Manufactured Spending(MS for short), is my primary method of generating tens of thousands of points each year. This method can sometimes be tedious, but when I take a nice trip with Jen, it all feels worth it. A sub-segment of MS that I utilized emphasizes the important art of extreme deal stacking. This means double or triple stacking to get even more points from M.S. Here’s how to effectively Manufacture Spend with double or triple stacking techniques.
The Beautiful Art of Stacking
Say I’m planning to drop ship an item at a break even amount of $100. If using my Chase Freedom Unlimited card, I would be earning a meager 150 points. Instead, I decided to shop through Rakuten, where said store is currently offering 4% cash back( can be earned as Amex Points if you connect accounts). This would net you either $4 or 400 Amex Points on top of the 150 Chase points. Even better, Raise.com is currently selling a $100 gift card for $95 and you would be earning 1% on that purchase. By double to triple stacking the rewards comparison would be:
No stacking
150 Chase Points for $100 item purchase
Rewards Portal Only
150 Chase Points + $4 or 400 Amex Points from Rakuten
Double Stacking
save $5 by buying discounted gift card + 1% cash back
143 Chase Points, $4.95 or 495 Amex Points, $5 in net profit
Counting savings, points earned, and cash back, you’d be coming out with more than 10% in net profit.
Why Double/Triple or Extreme Stack?
With so many shopping portals, loyalty programs, credit card linked offers(Chase/Amex/Citi Offers), there are limitless opportunities to stack on the savings and rewards. When doing MS, sometimes you’ll find below retail deals. The ability to double and triple stack can bring a below retain deal to a profitable one.
Best Credit Cards to Use for MS Deal Stacking
In order to be a successful at manufactured spending, I personally think that you need to have a solid selection of credit cards. You don’t need 10, 15, or 20 cards, but having a solid combination of cards to maximize rewards can expedite the process. Here’s the best credit card for MS stacking.
An Everyday Spend Card
Having a card that earns a flat rate such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited to get you at least 1.5x is integral. For non-bonus spend, this is the card to use.
To put into perspective, the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 1x on shopping while the Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5x. With annual MS levels of $100,000, those with the Freedom Unlimited would earn 50,000 more points than those with only the Sapphire Preferred.
Cards with Good Bonus Categories
You should also have a card with great bonus categories. A card such as the Chase Business Ink Cash which earns 5x per dollar on up to 25,000 in purchases at office supply stores per year is a wonderful option. This card allows you to earn 1,000 Chase Points when Office Depot/Staples run Visa or Mastercard gift card deals.
Card with Spend Thresh-hold Rewards
Co-branded hotel credit cards often come with spend thresh-holds. In the case of the World of Hyatt credit card, you are awarded a category 1-4 free night certificate after $15,000 of spend ( Worth around $150 in my opinion). For those with a Hilton Credit Card, several variations offer a free night certificate after $15,000 of spend as well. Unlike the Hyatt certificate, Hilton certificates can be used at almost any property in their portfolio. Most recently, Jen and I booked a stay at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabo Pedregal using these certificates.
Final Thoughts
I think you should always try to stack on as many deals as possible. There are plenty of ways to do so and even if you aren’t sure if your purchase will qualify for earnings via shopping portal, go for it anyways. There’s been several scenarios where I thought a purchase wouldn’t qualify and ended earning thousands of points. It never hurts to try!
Deal Stacking with Manufactured Spending is extremely profitable. I’ve been able to rack up hundreds of thousands of points and you can too. Remember methods may vary greatly depending on the region or area you live in. Happy Earning!
