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)
Jul 23, 2019, 9:09 pm
#181
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 463
When Serve charges the monthly fee, they won't take your balance negative. So if all you have is $2 in your account, Serve will take that and waive the rest of the fee. If you have $0, then the whole fee is waived.
Jul 24, 2019, 9:42 am
#182
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 75
I looked into this a few days ago and found wording indicating gift card purchases were not eligible for 3% unless buying gift cards directly on ebates.com but looking at the exclusions, etc. this morning, I can't seem to find that.
Jul 24, 2019, 9:45 am
#183
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 75
Found it: https://www.rakuten.com/help/article...s-360002101608
This was linked off the credit card terms page: https://shp.csharmony.epsilon.com/pa...s_Landing_Page
This was linked off the credit card terms page: https://shp.csharmony.epsilon.com/pa...s_Landing_Page
Last edited by flyertalkfrank; Jul 24, 2019 at 9:48 am Reason: More Info
Jul 24, 2019, 10:53 am
#184
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 104
Found it: https://www.rakuten.com/help/article...s-360002101608
This was linked off the credit card terms page: https://shp.csharmony.epsilon.com/pa...s_Landing_Page
This was linked off the credit card terms page: https://shp.csharmony.epsilon.com/pa...s_Landing_Page
The 1% cash back has been applied to all my GCM purchases so far. And since the CC wording says that purchases awarded cash back would receive an additional 3% back, I’m assuming that it’ll work. They should definitely clarify the wording. (Or not if this is a mistake in our favor)
Jul 24, 2019, 12:34 pm
#185
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 75
The credit card terms page you linked to is basically saying that you get 3% additional cash back on purchases made through Ebates/Rakuten on purchases that were awarded cash back. It says that the exclusions are the same as the exclusions for cash back on the website (the first link you provided). Yes, those exclusions say gift cards, but GCM only sells gift cards. And they specifically list 1% back on gift cards. There is a list of excluded gift cards for GCM (VGCs are not one), so that is probably what is being referred to.
The 1% cash back has been applied to all my GCM purchases so far. And since the CC wording says that purchases awarded cash back would receive an additional 3% back, I’m assuming that it’ll work. They should definitely clarify the wording. (Or not if this is a mistake in our favor)
Jul 25, 2019, 12:15 am
#186
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 104
I tried to apply since one inquiry on TU isn’t going to matter, but I got this message:
Please accept our apologies; due to system maintenance, the Synchrony Financial digital credit application is currently unavailable. Please check back again.
Edit: I waited a few minutes and tried again and was approved. They even give the new account number and temporary CVV code and expiration date. Order placed for one card from GCM. I guess we’ll have a usable DP soon enough.
Last edited by DBFL; Jul 25, 2019 at 12:28 am
Jul 25, 2019, 6:12 am
#187
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 75
Jul 29, 2019, 5:25 pm
#189
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 104
I just checked my Ebates/Rakuten account and in the earnings section I now have a section for the 3% CB card. I have a $5 CB credit for the purchase in the normal section. And I have a $15.18 credit under “Qualifying 3% Rakuten Visa Card Purchases.” So I got CB on the activation fee as well.
I also got a MyFICO alert today for the new account. It would appear that they gave me a $5,500 limit. Not quite as much as I was hoping for, but still usable. I would have preferred to not have to cycle the card, but oh well. I’ll mix in some random organic spend for the first 90 days and then ask for an increase.
Edit: I also noticed that I received this... “$10 Cash Bonus when you make your first Credit Card purchase”
Jul 29, 2019, 8:24 pm
#190
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 75
Looks like we’ve got a positive DP on this now.
I just checked my Ebates/Rakuten account and in the earnings section I now have a section for the 3% CB card. I have a $5 CB credit for the purchase in the normal section. And I have a $15.18 credit under “Qualifying 3% Rakuten Visa Card Purchases.” So I got CB on the activation fee as well.
I also got a MyFICO alert today for the new account. It would appear that they gave me a $5,500 limit. Not quite as much as I was hoping for, but still usable. I would have preferred to not have to cycle the card, but oh well. I’ll mix in some random organic spend for the first 90 days and then ask for an increase.
Edit: I also noticed that I received this... “$10 Cash Bonus when you make your first Credit Card purchase”
Jul 30, 2019, 12:33 pm
#191
Join Date: May 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, UA, DL, NSA, CIA, MIB
Posts: 537
Is there an app for mobile phones that can be used to determine which credit card to use when shopping to optimize the number of miles/points can be made. I think United has something like that for United miles, but what about all the other cards?
Aug 2, 2019, 4:45 pm
#192
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 5
Newbie here. Have been reading tons of posts over the past couple of weeks. Applied and got the Amex Gold last month. Bought couple of variable VGC (Metabank) from the food lion. No issues using Amex gold at the food Lion. Also had no problem buying MO's at near by WM. I have been paying ~$7 for each VGC and MO. My question is there any way that I can maximize the rewards just to cover up the $7 for each GC and MO.
Recently I got a $500VGC($494+Fee) and some grocery from the near by Harris Teeter just to get the fuel rewards. When I checked the rewards, I see that only rewards for the grocery was added(No rewards for VGC).
Is there any other grocery store or any way that I can get rewards. I see that Lowes Foods are giving 50cents for every1000 points. But not sure if I get the rewards for VGC. I can check and Update on this.
Edit: I'm in the NC. So, No kroger.
thanks in advance
Recently I got a $500VGC($494+Fee) and some grocery from the near by Harris Teeter just to get the fuel rewards. When I checked the rewards, I see that only rewards for the grocery was added(No rewards for VGC).
Is there any other grocery store or any way that I can get rewards. I see that Lowes Foods are giving 50cents for every1000 points. But not sure if I get the rewards for VGC. I can check and Update on this.
Edit: I'm in the NC. So, No kroger.
thanks in advance
Aug 2, 2019, 4:49 pm
#193
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 104
Newbie here. Have been reading tons of posts over the past couple of weeks. Applied and got the Amex Gold last month. Bought couple of variable VGC (Metabank) from the food lion. No issues using Amex gold at the food Lion. Also had no problem buying MO's at near by WM. I have been paying ~$7 for each VGC and MO. My question is there any way that I can maximize the rewards just to cover up the $7 for each GC and MO.
Recently I got a $500VGC($494+Fee) and some grocery from the near by Harris Teeter just to get the fuel rewards. When I checked the rewards, I see that only rewards for the grocery was added(No rewards for VGC).
Is there any other grocery store or any way that I can get rewards. I see that Lowes Foods are giving 50cents for every1000 points. But not sure if I get the rewards for VGC. I can check and Update on this.
Edit: I'm in the NC. So, No kroger.
thanks in advance
Recently I got a $500VGC($494+Fee) and some grocery from the near by Harris Teeter just to get the fuel rewards. When I checked the rewards, I see that only rewards for the grocery was added(No rewards for VGC).
Is there any other grocery store or any way that I can get rewards. I see that Lowes Foods are giving 50cents for every1000 points. But not sure if I get the rewards for VGC. I can check and Update on this.
Edit: I'm in the NC. So, No kroger.
thanks in advance
You're also going to want to research L3 data since that’s how AMEX will find out what you’re doing.
Aug 2, 2019, 5:02 pm
#195
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 104
It’s common knowledge not to MS a SUB on Amex. Even if you are awarded the points initially, they’ll be clawed back at some point.