Albert Einstein is known to say: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” This quote came up at a PMI lunch ‘n’ learn I attended this week. It was related to project management, but really, I couldn’t help but think of the entire presentation as a metaphor for Manufactured Spending (MS). Without going into too much detail on the presentation, I will say that there were no meaningful circles or arrows.
As simple as possible
Manufacturing spending, at the “simple” level, is spending for the sheer purpose of generating miles, points, or cash back. The most logical approaches are those which are simple: A-B-A. We’ve seen those deals, but they don’t scale well. Then we have A-B-C-A, which we’ve found scale better, but are often at the mercy of the fickleness of point of sale (POS) machines, cashiers and customer service representatives. I’m being particularly non-specific with respect to MS techniques, not because I’m trying to be obtuse, but rather because I think its important to look at the basic things that work. See if this logic works with some of the techniques you use. How many letters do you go through before you get back to A? In theory, you could use much more complex methods, that use A-B-C-D-A, or even more. However each letter introduces complexity and risk.
Juxtaposition with Reselling
If you apply the same logic to reselling, you can do a simple A-B-C-A, where B is product (for simplicity, we’ll consider purchased/put on sale as the same, and C is product sold). You can get more complicated with buying merchant gift cards as FrequentMiler, Chasing the Points, BigHabitat and others (disclosure: I got tired of googling for examples), have written about, but again, that added complexity introduces risk.
But not simpler
I think this is the difficult point. Just as it is possible to over simplify in words, I think graphics occasionally push it even further. What I mean here, is that some folks, right or wrong, introduce arrows, circles, and other things, that may be considered “simpler.”
Now, I am no scientist, nor am I a physicist. I happen to know one pretty well though (my wife), so I don’t think I’m too far off the mark, in saying that there Einstein probably believed that people should experiment for themselves. Of course, in trying to verify this, the best I could find was that fish shouldn’t climb trees, yet nothing about teaching a man to fish.
But I digress. Manufactured Spending should be made simple, but not simpler. To make MS simpler puts techniques at risk. Arrows and circles, I would argue, fall into the “Simpler” category.
How this approach can work for you
Much like I referred to in how much detail of a deal to share, the the scientific method is certainly a viable option.
Really, the key is to find the most efficient, scalable solution. I believe it is an A-B-C-A approach. I won’t give you the answers to the quiz, so to speak, but I will offer that, you should be able to scale a 2 part MS solution. I certainly do, but I’m small time, I don’t break six figures a month. I know others that do. I just don’t have the time. I suppose I’d consider myself a “weekend warrior” in that regard, because nine times out of ten, when I MS, its Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Conclusion
Even as a Weekend Warrior, I still do pretty well, and you can too. But be smart. Consider the opportunities, consider the risks, and consider what works for you. Don’t ask the Walmart Cashiers if you can use a gift card. Do your research before you walk in. When you’re in the store (Walmart or otherwise), exude confidence. Its contagious. Finally, keep trying new things, create your hypothesis, test it, repeat it, and share it with those you trust, but leave the circles and arrows out of it. I dare say that would fall into the simpler category.
there are sooooooooooo many little hidden variables in MS that many do not see nor care about til they happen to them. I have done this long enough to have seen many of them and now I am at the point where when they happen, it hardly phases me.
For example… You go to Wmt to get MOs and the printer jams. What do you do? Well for one, dont go there if you are also running on a tight schedule to get back to the office or to go pick up the kiddos from day care. When the printer jams at WMT you are looking at at least 45 mins waiting. Could be longer! Do the blogs who pimp CCs and tell us all to go MS and how easy it is warn you of this? No they do not. This is the kind of stuff I will be talking about in CHI TOWN.
Hows about if GreenDot shuts you down? Bancorp is one thing. At least they are civilized jerks over there. GreenDot is like Game of Thrones. You get something mucked up with a GD branded card and you could be looking at weeks to get funds back.
What if a GC was loaded to something like a BP or AP or something online and you discover that service has cancelled the transaction and backed it out?Or if a GC failed activation but you didnt find out til you tried to use it? Did you save the GC and receipt? Did you save the packet it came in and do you know that Vanilla ones do have numbers on the barcode on back but they do NOT correspond to the GC, but they do only correspond to the receipt? So did you number your GCs and the packets so you know which is which? Incomm could ask you to send in a FAX or email of the front and back of the GC, the packet and the receipt. Do you have all these?
So yah, in its basic sense, MS is simple. But the stuff you only come to know with experience and paying attention to detail is NOT simple. You have to be a detail oriented person to do this stuff.
And you have to be willing to be bested or told what to do by some store clerk who may not be the nicest or smartest person in the world, but for those moments you are in his or her world wanting to MS, you have to keep your head down and do as they say to get it done. I have this one Wmt where the mean old lady there is finally liking me when I come in once a week to that particular store. Well, she wants your actual SS card to do over $3k in MOs and she wants to have the form filled in. the other clerks do not and they know you don’t have to when it’s debit, but when she is there you have to do as she says or you get nothing. At least they lock the book in a safe and I am personally ok with them having my data as long as that book is locked up for only the store to see. Are you ready for this sort of thing? Does anyone even carry their SS card around other than me?
When all the FTers and bloggers spurt out the next big deals and act all cool and braggy or as if they are the only ones to have found something, or when they tell ya it’s simple and you can ‘just’ do this and that, they are actually screwing you. Because it is not always so simple and people have to know that before they plan to risk several thousands of dollars in the MS processes.
Remember: Them bloggers don’t care if you lose a MO… they just want you to sign up to their garble. But you care.
@Marathon Man – I agree with all of your points. I guess my point was, that you introduce risk as techniques get more and more complex. I think there are two points though – the big time bloggers providing step by step (simpler) tactics, but as you point out – not talking about the risks (they seldom even mention the risks).
Marathon man – I greatly appreciate your perspective.
When are you going to be talking in CHI? Would love to hear more.
When is Chicago?
Chi DO – 17-19 Octobre
Sold out, I assume? 🙂
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as far as I know it is.
How many articles are you going to write about this? I feel like I see this topic every other week as though it is a refresher to say two things. The first is that people need to learn how to MS via people they know or techniques they invent on their own (no Internet help allowed). The second is that you do not particularly like a certain other blogger (who appears to be doing quite well). I know that daily content is difficult to create, but revamping the same ambiguous article on a regular basis seems worse than just skipping a day. I have respect for all the bloggers that I read on a regular basis (this one included), but I think we have all heard enough about teaching one to fish, avoiding arrows and circles, and developing our own MS system out of thin air.
I look forward to your next article on anything but this.
We need to beat the message home until those bad bloggers give up and go away. So I dissagree: more needs to be written about learning to ms, not less. If you want to help get rid of them quicker, that would end the discussion quicker too. We need your help so thank you for considering giving it now
So you don’t mind being bombarded with affiliate links by dozens of pimps regurgitating tired “expert content”, but MM’s comments are too much for you? I’m gobsmacked.
If you visit blogs who pimp CC links, you are just as complicit in destroying this hobby as the pimps themselves.
@Paul – I try to provide the other view. I’m not saying that internet help is not allowed. What I’m saying is that if MS techniques are made “simpler” you’re introducing risk. Think of it this way, step by step examples are great for people who understand that you need to do research. If you take what you read on some blogs (and I generally try not to call anyone out), and don’t do any further research, and those blogs don’t highlight the risks as Marathon Man rightly points out, then folks can get into serious trouble.
I’m sorry to say, I don’t understand your second comment though… I think Marathon Man’s comments create a great discussion.