Hey everyone, beginning to start out on this awesome journey/hobby/timesucker of travel-hacking.

Which offer should I go ahead and do - the AMEX 45k delta offer or the AMEX SPG card? Or can I get both? I recently received the Citi AA card.

My score is high enough, as I notice I'm already pre-approved for the platinum card. But I don't want too many credit pulls on my report and wonder if I'd even get approved if I do both today?

AA will probably my my airline of choice for the status but I still think the miles (free flight(s)) from other carries are nice too. I don't really don't make many purchases (being a student) but have a merchant where I'll be able to make purchases on my card (for cash) daily, so I hope to rack up miles that way through SPG.

Thanks and much appreciation to all you guys sharing your knowledge and experiences throughout this forum - you guys rock!

Unless your merchant is going to eat the fees then charging for cash makes no sense. I did the math because my wife has a credit card machine for her business and I looked at just swiping my card once a month for $5,000 and having her write me a check, deposit it and then pay the card off. With the merchant fees being deducted I could buy a ticket for cheaper.

If they are willing to eat the fees then it is great but I doubt they are going to do that for long. A better option would be the coins. I haven't/won't do it just because I don't want to have to go to the bank with thousands of dollars worth of coins/month and be �that guy�.

I suspect you CC ability will end fast unless you show some bucks being spent, they do look at spending history credit high.. everyone spams you with pre approved junk mail it's a scam with fine print....

I took the Amex Delta, and after a year fliped it to SPG, for more free points.

SPG will let you move points to AA, and AA is my airline of choice...
SPG is one of my cards of choice...
INK will give you money,.plus 2

What would be suspicious? I'd probably only do 2k-4k a week (1k a day).


and @ TTBHG, it's how people always get money off their cards at the store, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for them and I already ok'd it with the manager. So I hope it works out

What would be suspicious? I'd probably only do 2k-4k a week (1k a day)

The mint has a one order every 10 day limit after the ship...

It is kind of like clearing the weeds out of the garden too many were there...

TTBHG, the store is charge a fee for the charger, and they need to reverse the charge for the product if it does not go out the door...they do keep a record, and will weed you out...

Did you major in business

Notes in the system stay there...many keep them, and some will surprise you...

Your garden will grow but you have to work at it, and not taking care of it will show in the fruit you are able to take from it...hope, and wishing has nothing to do with it..

.....almost biblical....@:-)

Like I said in my original post. If they are going to eat the transaction fees then it is a great deal. It is like using the mint without having to lug coins to the bank. I am surprised that they do this as they are losing 1.75% to 3% of each dollar they swipe on your card. Not a great business model but it isn't you losing the money so who cares.

I honestly have no idea what any of this means. I never spoke of reversing charges, taking product, etc.

(emphasis mine)

I don't know what kind of "business" that store is all about (hopefully not the quick-loan type) and how legit the business is, three red flags just flash in my mind:

1. Are those "purchases" going to be coded as "cash advance" type of transactions?

If so, you are going to pay a heck of high interest compounded on a daily basis from the day of the purchases. Are you prepared for that?

2. For a student who charges $1K per day in the same store day after day and week after week, s/he should be able to demonstrate a steady stream of income to "convince" the cc companies to approve high enough credit limit (in your scenario, $16K CL minimum) on say credit card/s.

Are you able to?

3. For a merchant who sells to the same customer with >$1k items on a daily basis, day after day & week after week, they must run a "pretty good-priced" business that Amex (or MC/Visa/Discover/Diner) maintains a merchant contract with them.

Does it fit with said store?

If these three little red flags are not suspicious enough, well then, good luck!

", it's how people always get money off their cards at the store, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for them and I already ok'd it with the manager. So I hope it works out "

Are you sure you're not talking about when people use Debit Cards and get cash back? I've not seen the option to get cash back from a CC?

+1 on cash advance

It is a legit business (franchised) and it's not set up as a cash advance (no extra fees or anything on my end). I have already done it a few times so I'll just keep with it unless/until something changes.

Thanks guys