The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: mtn on January 04, 2017, 02:30:42 PM
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I'm considering getting a credit card with a decent sign up bonus, but to get that bonus I have to spend $4,000 in 3 months. Not sure I'm going to get there with my normal spending habits.
I'm trying to think what I can buy in advance/in bulk that I'll actually use, and I'm not coming up with a whole lot that is actually expensive enough to get me to the $4000.
My current list:
Shampoo
Body Wash
Popcorn kernals
Whiskey/Vodka (expensive, but $200 worth would last me about 4 years)
Motor Oil
That's about it. We don't have much more room for canned food, but we do have a lot of room in our garage that we could use if necessary. Also not really planning on any big purchases soon other than possibly a car. Any tips on things to buy well in advance of us needing them?
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Are you able to use the credit card to buy gift cards to whatever grocery store you normally shop at?
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Are you able to use the credit card to buy gift cards to whatever grocery store you normally shop at?
Not sure, but that would be an easy way to game the system.
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Some things that come to mind are: paper towels, napkins, facial tissue, toilet paper, any kind of paper product, household cleaners, laundry soap, vacuum cleaner bags, printer paper, pain relievers, cough drops.
Maybe that list will help you think of others.
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Google manufactured spending. No need to fill your garage with a 10-year supply of TP.
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Google manufactured spending. No need to fill your garage with a 10-year supply of TP.
I agree--but if there is something that I will eventually use (say a 1 year or 2 year supply of TP), why not spend on it now and get a "bonus" for doing it?
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Household consumables like light bulbs, jigsaw blades, and batteries
Spices
Cooking oils
Laundry detergent
Gift cards that match how you spend normally (for me the grocery store, Amazon.com, and Home Depot would go fairly quickly with routine spending).
Prepay your insurance for a year
Prepay utilities if they'll let you
Socks
Business expenses if you can
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Shampoo and bodywash will degrade after about 2 years. Sometimes the packaging will even dissolve- making a big mess.
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Google manufactured spending. No need to fill your garage with a 10-year supply of TP.
I agree--but if there is something that I will eventually use (say a 1 year or 2 year supply of TP), why not spend on it now and get a "bonus" for doing it?
Because in the end you'll probably do better waiting for a sale on the specific items you need.
Just as an example, if you buy the kmart brand of TP on a random day, you might get I dunno - 20% back in credit card rewards? (I totally pulled that number out of my ass. Thank god there's the toilet paper right there!).
But if you time it for this week specifically, they are running a promo where you if you pay cash for it, you get 100% of the cost back in store credit. It's not perfect, because anything I can buy with kmart store credit will cost more than at aldis, but it's still a decent return on my money and probably better than I'd get waiting a week for a credit card to come in the mail, so I can run up the credit card reward minimum.
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Prepay your insurance for a year
Prepay utilities if they'll let you
These two are brilliant. That may just make it work.
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I stockpile about a six months' supply of shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wash, bar soap, and the four products in my minimal make-up arsenal. All purchased on sale.
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Oats! Store in big plastic buckets with lids.
Seasonal home maintenance items you'll need - if you need a new shovel for snow or to reseed your lawn in the spring.
Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Laundry detergent, dish detergent, floor cleaner, bleach, etc.
Pet food within expiry dates.
Seasonal passes to parks or other expenses you pay every year.
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Are you able to use the credit card to buy gift cards to whatever grocery store you normally shop at?
Not sure, but that would be an easy way to game the system.
The grocery store that I shop at only accepts debit and cash as payment. Except, you can buy gift cards for the grocery store online with a credit card, in any increments you want, for a $1 postage fee. (They are mailed to you). I've since purchased $1000 worth, which is about 3 months, but will soon likely buy about $2500 more. Also, you can buy gift cards for gas stations, and I plan to buy a years worth of gas soon as well.
Aside from that, I do also pay up front for a years worth of auto insurance. Among other things this has helped meet minimum spends a lot.
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Another vote for insurance. Can you time it with your car service or annual health check-ups?
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As mentioned, any paper products---napkins, paper plates, paper cups, paper towels, toilet paper, computer paper.
Any type of personal clothing item that you like now, that you know in the next year or two will be wearing down--socks, underwear, t-shirts. My husband keeps a few extra pairs of his favorite shoes in the closet--Walmart brand :) If you are at the end of your winter coat's lifespan, you could buy one on sale in the next few months, same with gloves.
Noodles and rice to be put in plastic containers.
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This is why I post here!
Fishing licenses! I never would have thought of that, but I'll need to buy a new license for both my wife and myself for 2017, and in two states!
Underwear would also be a good one--I'll just search for a good deal for awhile and buy some for the next 10 years.
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meat for your freezer
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meat for your freezer
Don't eat enough meat... Although we do keep ground beef for the dogs...
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meat for your freezer
Don't eat enough meat... Although we do keep ground beef for the dogs...
GB has been on sale alot
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I can pay rent with a credit card if that is an option for you.
Or pay my rent and I'll send you the $1000 back for each month.
Just kidding...
I don't know if I would buy a 10 year supply of anything, even underwear. It seems like it would cancel out the returns you'd get from the credit card, because you're giving up money for 10 years. I would buy a year supply max, and only if the reward is worth it.
How much is the CC reward?
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I can pay rent with a credit card if that is an option for you.
Or pay my rent and I'll send you the $1000 back for each month.
Just kidding...
I don't know if I would buy a 10 year supply of anything, even underwear. It seems like it would cancel out the returns you'd get from the credit card, because you're giving up money for 10 years. I would buy a year supply max, and only if the reward is worth it.
How much is the CC reward?
$1000 after the annual fee is removed. Chase Reserve card--assuming you apply before January 11th. 25% return... not bad.
(Return comes in travel rewards, but we need at least 3 roundtrip flights this year anyways)
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I would say it's worth it, but not for 10 years worth of anything. 25% over 10 years is very little. Maybe you can pay a friend's rent or something like that.
I actually just applied for the card so thank you! Hopefully I get approved. I've only ever had 5 credit cards which is within their limit.
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What about charitable giving? That would count, right? If you know you'll give X amount in a given year, you could just plan to charge it during this three month period.
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If you know of any gifts you'll want to get people, check ahead for sales.
Many travel hacking websites have huge sections on manufactured spending.
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In addition to gift cards for the major retailers you shop at, consider purchasing them for any small local retailers you shop at. My local farmer lets us buy GC's at a discount (which I can then turn around and join their CSA with, or use at their farmers market). I can also buy GC's for the ski resort I go to a few times a year. If you have a favorite restaurant that you go to once a month, buy enough GC's to last you a year there.
When buying these GC's I prefer to buy them in small increments (5x$100 GC's instead of 1x$500) and keep them in my safe. I get nervous that I might lose the high dollar value GC, so I end up spending it more quickly (on things I don't need!). Obviously that doesn't apply to some place like Amazon, where you just load the GC's to your account.
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you could also manufacture spend.
go make a top cash back account. then go to gift card mall and buy 3 500 gift cards per transaction... you'll make money on this transaction acutally. you could just use these gift cards over the next few months if you're uncomfortable with the next step. go to walmart money center and ask to buy money orders. cost 1 dollar per 1k ... you'll end up making around 15 dollars per 1500 spent plus your points. ... then put said money orders in your bank account.
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you can also give to charity thru swagbucks and make money on it as well. you can use my link below if you dont have an account.
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Can you buy airline or train gift cards? Or preload local transit cards?
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Maybe you can get friends/family to help you with this. I wouldn't accept "I'll pay you later," but if someone is willing to give you the cash up front for their own <insert item here> and then you go buy it, that would work.
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Property taxes. Any reimbursable business travel. These two pretty well got us there on that card.
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Any upcoming travel plans you could throw on the card? My GF is flying to Australia in November (for business) and she'll probably be buying her four-figure tickets way in advance as part of a churning game.
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Any upcoming travel plans you could throw on the card? My GF is flying to Australia in November (for business) and she'll probably be buying her four-figure tickets way in advance as part of a churning game.
We have one flight coming up, but don't have the days locked down quite yet.
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mtn... you're ok paying the 4k upfront... just buy gift cards from gift card mall thru topcashback... then do your normal spending on those gift cards for the next 6 months or what have you. you'll make 20 bucks per 1500 in Gift cards you buy.
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I recently got what is probably the same card (if the reimbursement is about $675). Manufactured spending stresses me out, so I paid my landlord through paypal using my credit card. There was a $75 fee, so that brings my profit to $600 which I am fine with. Maybe there is something house related you could pay for this way?
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Wife just texted me that the water heater wasn't working this morning. Thankfully it isn't leaking; I had her shut off its gas and will take a look at it tonight. Seeing as it is 23 years old, I think I'm going to get ahead of the curve and just replace it even if I can fix it tonight--that will take care of the delta that I had calculated in our normal spending to get us there. No manufactured spending needed this time! Although I will be purchasing the water heater from Home Depot with a gift card purchased from a card reselling site.
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Wife just texted me that the water heater wasn't working this morning. Thankfully it isn't leaking; I had her shut off its gas and will take a look at it tonight. Seeing as it is 23 years old, I think I'm going to get ahead of the curve and just replace it even if I can fix it tonight--that will take care of the delta that I had calculated in our normal spending to get us there. No manufactured spending needed this time! Although I will be purchasing the water heater from Home Depot with a gift card purchased from a card reselling site.
make sure you check to portals to see if you can get any cashback on top of that.
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Wife just texted me that the water heater wasn't working this morning. Thankfully it isn't leaking; I had her shut off its gas and will take a look at it tonight. Seeing as it is 23 years old, I think I'm going to get ahead of the curve and just replace it even if I can fix it tonight--that will take care of the delta that I had calculated in our normal spending to get us there. No manufactured spending needed this time! Although I will be purchasing the water heater from Home Depot with a gift card purchased from a card reselling site.
make sure you check to portals to see if you can get any cashback on top of that.
This sentence doesn't make any sense to me... Care to elaborate?
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Wife just texted me that the water heater wasn't working this morning. Thankfully it isn't leaking; I had her shut off its gas and will take a look at it tonight. Seeing as it is 23 years old, I think I'm going to get ahead of the curve and just replace it even if I can fix it tonight--that will take care of the delta that I had calculated in our normal spending to get us there. No manufactured spending needed this time! Although I will be purchasing the water heater from Home Depot with a gift card purchased from a card reselling site.
make sure you check to portals to see if you can get any cashback on top of that.
This sentence doesn't make any sense to me... Care to elaborate?
Top cash back
Ebates
Etc.
They may have cash back if you go thru their site to the gift card site
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Shampoo and bodywash will degrade after about 2 years. Sometimes the packaging will even dissolve- making a big mess.
Shampoo expires??? What???
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Google manufactured spending. No need to fill your garage with a 10-year supply of TP.
I just signed my wife up for the Marriott Rewards CC (80k points for $3000 purchases in 3 months), and this comment just changed the game. THANK YOU!!!
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Shampoo and bodywash will degrade after about 2 years. Sometimes the packaging will even dissolve- making a big mess.
Shampoo expires??? What???
If it's anything like used motor oil, it'll degrade the packaging when you put it in a thin milk gallon container and forget about it for a year in the garage...
I'd imagine shampoo is an easier mess to clean, though.
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Google manufactured spending. No need to fill your garage with a 10-year supply of TP.
I just signed my wife up for the Marriott Rewards CC (80k points for $3000 purchases in 3 months), and this comment just changed the game. THANK YOU!!!
best way right now that i know of if your walmart will do money orders (most will) is buy Giftcards at Gift card mall thru the top cash back portal 1500 at a time. then turn them into money orders at walmart then deposit in bank account. you'll profit doing this
the other easy way right now is buy vanilla visa GCs at CVS 2k per day and then go to the post office and buy money orders - cost is 5-6 bucks per 500 GC plus 1.60 per 1k MO from the PO...
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best way right now that i know of if your walmart will do money orders (most will) is buy Giftcards at Gift card mall thru the top cash back portal 1500 at a time. then turn them into money orders at walmart then deposit in bank account. you'll profit doing this
Can you explain it like I'm 5?
I went to www.topcashback.com and searched for giftcardmall. I clicked through to giftcardmall, but giftcardmall doesn't have Walmart gift cards. They have Visa gift cards, but the max denomination is $500. What gift card do you buy?
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best way right now that i know of if your walmart will do money orders (most will) is buy Giftcards at Gift card mall thru the top cash back portal 1500 at a time. then turn them into money orders at walmart then deposit in bank account. you'll profit doing this
Can you explain it like I'm 5?
I went to www.topcashback.com and searched for giftcardmall. I clicked through to giftcardmall, but giftcardmall doesn't have Walmart gift cards. They have Visa gift cards, but the max denomination is $500. What gift card do you buy?
haha yes. you buy the visa gift cards. then you go to the money center at walmart and buy Money orders.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1482019-buying-money-orders-walmart.html
tons of info.
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best way right now that i know of if your walmart will do money orders (most will) is buy Giftcards at Gift card mall thru the top cash back portal 1500 at a time. then turn them into money orders at walmart then deposit in bank account. you'll profit doing this
Can you explain it like I'm 5?
I went to www.topcashback.com and searched for giftcardmall. I clicked through to giftcardmall, but giftcardmall doesn't have Walmart gift cards. They have Visa gift cards, but the max denomination is $500. What gift card do you buy?
haha yes. you buy the visa gift cards. then you go to the money center at walmart and buy Money orders.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1482019-buying-money-orders-walmart.html
tons of info.
So, you use your credit card on topcashback to buy a Visa Card. Use the Visa Card to buy a Money Order. The Money Order goes into your bank account, and you've basically moved the money around for about $3, and gotten all the points without actually spending any money (aside from the $3 or so)
Correct?
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best way right now that i know of if your walmart will do money orders (most will) is buy Giftcards at Gift card mall thru the top cash back portal 1500 at a time. then turn them into money orders at walmart then deposit in bank account. you'll profit doing this
Can you explain it like I'm 5?
I went to www.topcashback.com and searched for giftcardmall. I clicked through to giftcardmall, but giftcardmall doesn't have Walmart gift cards. They have Visa gift cards, but the max denomination is $500. What gift card do you buy?
haha yes. you buy the visa gift cards. then you go to the money center at walmart and buy Money orders.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1482019-buying-money-orders-walmart.html
tons of info.
So, you use your credit card on topcashback to buy a Visa Card. Use the Visa Card to buy a Money Order. The Money Order goes into your bank account, and you've basically moved the money around for about $3, and gotten all the points without actually spending any money (aside from the $3 or so)
Correct?
Topcashback is a portal you buy the cards at Giftcardmall.com - topcashback gives you 2% back on the purchase.
you make money doint this but essentially correct. its 1520.85 to buy 1500 in GCs and you get 2% back. or 34 bucks. so you make about 10 dollars after this is all said and done and you keep the points. which is why you did it.
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best way right now that i know of if your walmart will do money orders (most will) is buy Giftcards at Gift card mall thru the top cash back portal 1500 at a time. then turn them into money orders at walmart then deposit in bank account. you'll profit doing this
Can you explain it like I'm 5?
I went to www.topcashback.com and searched for giftcardmall. I clicked through to giftcardmall, but giftcardmall doesn't have Walmart gift cards. They have Visa gift cards, but the max denomination is $500. What gift card do you buy?
haha yes. you buy the visa gift cards. then you go to the money center at walmart and buy Money orders.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1482019-buying-money-orders-walmart.html
tons of info.
So, you use your credit card on topcashback to buy a Visa Card. Use the Visa Card to buy a Money Order. The Money Order goes into your bank account, and you've basically moved the money around for about $3, and gotten all the points without actually spending any money (aside from the $3 or so)
Correct?
Topcashback is a portal you buy the cards at Giftcardmall.com - topcashback gives you 2% back on the purchase.
you make money doint this but essentially correct. its 1520.85 to buy 1500 in GCs and you get 2% back. or 34 bucks. so you make about 10 dollars after this is all said and done and you keep the points. which is why you did it.
How do I get the 2% back? Is it in points to use on topcashback or is it in actual money that is deposited to my bank or what?
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it takes a couple months to post to your TCB account but then you can either have them send it to paypal then your bank or you can just set it up to go directly to your bank. if you make an account PM me so i can send you my referral link ... i get 10 whole dollars.
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Manufactured spending via Gift Cards isn't all it's cut out to be. Lots of glares and weird looks from people in store and at post offices. I've never had a good experience.
I traditionally stay away from bonuses $1,000 or more above my monthly spending. But if I have to hit a promotion limit, here's a few things I've done that are more realistic:
Pre-paying taxes
Pre-paying house bills
Pay for friends dinners, amazon orders, etc.
You probably already no this, but just make sure you don't spend only to get the bonus. That's being silly.
Good luck getting your bonus points, and let us all know how you did it!
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Manufactured spending via Gift Cards isn't all it's cut out to be. Lots of glares and weird looks from people in store and at post offices. I've never had a good experience.
You have to think of it as work. It's going to take a few hours, it's going to be unpleasant, but you're making money. It's not supposed to be fun. But maybe it's just not for you and that's fine.
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if you make an account PM me so i can send you my referral link ... i get 10 whole dollars.
PM sent
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Question... is there any reason that a person could not use their credit card to transfer a friend or partner $1000 through paypal and then have that friend/partner turn right around and give you back the cash? There would be a paypal fee but maybe worth it for a high reward card.
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Question... is there any reason that a person could not use their credit card to transfer a friend or partner $1000 through paypal and then have that friend/partner turn right around and give you back the cash? There would be a paypal fee but maybe worth it for a high reward card.
you can but you cant do this frequently and the fee is incredibly high and its an inefficient way to MS.