Sign the MO like a check and deposit into the account of your choosing.
Rinse and repeat.
Last edited by ChrisFlyer66; Jun 17, 2017 at 7:31 am Reason: snark. We don't need to jump on newbies
Jun 16, 2017, 8:39 am
#208
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,303
I stopped reading here. If $1500 presents a problem for you in any way shape or form, this is not the game for you. at such a small amount, you should be able to float it and pay ahead on utilities/car ins/ and any other bill you can think of including daily expenses.
Jun 17, 2017, 5:27 pm
#209
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 4
I stopped reading here. If $1500 presents a problem for you in any way shape or form, this is not the game for you. at such a small amount, you should be able to float it and pay ahead on utilities/car ins/ and any other bill you can think of including daily expenses.
Okay- perhaps you might understand that I've already explored those routes and further, you wouldn't have wasted your time and mine by posting had you read my 2nd paragraph and sentence: ".I'm simply trying to hit that amount before July 8th deadline and not so much into making a career outta' MS "
But thanks for your help regardless!!
Jun 17, 2017, 5:52 pm
#210
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 4
Go to CVS pharmacy and purchase a One Vanilla gift Card for a small amount as a trial. Say $100. Check the back to make sure the particular version you picked up is not issued by MetaBank. Pay for the gift card with your credit card. Leave the store. Take the card out of the packaging. Drive to a post office. Mentally subtract the cost of a money order from the value you have added to your gift card. Go to the counter and politely ask for a money order for the amount you just derived using simple math. Swipe said gift card and enter the last four numbers of the card as your pin. This will complete the transaction. Take the MO from the clerk and leave the post office. Drive to a financial institution with whom you do business. Sign the MO like a check and deposit into the account of your choosing.
Rinse and repeat.
Rinse and repeat.
Thanks again ...