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The Rules Have Changed
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Since the death of vanilla reloads at CVS, we all have had to change our strategies. The one thing to remember, is there’s always a way to manufacture miles and points. These things come and go, so no one should be surprised when a door closes. Look at the Mint, for example. You could buy $1.00 coins from the US Mint for $1.00, with a credit card. Sadly, I didn’t get in on that, but what a great way to manufacture miles and points! When these great methods die, we adapt. That’s, simply, the game we play.
Adapting
This can be one of the hardest parts of manufactured spending. I had a set routine for my Serve loads every month. Now, I have adjusted my routine to include a much further trip to Walmart, a few times a month. Is it inconvenient? Of course it is, but that is what a strategy game is. When one player makes a move, the other has to adapt and rework their own strategy. If you relied on CVS’s vanilla reloads as your sole method of manufactured spending, branch out and find a new one. Right now, there are quite a few methods available to us that can be just as easy and rewarding as VRs at CVS.
Strategy
What store will allow you to buy a gift card with a credit card and how will you maximize your credit card rewards? The answer: trial and error. When I started MSing, I went to 20+ stores in my town to find which gift cards I could purchase at which store. Speedway was originally my go to gas station for gift cards, however, that changed recently. Meijer was my go to for money orders purchased with Staples gift cards, unfortunately, that has changed as well. Now, I have a few new stores that I buy gift cards at (Marathon) and a new store I get money orders at (Family Fare).
I adapted and found a new strategy. If you don’t know which stores allow you to buy gift cards using a credit card, take a few hours and visit a few stores. The worst that can happen is they say don’t allow you to use a credit card and you leave.
Thrill of the Game
The first time I ever bought a vanilla reload at CVS, it was quite a rush. In fact, I still keep that VR as a memory (is that weird?). Every time I find a new store that will sell me gift cards with a CC, or a new method of MSing, I get the rush I felt when I first bought a VR. I like to refer to it as a “manufactured high”. You know, like a “runner’s high”. That’s how I know I still enjoy the game, even when the MS methods disappear.
When the game changes, it requires new methods, new ideas, and new stores. If you need some help with that, check out these posts. Happy manufacturing!
