gpapadop

mooper: Some of us around here are just hardcore mile addicts and we need our fix...it's like a drug, you just can't stop....the natural high of seeing more miles in our accounts....so let us get our fix man

I also like a really cute bank teller and I always go to her to deposit my coins and the range of conversations we have had has been quite something and lots of fun...

Teller: hi George the miles addict guy, where are you flying to next?
Me: Beijing in April and Paris and Athens later this year, one day I am going to take you with me.
Teller: Oh yes!! (very excited)

I was actually one of the ones who had an order lost and had a very difficult time straightening it out. But I am back, another Citibank credit card will be here next week and the initial spend requirement will be more dollar coins again!

ChaseTheMiles

Questions to those who are getting new credit cards, what are you doing about your old ones? And have your credit scores been affected either negatively or positively?

mooper

Well, getting some action would add to the benefits too - now wouldn't it?

However, your point about the addiction/fix is exactly what I am talking about. It is one thing to be addicted to "beating the system" and earning miles in a time and cost efficient manner, but it is detrimental to engage in the game if you don't consider your net return. Sounds like your stress, time, and aggravation are hardly worth the measly return here.

Happy

You totally miss the point about meeting initial spending requirements on particular cards.

The 20 minutes are very well-paid by 25K AA miles.

I am sure being an AA Life Plat as you claim in your profile, you would agree AA miles can worth quite a bit if using it properly... like 0.05 to 0.10 per mile value...

My only regret was I did not start until November. The net return has been 175K AA and 25K UA miles, plus a few dimes of interests.

thehawk75

175K AA miles since November?

That's some serious churning ^. Is that you only, or including your wife?

It took me a little under a year to do that (My wife does not appreciate the mile collecting game like I do, just the mile spending game).

If that was just you alone, I'm going to have to seriously step up my game.

mooper

No, I don't miss the point. I just wasn't explicit enough in stating that I question those who buy $500 batches purely/solely for the mile/point value, *not* those who use it as a vehicle for collecting, meeting CC thresholds they couldn't do more efficiently by other means, or even getting some romantic action out of it (per gpapadop, above).

I achieve thresholds for churning and otherwise via my business spending, insurance payments, or other big household purchases with no need to use methods like this, but I certainly understand that others may need to choose this method, despite the risks/hassles.

What I don't understand is those who view it as a game to play at *any* cost, whereby they are getting $10 of rewards and *no other benefits* in exchange for a lot of time and stress. That is, the guy who orders a $500 box of coins *purely* for the 500 miles despite having to deal with the order, handling the coins, and eliminating the coins.

ExitRowAisle

I've read this thread enough to know that if you are currently "beating the system", it is largely due to random factors outside of your control -- in other words, the US Mint inconsistently applying its own rules. What you may have successfully accomplished can be shown by others not to have worked for them. Of course, if you are using different shipping addresses, different billing addresses, different e-mail addresses, different credit cards, and different frequent flyer programs to accomplish your goals, then I guess you can claim to have "beat the system", but it still doesn't get you to the $20k spend on one credit card that kicked off this dialogue.

Happy

2 accounts. Our spendings are very lumpy and 100% personal. So this Coin thing is really helpful. I have not beat the system - always the same household address, for 2 of us. We live in a condo - this makes using neighbor's address near impossible when the only differential is the Unit Number. Our next door neighbor is very trustworthy - several other neighbors entrust him with their keys when they are out of town. So trust is not an issue, but the address certainly is. Our closest relatives live at least 1500 miles away. So no way to "beat" the system.

So far, the ONLY "drop off" deliveries were the Native American shipped via UPS Next Day Air. Twice the guy dropped the box in the AC closet next to the door and slapped the sticky on the door with CLOSET written on it. Both occasions we were home, never heard a door bell or even knock on the door! The Ground UPS guy always wanted a signature. USPS mailman does not need signature but he always delivers any bulky mails to each unit. We count our blessings!

As another poster mentioned, it is all depends on how Mint handling your orders. I never order any big order because of the inherant risk, plus all I need is 3 boxes per card - so all are in the $250 to $500 range. I so regret I picked John Adam when Monroe was available, the first time I ordered. Never see Monroe coming back. Yes, the cumulative total of some names have gone over the limit, but the "line cancellation" seems very randomly handled. However, the Mint definitely can recognize your address. As one time I had a typo when placing order, the site immediately displayed the correct address and asked me if I made an error in input! Go figure!

Other than that, I rely on my cruise agent who has been very understanding as she does not mind us paying our cruises with several ifferent cards to meet the spending requirements. That is extra work for her but we cruise 30 to 40 days a year...

As for your wife, you can participate in her name as long as she is informed of such....

mooper

Do you have other means available to achieve your thresholds, such as placing a couple of grocery, utility, or other substantial bills onto your CCs? If so, it might allow you to avoid the hassles/risks associated with the coins.

thehawk75

For the most part it seems to be coming down to CC #. Taking advantage of the SPG AMEX offer to add authorized users to your card and earn a bonus 1000 SPG points on their first purchase (up to 2 bonuses) has worked very nicely for adding my wife and daughter. AMEX gives you a different number for each card although its linked to my account. I've been doing this a while and have gotten $4000 of spending on each card (thus a total of $12K). Now that each of them can order an additional 18 boxes of the natives, there's another $13500. Also been able to order in my name and my authorized users names on the Hilton AMEX as well.

Likewise I've place the identical order my name, but different card to achieve the $750 spending thresholds on the various citi AA cards I churn.


Absolutely agree about paying bills or buying groceries to achieve that threshold, however, I do have one of those cards that pay 5% at grocery/gas/drug stores. I just don't like giving up the 5% just to meet threshold, especially when there is such an easy way to do it. Literally the only charges on my Citi AA cards turn out to be a single US mint purchase that's $1000.

Oh, and for the record, I ship all my packages to work. There is a mail room there, and they are all signed for -- and that name is captured on the UPS website. Never had any problem getting my coins. None what so ever. Plus the bank is in the same building as my office. I only really have to carry them the distance of 100 feet from the mail room to the bank.

ExitRowAisle

It's always good to get accounts of first-hand experiences so that we can try to figure out what the US Mint might be doing to restrict shipments, but I stand by my previous statement that there is no rhyme or reason to what they are doing.

I also have an authorized user on a Starwood AMEX. I have successfully gotten the US Mint to send 7 different Presidents and 1 Native American order to my billing/shipping address when using my card. However, when I submit under the authorized user's card and have the orders shipped to my work address under the authorized user's name, the results are mixed -- sometime they permit the order to go through and sometimes they don't. I suppose I can keep re-submitting orders until they eventually all go through, but there comes a point where it just isn't worth the hassle.

In my case, everything is different except for the billing address, and I am not inclined to change it back and forth just on the off chance that the US Mint might allow me to earn a few extra miles/points.

macboss

Agree on this. I ordered 3 boxes just to meet the spending requirement for the bonus miles.

DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM TOO MUCH GUYS. KEEP IT ALIVE FOR ALL OF US.

Happy

Unfortunately, those items are very limited. Our grocery bills are fairly small being a 2-person household. FPL the power company only accepts ACH payment or check payment. (very backward in my opinion.) ditto our medical insurance - that is certainly good amount, again monthly ACH only, ditto our condo maintenance fee.... Only Comcast and Bellsouth can be paid by CC, and the auto insurance can be paid by CC twice a year, so that does not help very much.

Our travel bills though, are quite high - I am in the process of doing my spreadsheet for 2008 expenses by categories for year over year comparison (Money does not have such capability) - the travel expenditure was just over $10K for 2008 and we did not even have to pay airfares other than a BCN-VCE flying on European LCC for less than $140, plus there were several hotel reward nights.

However, the bulk of the $10K were 2 big lumps - 2 Transatlantic cruises, plus 2 weeks in Europe attached on one, and 5 days attached to the other. The other trips are no more then $700 a piece. So now you can see why I said our expenditures are very lumpy, eventhough we avg 60 to 65 days out of home each year, but at least 1 trip would be 30days or longer. Last year we broke our record, being out of home 76 days... with only 4 trips! 2006 was a crazy year that we were out of pocket every other months, 6 trips totaling 62 days away from home. 2009 will shape up to be a 80+ days year since we would be away from home for 65 days by July 4th!

JudyJFLA

As for just making a few bucks on the hassle. Take for example using a Priority Club card for the purchase and buying $5K in coins. 5000 points will get you a pointsaver night in Miami, so that is worth over $100.
I have used my Amex Starwood card to help gain points for a Venice trip, and my Hilton Amex to go over the $20K limit to get gold status back. Of course in the summer we have a store and I only use coins for $1 change. The women love them and want more for their kids and grandkids, the guys hate them and think they are a quarter. I just tell them that they obviously have not travelled much in the world to where they use coins for anything under a $5, and if they have not noticed, they are a different color and a larger size than a quarter. Only one has thrown a total hissy fit. Funny thing, the bakery across the street really had alot more tips come in in the form of gold dollars!!
Here in the winter in Florida I use them for bridge tolls, fast food under $4 and most transactions under $5. Most cashiers think they are cool, and I now am wearing my cool new pin from the mint showing the program! The only real haters here are Chase bank! I have $7 on hand and just ordered 10 boxes of the native yesterday, and still have a hold on an order from last month but can't track it the past few days online. I don't remember if that one was under me or the dog and his amex card!!
JudyJFLA

Happy

Not necessarily. I maintain it is a random thing. I have several line item cancel on brand new card numbers. However it seems totally random. The only possible clue might be, you seem to have a better chance if the first order of the name is only $250 - then subsequent orders seem to be able to sail thru. However, I did find an order was able to sail thru despite the first time was for $500. So much for my deduction!