horseymen

Or, if you don't mind waiting for awhile, maybe that Discover card at 3%. Each 25k gets you 625 bucks. $250 at the end of the month and $375 at the end of the year. Certainly beats a day job. Add a zero or two for your own scalability.

DjRocket

I personally have a problem with that "end of the year" condition. I would definitely hate being in a situation where I put a lot of work into being rewarded after months of waiting and then receive a "so sorry, but you violated our T&C" note. I'll keep that option when my other less lucrative but more immediate options are exhausted. To each his own though of course

horseymen

I struggled with it - but given the Apple Pay delayed payout, multiple shut down and payout reports over years - it is always a risk - but I saw a blog advertise a low five figure match, so clearly there's some juice in this squeeze. YMMV as always.

redtop43

I totally agree about the Discover "cashback match" cards. I had a 2% card where I made it to year-end OK, but then switched to the 3% card and was shut down after 4-5 months. Admittedly I pounded the 3% card much harder than the 2% card.

coolguy100

I have been charging a little less than CL each month on my Alliant card, it is still open and earning 2.5% now. several guys I know cycled alliant card CL and all got shut down after several months. sometimes, less is more.

ne0ven0m

Was browsing through the last month on this thread, and honestly got inspired (by some of the volumes I was seeing). I'm probably around 150k a year in MS, mostly via Grocery Amex Gold, office CIC, and random tier goals like Hilton FNC. Looking to use Simon 1k cards to my advantage, but in a bit of a pickle in terms of what card to use. Obviously Amex won't work because duh, Chase cards have low CLs from minimizing risk of shutdown last summer, similar for Citi because still riding grAAvy train. I might just use a random Wells Fargo Biz Platinum with 1.5% back since that's the best CB percent I have; and I'm honestly not even sure if I can get approved for Alliant or Fidelity 2% because of some high balances (from helping out P2 with 0% APR promos).

redtop43

IMO it's not worth MSing (except maybe for minimum spend) if you're not getting at least 2% CB. I don't fully understand your "high balances" comment but if you pay down balances, it will affect your credit score very quickly. If your statement date is the 20th and you pay down the balance on the 19th, it will improve your credit score by about the 25th-30th (in most cases).

ne0ven0m

She had credit card bills with high interest, which was making her payments not too effective against principal. So I found 0% APR on some of my cards, transferred balances over, and am giving her a year to pay them all down to zero (so far, so good). So, come next fall, I will be in a great place and my score will get back into high 700's. However, my utilization is 90% on 3 cards, and it has been a factor in some recent denials (I'm already in the 28/24 range as it is, so not exactly easy to get approvals these days). These aren't high balances I'm getting from MS-ing, which I do pay off in full before statement cuts. These 3 are going to linger for the near future.

redtop43

My brother and his son made a project of going to every major league baseball stadium. I'm about on the verge of seeing how many different SM's I can buy cards at! I was on my way to a concert on Long Island a couple of days ago, I needed to stop and eat, saw a sign that said "Shopping Mall this exit" and it turned out to be a Simon. I'm sure I've bought them at at least a dozen different malls in at least a half-dozen states! And damn if the CSR's at every one aren't excruciatingly nice. Well done, SM.

jasonvr

I know I'm probably asking for a crystal ball - but does anyone have any intel on whether this will last into the New Year (I know the advertised date is 12/31)? Trying to decide if I should pay just my first installment of property taxes in December, or the whole thing with SM VGCs.

danpeake

No one knows. I doubt Simon has made a determination yet anyway.

We only heard of the current extension a few days or weeks before it was set to expire.

rice4u

Has anyone able to purchase GC from Simon recently? I try getting the VGC, but seem like the site is not working properly, only allow MCGC. TIA

History05

You have to buy in a Simon mall, not online

horseymen

No intel, but Simon has never gone backward, only forward. With the AMEX ban, they're bending over backward to keep us happy - because we're boosting some numbers. I'd plan on 1ks for awhile..

deker0

Thanks for that useful info - is Simon so MS friendly only because they stand to profit from it heavily? And Walmart is becoming so MS unfriendly because they stand to lose the most from it?