As someone, who is fairly new to this, I am doing all kinds of research on the various ways to earn mileage, and one term keeps popping up when it comes to paying off credit cards: "Manufactured Spending". I understand the principle, and the method, but wouldn't buying a money order outright be simpler, or does purchasing them raise red flags? I'm not saying buy a single MO on a single CC for $3,000, as I think that would certainly lead to problems, but I can't see how a smaller denomination would. Thoughts?
If you find some place which will sell a money order with a credit card as a credit transaction (as opposed to a cash advance) and at a reasonable fee, please let us know about it. Many of us would love to know!
MS is more about money management. You need a goal, Miles are of no use if you can not use them. We give most of ours away to family, attending college in other countries. I know of no place that sells a $3,000 MO for a CC swipe, I would spend a little more time reading, and start with a smaller amount..
I am afraid you are a few months late. It used to be you could buy money orders with credit cards from certain grocery store chains. Max $1000. per MO. They changed that to cash and debit card only. Some will still allow GCs but that is the exception rather than the rule
American Express used to allow you to buy up to $2000 in AMEX travelers' checks per month on your AMEX card (each card, so if you had three, you could get $6000), and treat it as a charge so you got points or miles in your rewards program as well as not being charged "cash advance" fees/interest, but that program disappeared in 2008.
As long as we are reminiscing, not too long ago you could buy $2000 AMEX gift cards through portals and get as much as 4% back, then use those same gift cards to buy the money orders. Points on your credit card plus rebate all for a $5.95 fee.
It sounds as if buying gift cards, then turning them into money orders is becoming a thing of the past. If so -- and assuming you want nothing to do with Walmart -- what other methods are left???
