Jan 3, 2019, 1:46 pm
Last edit by: randomperson24
NEW TO MS? It's suggested that new arrivals should 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 2017 - 2018 version of this thread is here, 2016 version of this thread is here, the 2015 version of the thread is here
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/manuf...-spending-719/
Note: the 2017 - 2018 version of this thread is here, 2016 version of this thread is here, the 2015 version of the thread is here
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/manuf...-spending-719/
New to Manufactured Spending? Start here (2019-2024)
Mar 6, 2019, 7:29 am
#91
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
I'm having trouble finding places that accept debit cards for money orders where I live. It's not a question of do they accept gift cards like Vanillas; just whether they accept debit cards at all (they usually don't check what kind of debit card it is). Is it worth it to go to westernunion.com and just call locations nearby and just ask if I need to bring cash or if they accept debit?
I have a Serve card but unfortunately no Walmarts/Family Dollars/Dollar Generals near me; I keep the Serve card handy when I travel to a place with Walmarts.
I know many currency exchange places accept debit, but then you're paying a fee and unnecessarily exchanging currency (usually at a bad rate)... but if you need the foreign currency it can be useful. I wonder if currency exchange places sell money orders?
I have a Serve card but unfortunately no Walmarts/Family Dollars/Dollar Generals near me; I keep the Serve card handy when I travel to a place with Walmarts.
I know many currency exchange places accept debit, but then you're paying a fee and unnecessarily exchanging currency (usually at a bad rate)... but if you need the foreign currency it can be useful. I wonder if currency exchange places sell money orders?
Last edited by wiivile; Mar 6, 2019 at 7:35 am
Mar 6, 2019, 5:41 pm
#92
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: NJ
Programs: AA Plat Hyatt Diamond Marriot Plat elite Hilton DIamond and IHG Plat
Posts: 59
First SM GC, then what?
Newbie Question:
I did some MS back in the days of Serve until I got shut down. Now need to hit a $50K spend on a new Capital One card and will be able to do most spend organically, but want to hedge my bets as to not miss out on my bonus.
I have 3 different SM along my route to work, have purchased the GCs before with no problems.
My question is: How do you get the money back? Is MOs the only way to convert back? Is WM the only place that will allow you to use a GC to buy an MO?
Thanks to all.
I did some MS back in the days of Serve until I got shut down. Now need to hit a $50K spend on a new Capital One card and will be able to do most spend organically, but want to hedge my bets as to not miss out on my bonus.
I have 3 different SM along my route to work, have purchased the GCs before with no problems.
My question is: How do you get the money back? Is MOs the only way to convert back? Is WM the only place that will allow you to use a GC to buy an MO?
Thanks to all.
Mar 7, 2019, 9:20 am
#93
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SAN
Programs: Delta Gold. Hilton Diamond. Hyatt Explorist.
Posts: 1,674
Newbie Question:
I did some MS back in the days of Serve until I got shut down. Now need to hit a $50K spend on a new Capital One card and will be able to do most spend organically, but want to hedge my bets as to not miss out on my bonus.
I have 3 different SM along my route to work, have purchased the GCs before with no problems.
My question is: How do you get the money back? Is MOs the only way to convert back? Is WM the only place that will allow you to use a GC to buy an MO?
Thanks to all.
I did some MS back in the days of Serve until I got shut down. Now need to hit a $50K spend on a new Capital One card and will be able to do most spend organically, but want to hedge my bets as to not miss out on my bonus.
I have 3 different SM along my route to work, have purchased the GCs before with no problems.
My question is: How do you get the money back? Is MOs the only way to convert back? Is WM the only place that will allow you to use a GC to buy an MO?
Thanks to all.
Mar 7, 2019, 9:25 am
#94
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
I've decided just to go down the list of local Western Union and MoneyGram vendors to see if they accept debit for money orders. Aside from USPS, are there any other money order "brands" whose locations I can search?
Mar 7, 2019, 6:26 pm
#95
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 1
Not having any luck
So I literally just started MS this month and I can’t seem to have any luck... I accidentally bought a OVVGF and I didn’t check the back that says InComm financial.. smh so I have a question. What visa gift card can you buy now that can do Money orders at Walmart or other money order stores?? Please help.. I have $300 loaded into my OVVGC.. and I need help liquidating it. Also for further MS on VGC OR MCGC what card should I buy so I can do money orders that is not affiliated with InComm financial. Thanks
Mar 7, 2019, 6:51 pm
#96
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 276
So I literally just started MS this month and I can’t seem to have any luck... I accidentally bought a OVVGF and I didn’t check the back that says InComm financial.. smh so I have a question. What visa gift card can you buy now that can do Money orders at Walmart or other money order stores?? Please help.. I have $300 loaded into my OVVGC.. and I need help liquidating it. Also for further MS on VGC OR MCGC what card should I buy so I can do money orders that is not affiliated with InComm financial. Thanks
Mar 7, 2019, 10:43 pm
#97
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
Posts: 1,933
Mar 11, 2019, 3:08 pm
#100
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4
So I literally just started MS this month and I can’t seem to have any luck... I accidentally bought a OVVGF and I didn’t check the back that says InComm financial.. smh so I have a question. What visa gift card can you buy now that can do Money orders at Walmart or other money order stores?? Please help.. I have $300 loaded into my OVVGC.. and I need help liquidating it. Also for further MS on VGC OR MCGC what card should I buy so I can do money orders that is not affiliated with InComm financial. Thanks
Mar 12, 2019, 11:28 pm
#101
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2
I only do a couple new credit cards per year, and get the minimum spend through OVGC converted to MOs at Kroger-brand grocery stores. Look for registers that have kiosks where the cashier doesn't even need to see your card. I swipe the GC right there at the pad and I'm in and out in a couple minutes. I might be paranoid, but I only buy and convert a couple GCs per week and I use the CC for a couple minor purchases in between buying GCs.
I would like to bump the earlier post about MSing outside the US. I'm moving to South Korea for the next two years and I'm concerned I won't have any MS opportunities. Do any of the MS threads have a consolidated list of online-only possibilities?
I would like to bump the earlier post about MSing outside the US. I'm moving to South Korea for the next two years and I'm concerned I won't have any MS opportunities. Do any of the MS threads have a consolidated list of online-only possibilities?
Mar 19, 2019, 2:22 pm
#103
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 205
Mar 19, 2019, 2:53 pm
#104
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 67
Mar 20, 2019, 5:46 am
#105
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 483