Creative ways to meet bonus spending requirements

[masscredit]

My two new Cap 1 cards arrived the beginning of last week. I've almost met the $500.00 spending requirement to receive a $100.00 bonus on the QuickSilver card. I'll then be working on putting $3K though the Venture card before the end of April so I can get 40K bonus miles.  Based on my normal monthly spending, I might come up about $1K short. So I was thinking about some creative ways to take care of that. I don't think I can pay my utilities in advanace. Don't see any options for that. So I came up with a simple way to do it while in the supermarket today - gift cards. Yup, gift cards!  I can buy one $500.00 Visa gift card for $5.95. I'll use that for some of the following month's expenses. The supermarket also sells their own gift cards. So I'll get $500.00 worth of those.  Out of pocket expense will be $5.95. Until... I get gas. The supermarket discounts gas at their station by 10 cents for every $100.00 that a customer spends. So I'll end up saving a total of $16.00 when I fill up. I'll meet my requirement and be up $10.05! 

[degs138]

You can't talk about manufactured spending on here

[Anonymous]

Hmm. Usually they exclude gift cards during these promotions. Not very creative as that's what most people do, it's really just trying to spend it while still keeping the money.

[masscredit]

I didn't think this was a grey area. (Mods - please delete if it is).  It's not totally keeping the money. Just changing how it's spent a few weeks later. I wonder if gift card are coded different?  For example, my supermarket receipt lists everything and then a total. That's the only thing that I see on my statements. 

[Anonymous]

Any gift card that has a way to pull cash back out so its not a real spend is MS. Now if you buy a few hundred dollars of fuel gift cards $100 of subway, few hundred dollars of Amazon everyone is going to pat you on the back. That is just the rules of conduct on this board. its unethical and if you don't have a lot of other credit cards may raise a red flag. You don't want to burn bridges.
I would like to think I'm on the up& up but I see the stories of couples who only make 20 grand a year and traveled the world, and/or made extra car payments on CC bonus. It sucks I haven't gotten to do that sure. I'm not willing to risk it.

[masscredit]

Actually, I didn't even think cash can be pulled out of the Visa gift cards. Never looked at it that way. My intent is to use it for the following month's expenses. The supermarket cards will cover food for 2 months. 

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of gift card purchases that don't get counted toward reward purchases (not to get into it but there are write ups about such things elsewhere).

You could always see if like a family member or friend will let you pay their bills on your card this month and give you cash or something.  I know some people have done that to hit intro spend bonuses.

[Loquat]

I've paid bills for my mom and grandma in order to meet a spend bonus.  Like I'd pay their cells and such and they'd just give me the cash. 

[degs138]

Get a girlfriend, you'll have no problem hitting the spend bonus

[myjourney]

MC,

You've been around on the forum long enough to know about this subject and the potential risk involved from lenders and bringing it up here on the forum

For new members that see this thread

Prime example of what should not be done when applying for cards....Sorry MC but maybe these weren't the cards for you (truth)

1) Select a card that fits your spend and lifestyle

2) in some cases this leads to over spending and debt ...chasing a bonus that may not be in your best interest

3) If you app a card with a bonus have a plan of how you can met it BEFORE applying for the card 

4) also have a plan of what and how you will maximize the bonus once obtained