# Manufactured Spending
Some Bluebird/Serve Accounts Shut Down by AMEX
Many people who frequently used AMEX Bluebird or AMEX Serve to load Visa gift cards at major grocery stores have received emails. There have been quite a few unlucky shutdowns repo...
Account Shutdowns and Risk Control at U.S. Credit Card Companies (3): How I Use My Cards
So how exactly should we use credit cards to maximize rewards while avoiding unwanted attention from banks or getting put in the penalty box? This article gives a general overview...
Live from FlyerTalk Chicago Seminar 2015
Last weekend, October 16–18, the annual FlyerTalk Chicago Seminar 2015 was held at the Holiday Inn Elk-Grove near Chicago O'Hare (ORD), drawing many well-known figures from the mil...
OfficeMax/Office Depot Now Selling $500 Visa Gift Cards; Staples Has $300 Visa Gift Cards
Recently, $500 Visa gift cards have started showing up at Office Max/Depot stores, with activation fees of $5.95 or $3.95. Office Max/Depot supports Apple Pay, so you can use Apple...
Account Closures and Risk Control at US Credit Card Companies (1): Common High-Risk Behaviors
Why do credit card companies want to shut down your card, and what kinds of behavior are considered high risk?...
Redbird Can’t Be Loaded with Any Card [10/13 Redbird Is Dead]
Redbird (AMEX REDcard) has recently been one of the go-to cards for manufactured spending (MS) (manufactured spending). But as of today (10/12), all Target stores nationwide sudden...
"$2,900-$4,500 in Value": How to Maximize the Citigold 50,000-Point/AA-Mile Account Opening Bonus
Citi recently launched a Citigold account opening bonus of 50,000 TYP/AA miles. If you are not sure how to apply, please refer to our other article. If handled well, this bonus can...
Credit Card Tips: Switching Spending Categories
When banks launch a credit card, they often offer not only a generous welcome bonus, but also extra rewards in certain spending categories. For example, Chase Freedom offers 5X poi...
Can’t Finish Your Opening Spend? How to Easily Handle a Big Minimum Spend
Recently, with offers like the AMEX Platinum 100,000-signup bonus, Citi ThankYou Premier 60,000-signup bonus, and AMEX SPG 30,000-signup bonus dropping one after another, many peop...
$10 Off $200 Visa Gift Cards at staples.com, Today Only 6/29
Today, you can buy a $200 Visa gift card at staples.com for just $196.95. You can order up to three per order; it’s unclear whether multiple orders will work. Screenshot below: If...
If 10 of These Apply to You, You’re Officially Obsessed with Points :)
(1) Staples is definitely not where you go to buy office supplies. You’ve never bought medicine at CVS, and Target certainly isn’t where you shop for household essentials. Customer...
