I love credit cards so much!

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here's a head scratcher.....:confused: so last week at shoprite I got locked out of Dh's chasepay acct (problem with an amount and i don't know what-all) anyway he called in and got the acct set straight(no fraud or anything) so yesterday I tried at a different store- on my phone, the app worked fine to make one purchase. Then when I tried to get into dh's acct thru app, it opened,but wouldn't generate a qr code to pay...it just went to the chase site online (I must've tried about 10 times) any ideas? does he have to call in again to straighten it out, or should we try it using his phone maybe? Like the system doesn't like 2 accts but only one phone? (b/c I want to go to BB this week and use it)
 
I will probably break it up and buy some Walmart gift cards, some chick fila cards, etc. Add in some organic spending as well, and top off with vgc. Thank u!

Another good way to put some spend on your CIP is taking advantage of gift card deals from e-gift card apps and platforms like Gyft, Swych, and Cashstar, which all earn 3x UR points on the CIP. (Gyft also accepts Apple Pay, so with Freedom's 5x UR mobile wallet category, you could be earning 5x UR on the Freedom. If/when you downgrade the CIP to CIC eventually, Gyft and Swych codes as 5x UR on the CIC when you checkout with PayPal.)

You should download the Gyft and Swych apps to see what e-gift cards they sell. For example, I see Gyft sells Walmart e-gift cards at face value, but you'll earn 3x UR on your CIP when you check out with PayPal. For Gyft and Swych, you'll need to check out via PayPal and select your CIP as the payment method to earn 3x UR.

There's a Best Buy e-gift card promotion going on right now on Gyft. Buy $150 Best Buy e-gift card from Gyft, get a free $10 Best Buy e-savings code. Best Buy gift cards, savings codes, and reward certificates can be used in store to purchase third-party gift cards like Disney, gas cards, Southwest, restaurant (pretty sure Best Buy sells Chick-fil-A) and Starbucks, department and apparel stores, etc.

Gyft is offering a free $10 Best Buy e-savings code when you buy a $150 Best Buy e-gift card from Gyft with promo code: BESTBUY

Unlike Best Buy’s similar deals through Cashstar where you wait weeks for the savings code to be sent to you, you get the savings code immediately through Gyft.

https://www.gyft.com/buy-gift-cards/best-buy/?v=150
  • Savings code expires on 2/17/2018
  • The offer is valid from January 18, 2018 at 12:01 AM ET to January 25, 2018 at 11:59 PM ET
  • Promotion is limited. Promotion is valid while supplies last.
  • Best Buy Savings Code will be added to your Gyft account when promotional code is successfully applied, and order is successfully processed
  • Promotion is only eligible for a $150 or more Best Buy Gift Card
  • Promo code is valid with all payment methods
  • Cannot combine with other promotions
  • Each household can redeem promo code up to 3 times
  • Email validation is required to complete a gift card purchase
  • Must have a Gyft account to purchase
  • Only valid for users residing in the U.S.
  • Gift cards are only redeemable in the U.S.
Remember, Gyft earns 3x UR points on Chase Ink Preferred and 5x UR points on Chase Ink Plus/Cash when you pay with those cards and check out through PayPal. Gyft also accepts payment through Apple Pay, which earns 5x UR points up to $1,500 spent on a Chase Freedom card this quarter.

Best Buy savings codes act just like Best Buy gift cards, except with an expiration date; both are redeemable for Disney Gift Cards. However, YMMV depending on your local store’s management, personnel and policies.

As someone pointed out in the Disney Gift Card Deals thread, this is not necessarily the best value on Best Buy gift cards because Best Buy often runs similar promotions directly on bestbuy .com through Cashstar, which goes like buy $150 Best Buy e-gift card, get a free $15 Best Buy e-savings code in a few weeks. Cashstar is the gift card processor on the transaction, and paying with the CIP earns 3x UR. And because it's still through the Best Buy website, you can enter your My Best Buy Rewards account number to earn reward points on the gift card purchase, which goes to earn reward certificates that can also be used towards third-party gift cards.

But if you need some gift cards in a pinch, or really want to hammer at that minimum spend, there are worse ways to do it.
 
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If I buy visa gift cards to use over time with my CIP so I can quickly hit the min spend that is manufactured spending, correct? I don't want to do that if so. I am putting all my spend on it, except my freedom q1 category spend, so I will probably hit it in the first 60 days, but I would love the points to post after the first statement closes.

Yes, using a credit card to buy Visa gift cards is considered manufactured spending. But Chase doesn't care if you do buy Visa gift cards to hit minimum required spends. If you don't want to be too suspicious, buy a $500 VCG, throw in a pack of gum or some regular shopping so your receipt doesn't end up charging the obvious $505.95.

This is an interesting question. I thought that manufactured spending was not just buying VGC but also then converting them to cash (buying money orders) and then repeating the process -- so there's no real spending happening, just the same $500 (minus the fee) being used over and over. I do know that AmEx has become quite strict about anything that appears to be manufactured spending but I don't think that Chase is per se against it or on the lookout for it, although huge amounts of spending (reaching a card's CL, paying it off, and then reaching it again) do seem to occasionally get people in trouble with Chase.

I actually thought about trying manufactured spending but I refuse to deal with the Walmart customer service line. I do occasionally buy a VGC to use to pay my Kohl's charge. Not sure if that would technically count as MS since I don't get that money back.
 


This is an interesting question. I thought that manufactured spending was not just buying VGC but also then converting them to cash (buying money orders) and then repeating the process -- so there's no real spending happening, just the same $500 (minus the fee) being used over and over. I do know that AmEx has become quite strict about anything that appears to be manufactured spending but I don't think that Chase is per se against it or on the lookout for it, although huge amounts of spending (reaching a card's CL, paying it off, and then reaching it again) do seem to occasionally get people in trouble with Chase.

I think from the credit card issuer's perspective, they don't know what you do with that VCG after you purchase it; whether you're just shifting or delaying spend to that VCG, or liquidating it in the form of a money order. So more issuers like Amex are on the lookout for, like you said, anything that appears to be manufactured spending, like buying cash equivalents. I haven't read anything about Chase cracking down on buying VCGs to meet minimum spend, but racking up high balances, paying it off before the due date and doing that again (excessive cycling) does seem to get eyes on accounts.
 
As in you use it to pay your Kohl's store credit card? I would be interested in how you do that... :)

Correct. The Visa gift card works just like a debit card. You can pay the Kohl's charge with a debit card, so I just tell the cashier I want to pay my Kohl's charge (not sure if it works on-line; I've only tried in the store). They ask cash or debit and I just say debit. I've also used a Visa gift card to buy groceries, but that's a last resort for using the card because of course paying with the VGC means not paying with a credit card (so lost points). The Kohl's charge is the only thing I've found that makes sense because it can't be paid with a credit card. Anything that can be paid with a debit card but not a credit card could be a good use of a VGC.
 


I think from the credit card issuer's perspective, they don't know what you do with that VCG after you purchase it; whether you're just shifting or delaying spend to that VCG, or liquidating it in the form of a money order. So more issuers like Amex are on the lookout for, like you said, anything that appears to be manufactured spending, like buying cash equivalents. I haven't read anything about Chase cracking down on buying VCGs to meet minimum spend, but racking up high balances, paying it off before the due date and doing that again (excessive cycling) does seem to get eyes on accounts.

Absolutely the credit card issuer can't tell whether you are using the gift card as MS or as a way to pay a real expense, so to prevent MS they just exclude gift card purchases. Although I'm not entirely sure why the credit card issuer (AmEx) really cares about MS -- why does it matter to AmEx, so long as they get their fees from the gift card purchase? But gift card purchases get excluded from a lot of rewards things so I guess there is a reason . . .
 
If I buy visa gift cards to use over time with my CIP so I can quickly hit the min spend that is manufactured spending, correct? I don't want to do that if so. I am putting all my spend on it, except my freedom q1 category spend, so I will probably hit it in the first 60 days, but I would love the points to post after the first statement closes.

This is an interesting question. I thought that manufactured spending was not just buying VGC but also then converting them to cash (buying money orders) and then repeating the process -- so there's no real spending happening, just the same $500 (minus the fee) being used over and over. I do know that AmEx has become quite strict about anything that appears to be manufactured spending but I don't think that Chase is per se against it or on the lookout for it, although huge amounts of spending (reaching a card's CL, paying it off, and then reaching it again) do seem to occasionally get people in trouble with Chase.

I actually thought about trying manufactured spending but I refuse to deal with the Walmart customer service line. I do occasionally buy a VGC to use to pay my Kohl's charge. Not sure if that would technically count as MS since I don't get that money back.

I think from the credit card issuer's perspective, they don't know what you do with that VCG after you purchase it; whether you're just shifting or delaying spend to that VCG, or liquidating it in the form of a money order. So more issuers like Amex are on the lookout for, like you said, anything that appears to be manufactured spending, like buying cash equivalents. I haven't read anything about Chase cracking down on buying VCGs to meet minimum spend, but racking up high balances, paying it off before the due date and doing that again (excessive cycling) does seem to get eyes on accounts.

Ok - I'd like to get in on this discussion as I think some terms and concepts are being misused. Here are my thoughts:

1) The definition of manufactured spend book is making a purchase on a credit card for a gift card or item of cash-like equivalency that can then be converted into cash and then actually completing the process of converting that item back into cash. This could also include something like Bank Account funding.
2) Simply buying a Visa Gift card IS NOT manufactured spending unless you go through the process of converting it to cash.
3) Card issuers do not mention "Manufactured Spend" in their qualified purchase restrictions - they are after "Cash Equivalents" - See Below:
  • AMERICAN EXPRESS: The following charges are not qualifying charges and do NOT count towards the spending requirement: fees or interest charges; purchases of travelers checks; purchases or reloading of prepaid cards; purchases of gift cards; person-to-person payments; or purchases of other cash equivalents.
  • CHASE: "Purchases" do not include balance transfers, cash advances, travelers checks, foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers or similar cash-like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers or similar betting transactions, any checks that access your account, interest, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, and fees of any kind, including an annual fee, if applicable.
So to answer @disneymagicgirl...buying visa gift cards in the manner you intend to do so IS NOT manufactured spend. If you buy a VGC then use it later at normal stores this is organic spend (except you are shifting the spend to an earlier time frame then using the gift card later). HOWEVER, that doesn't necessarily mean you're safe to do so as these Visa Gift Cards could be considered "Cash Equivalents" which is what the card issuers specifically say they're scrutinizing.

All of that said...I don't think Chase cares at all about Visa Gift Card purchases, at this point AMEX is the only one we've heard reports of on this. @Lain already mentioned that but I think it's worth repeating.
 
here's a head scratcher.....:confused: so last week at shoprite I got locked out of Dh's chasepay acct (problem with an amount and i don't know what-all) anyway he called in and got the acct set straight(no fraud or anything) so yesterday I tried at a different store- on my phone, the app worked fine to make one purchase. Then when I tried to get into dh's acct thru app, it opened,but wouldn't generate a qr code to pay...it just went to the chase site online (I must've tried about 10 times) any ideas? does he have to call in again to straighten it out, or should we try it using his phone maybe? Like the system doesn't like 2 accts but only one phone? (b/c I want to go to BB this week and use it)
We had another problem at a different ShopRite last night. Chase Pay wouldn’t work for a $200 VGC + gum, so they transferred the charge to a service desk where the manager tried both the FU and Freedom again, and then when it didn’t work he said he just realized he couldn’t do it anyway because you can’t buy a gift card with a credit card. DH successfully bought some at the same store a few days ago, so I think the guy just didn’t want to deal with us anymore. This whole promotion has been extremely frustrating.

BTW, I’m currently on a Magical Express bus to start our mostly free vacation!
 
It sounds like from everything I have read it is not targeted; seems to be widely available if you have the cards and use Chase Pay.
I messaged chase today from my CSR and I was told my acct was not targeted for this offer. So now I’m thinking I’m not going to go ahead with it which is a bummer because I have a big purchase to make at Best Buy so I was going to buy gift cards with each of my UR accounts to cover it.
 
I messaged chase today from my CSR and I was told my acct was not targeted for this offer. So now I’m thinking I’m not going to go ahead with it which is a bummer because I have a big purchase to make at Best Buy so I was going to buy gift cards with each of my UR accounts to cover it.
I also was told it is not available on my csr.
 
I messaged chase today from my CSR and I was told my acct was not targeted for this offer. So now I’m thinking I’m not going to go ahead with it which is a bummer because I have a big purchase to make at Best Buy so I was going to buy gift cards with each of my UR accounts to cover it.

If you are going to make the purchase at Best Buy anyway, why not use the CSR to purchase a Best Buy gift card? That way you are not out anything if Chase sticks to the position that only CSRs that are targeted can get the bonus.
 
Another good way to put some spend on your CIP is taking advantage of gift card deals from e-gift card apps and platforms like Gyft, Swych, and Cashstar, which all earn 3x UR points on the CIP. (Gyft also accepts Apple Pay, so with Freedom's 5x UR mobile wallet category, you could be earning 5x UR on the Freedom. If/when you downgrade the CIP to CIC eventually, Gyft and Swych codes as 5x UR on the CIC when you checkout with PayPal.)

You should download the Gyft and Swych apps to see what e-gift cards they sell. For example, I see Gyft sells Walmart e-gift cards at face value, but you'll earn 3x UR on your CIP when you check out with PayPal. For Gyft and Swych, you'll need to check out via PayPal and select your CIP as the payment method to earn 3x UR.


I am confused what triggers the 3x on CIP in the above scenario. It must not be the PayPal portion, because I just used CIP thru paypal to pay a photographer's invoice and that gave me 1x points. So is it the gift card sites then, and if so, why do I need to go thru PayPal?
 
Apparently the personal Barclay AA card *might* be fulfilling the new 24 month bonus regulations. I looked for DPs after reading this language in the offer and got a recent DP on Reddit of someone with the Barclay JetBlue not getting their bonus because they had one in the past 24 months. Gonna wait for more DPs before jumping into that card again after all. I'm considering the Barclay AA Biz but 40K AA miles just isn't that enticing, especially since it might show on my personal credit report. I'm maxed out on my spending capability right now but was all hyped up for a just pay the AF get bonus AA miles. Guess I'm just supposed to concentrate on the credit cards I'm already balancing!
 
I kept having issues using Apple Pay at Walmart. It has worked once no problem and other times doesn’t work. I give up. It works no problem at Shoprite bc DH usies it when picking up groceries all the time. I didn’t want to confuse DH by telling him he need to use Chase Pay instead of using Apple Pay this month so when I did our grocery order I prepaid using Chase Pay with no problems. (I do the majority of our shopping for groceries through online anyway)
I think I’m just going to stick with online shopping, I hate going to the store only to have my preferred payment not work.
 
I kept having issues using Apple Pay at Walmart. It has worked once no problem and other times doesn’t work. I give up. It works no problem at Shoprite bc DH usies it when picking up groceries all the time. I didn’t want to confuse DH by telling him he need to use Chase Pay instead of using Apple Pay this month so when I did our grocery order I prepaid using Chase Pay with no problems. (I do the majority of our shopping for groceries through online anyway)
I think I’m just going to stick with online shopping, I hate going to the store only to have my preferred payment not work.

It is super frustrating trying to keep up with what place accepts what payment types. It seems like apple and esp chase are really not accepted all that many places in store. I am not sure why they are pushing them for q1 freedom spending.
 
I am confused what triggers the 3x on CIP in the above scenario. It must not be the PayPal portion, because I just used CIP thru paypal to pay a photographer's invoice and that gave me 1x points. So is it the gift card sites then, and if so, why do I need to go thru PayPal?

Not sure how it’s coded, but buying e-gift cards from Gyft and Swych with a CIP set as payment method through PayPal checkout = 3x UR.

ETA: this same method codes as 5x UR on Chase Ink Plus/Cash.
 
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