So what if you can't get a credit card?
Feb 11, 2017, 3:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards, COPA Connectmiles, numerous others
Posts: 6
So what if you can't get a credit card?
While the best way to earn miles is obviously with credit cards, what do you do if you've had issues that prevent you from getting one?
Feb 11, 2017, 6:57 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: IAD
Programs: All of them to one degree or another
Posts: 447
Feb 11, 2017, 10:01 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Feb 12, 2017, 7:42 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SAN
Programs: Delta Gold. Hilton Diamond. Hyatt Explorist.
Posts: 1,674
There are extremely limited options for manufactured spending without a credit card. There are a few debit cards that earn miles for spend, but there are limitations on who can get them and how many miles they can earn.
Obviously you can still earn miles from actual flying. You can often do your online shopping through airline shopping portals to earn miles on things you would buy anyway. And sometimes it makes sense to just buy miles directly from the airline.
I recommend that the original poster ask for advice in the information desk forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/information-desk-730/
Obviously you can still earn miles from actual flying. You can often do your online shopping through airline shopping portals to earn miles on things you would buy anyway. And sometimes it makes sense to just buy miles directly from the airline.
I recommend that the original poster ask for advice in the information desk forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/information-desk-730/
Feb 12, 2017, 5:05 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: PHL suburbs
Posts: 216
I would strongly advise against trying to boost your airline mileage earning potential before solving whatever issues that caused you to have poor credit in the first place. Manufactured or not, almost every method of points earning involves spending money; in the case of MS, it's just money that gets "recycled" to pay the bill.
It's really easy to fall into the trap of spending more and more money on things you can't otherwise afford in order to try and earn more miles towards that dream vacation. If you've gotten into issues with credit in the past, that strongly implies that you are likely to fall into the same type of issue in the future. With MS, you will be sitting on thousands of dollars of what is essentially cash at any given time, and it takes a deal of self-control to avoid spending it.
<rant>Honestly, for most ordinary people, frequent flyer miles are of little use. The vast majority those people who earn enough miles for a free flight do so the old fashioned way, by actually flying. Credit card and partner miles can be great to supplement earning, but for most people it's better to save the money and wait for a discounted flight than to spend enough to get the 100,000+ points you'd need for a family of four to fly anywhere. </rant>
It's really easy to fall into the trap of spending more and more money on things you can't otherwise afford in order to try and earn more miles towards that dream vacation. If you've gotten into issues with credit in the past, that strongly implies that you are likely to fall into the same type of issue in the future. With MS, you will be sitting on thousands of dollars of what is essentially cash at any given time, and it takes a deal of self-control to avoid spending it.
<rant>Honestly, for most ordinary people, frequent flyer miles are of little use. The vast majority those people who earn enough miles for a free flight do so the old fashioned way, by actually flying. Credit card and partner miles can be great to supplement earning, but for most people it's better to save the money and wait for a discounted flight than to spend enough to get the 100,000+ points you'd need for a family of four to fly anywhere. </rant>
Feb 14, 2017, 3:58 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 393
I would strongly advise against trying to boost your airline mileage earning potential before solving whatever issues that caused you to have poor credit in the first place. Manufactured or not, almost every method of points earning involves spending money; in the case of MS, it's just money that gets "recycled" to pay the bill.
It's really easy to fall into the trap of spending more and more money on things you can't otherwise afford in order to try and earn more miles towards that dream vacation. If you've gotten into issues with credit in the past, that strongly implies that you are likely to fall into the same type of issue in the future. With MS, you will be sitting on thousands of dollars of what is essentially cash at any given time, and it takes a deal of self-control to avoid spending it.
<rant>Honestly, for most ordinary people, frequent flyer miles are of little use. The vast majority those people who earn enough miles for a free flight do so the old fashioned way, by actually flying. Credit card and partner miles can be great to supplement earning, but for most people it's better to save the money and wait for a discounted flight than to spend enough to get the 100,000+ points you'd need for a family of four to fly anywhere. </rant>
It's really easy to fall into the trap of spending more and more money on things you can't otherwise afford in order to try and earn more miles towards that dream vacation. If you've gotten into issues with credit in the past, that strongly implies that you are likely to fall into the same type of issue in the future. With MS, you will be sitting on thousands of dollars of what is essentially cash at any given time, and it takes a deal of self-control to avoid spending it.
<rant>Honestly, for most ordinary people, frequent flyer miles are of little use. The vast majority those people who earn enough miles for a free flight do so the old fashioned way, by actually flying. Credit card and partner miles can be great to supplement earning, but for most people it's better to save the money and wait for a discounted flight than to spend enough to get the 100,000+ points you'd need for a family of four to fly anywhere. </rant>
Feb 14, 2017, 4:44 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Beach
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,171
OP I would recommend spending all your effort on fixing the issues that have prevented you from getting a credit card and not waste any energy on miles.
I play this game because I find it fun and I enjoy travel, but I would be probably better off if I spent that same time earning more income.
Feb 14, 2017, 7:06 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
And those few debit cards can be attached to ff restaurant and marketplace opportunities to amplify their value beyond the limitations referred to.
Feb 14, 2017, 9:22 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Feb 15, 2017, 9:40 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3
Given ample cash, you are best off buying five backs with cash and or debit card.
Imagine if you bought these with cash and liquidated these cards through Lowes.
You shall earn $170 dollars a day off of 10k outlay.
At worst that is better than earning most other mileage currencies.
Imagine if you bought these with cash and liquidated these cards through Lowes.
You shall earn $170 dollars a day off of 10k outlay.
At worst that is better than earning most other mileage currencies.
Feb 15, 2017, 5:39 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 483
Given ample cash, you are best off buying five backs with cash and or debit card.
Imagine if you bought these with cash and liquidated these cards through Lowes.
You shall earn $170 dollars a day off of 10k outlay.
At worst that is better than earning most other mileage currencies.
Imagine if you bought these with cash and liquidated these cards through Lowes.
You shall earn $170 dollars a day off of 10k outlay.
At worst that is better than earning most other mileage currencies.