Manufactured Spending

[jasonfungsing]

I got an Amex bonus offer with a huge $10k spend needed, just wondering any good ideas on manufactured spending? I knew I can purchase woolies gift cards, but I don't really want to put through all 10k on woolies gift cards.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Buy stuff on the Amex card and return it for a refund on another card.

 

[banana boy]

I always thought Manufactured Spending was charging something to your credit card which could be liquidated (at minimal cost) to pay your credit card bill so you can cycle your credit limit and earn lots of rewards points/cash back. Like in the USA where people buy gift cards then use the gift cards at Walmart to buy money orders and then deposit the MOs into their bank account and use that to pay their credit card bill.

What you seem to want is pulling your spending forward.

Another terrible suggestion like the one above is to buy fully refundable air tickets with a 12 month in the future travel date, get the points, close to the card and then get a refund from the airline. Both don't work and will likely at a minimum get you blacklisted by the bank.

Of course the first rule of Manufactured Spending Club is ....

 

[cove]

I use Woolies 5% off plastic gift cards to buy 5% off Caltex Star Cards at a Woolies Caltex service station in Perth. They have allowed it 3 times in the past 15 months. Getting points on buying the Woolies gift cards then getting 10% off fuel plus 4 cents saves our family quite a bit.

 

[UP4014]

Over what period is the spend, you might find your normal sending over 2 or 3 months suffices.

 

[jasonfungsing]

Over what period is the spend, you might find your normal sending over 2 or 3 months suffices.

It's 3 months, but 2 months already passed, I still around $7000 needed

 

[UP4014]

Ah, not a lot of time then.

Can you advance pay you’re rates/utilities by a couple of grand each.?

 

[Drakecula]

Got family and or friends who need significant bills paid? You can pay their bills on your card, and get them to pay you. I've done that a few times with friends, cause they're happy for me to earn points.

 

[coles525]

Got family and or friends who need significant bills paid? You can pay their bills on your card, and get them to pay you. I've done that a few times with friends, cause they're happy for me to earn points.

Do it monthly for a family members entire bills (including car service by phone!).

They email me the bills, then pay back after a month.

I send them all official receipts that are emailed to me when done online.

 

[ALH]

But a few cases through Qantas Wine. Some of them are worth an extra 10,000 bonus points each.

Great Xmas presents.

 

[EestiTiger]

Probably not much good in your case but I went to BNE Oktoberfest last night and put $500 from a new CC onto some digital wallet thing and they refund the balance to your bank account. Easy 'spend'

 

[Gold Member]

Care to elaborate which wallet? Any CC fees?

 

[EestiTiger]

Care to elaborate which wallet? Any CC fees?

It is a cashless event and have some vendor digital wallet solution. No fees that I noticed. More here - Digital Wallet - Oktoberfest Brisbane

 

[banana boy]

International Refund Applicants: We encourage all international Festival attendees to get a refund from a Top Up Station before leaving the Festival as we do not do Digital Wallet refunds to foreign accounts. All Digital Wallet refunds must be made to an Australian bank account or on-site at Oktoberfest Brisbane.

Does that mean the Top Up Station will refund cash?

 

[EestiTiger]

Does that mean the Top Up Station will refund cash?

No idea. Didn't look into it.

 

[theblank]

Another terrible suggestion like the one above is to buy fully refundable air tickets with a 12 month in the future travel date, get the points, close to the card and then get a refund from the airline. Both don't work and will likely at a minimum get you blacklisted by the bank.

How is it that it doesnt work?
( of course must choose an airline that doesnt refund with vouchers)


And if it doesnt work, why would
it get us blacklisted from the bank?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I am told you could for example by a few folding tables from Bunnings on your credit card on or about 23 December, host a large family Christmas lunch, then return the tables on or about 26 December and receive a refund on your debit card. Every year. Hypothetically speaking, Or so I am told.

 

[daft009]

I would cop a surcharge and use b2bpay/rewardpay type of service just to pay bills via amex.
then some woolies cards for fuel/groceries
utilities
healthcover

would need to work out the net cost per point though

 

[Happy Dude]

Buy stuff on the Amex card and return it for a refund on another card.

This is difficult these days. It's treated as money laundering apparently, even for small amounts Hilton wouldn't do this recently when I mistakingly asked for a refund to go to a different AmEx because I had cancelled the card used for the booking. Turns out I mixed up the cards and they're (ever so slowly) refunding. But it wasn't going to be refunded to a different card without a lot of effort.

 

[ChrisMars]

Buy a lot of toilet paper at Costco?

A reasonable way to solve your problem is to pay some of your utilities ahead. I thing most energy or health insurance providers let you make a payment of your choice. It will be used to cover your future bills.

Bying some goods or flight or hotel with your cc and then canceling is risky. It will go back to the same card, and Amex might decide to get your points back, at least thats what I read.