I've already spent over $10,000 for Black Friday

If you’re new here, one of the ways I get so many points or boosts to getting hotel status is by performing manufactured spending - which is when you use credit cards to purchase cash-like equivalents to churn points without actually losing money (or at least minimal losses).

You have likely done this yourself on a lower scale - you like points, so you pay for a group dinner with your card, but have everyone Venmo you. You’re getting points off of others’ purchases.

Scale this up to using buying groups, and you can funnel thousands of dollars by buying electronics on a discount for these groups who will pay you close to the retail cost. I’ve written about my experience with buying groups, but want to give you a deep dive into what I’ve done this past week. I’ll explain:

• Why I am doing this

• What buying group I’m using

• How you can start (small) too

• Bonus Strat

Note: all of this does take risk, so I only recommend this strategy if you're very organized, good with numbers, and understand credit card points.

Why I am doing this

For the points and for the status. This is just free credit card points - when I buy a $200 laptop and get paid $200 doing so, I don’t make any money (though many of the deals available do have a $0.01-$14 payout). What’s more important is that I earn (at minimum) 200 points if I use a credit card earning 1% back. However, outside the exception below, I’m usually using a credit card with a sign-up bonus I’m working on - so then the earn rate is closer to 10-15% back, or 2,000-3,000 points from a couple clicks.

I’m mainly doing this for Hyatt status. My World of Hyatt Business credit card gives me 5 nights for every $10,000 I spend. At the 70-night mark I’m trying to reach now, I get a Guest of Honor Award and a Suite upgrade award. Just by buying online items and keeping track, I can get several hundred dollars of value from these awards on top of the Hyatt points I’m earning.

What buying group I’m using

There are a lot of groups out there, but I really like using BuyForMeRetail. They have a very easy UI to keep track of all the deals and tracking numbers. And importantly, they have great customer experience in case any issues arise. Lost packages, misplaced deliveries, etc. are all very real risks when shipping to a random warehouse, so you don’t’ want to sink money into a shady company. BFMR is reputable and reliable in its organization and payment - but again, no guarantees.

How you can start (small) too

1. Sign up for BFMR (my referral link gives you $50 if you ship $2,500 worth of goods within the first 60 days)

   1. Yes, there are other groups, and I’ve dabbled in them, but BFMR feels the most beginner friendly to me

2. Find a deal on their page that is low cost - like a $18 Amazon Firestick

3. Reserve the deal

4. Click the deal’s amazon link (prime is ideal, but not required) to buy the item

5. Put the shipping address of the group, but put your name and ID

6. DOUBLE CHECK the prices make sense

7. Pay with the card you want points from, and checkout.

8. Input the order number into the tracker

9. When the order ships - input the tracking number to the site

10. Receive payment when they process your item!

Bonus Strat

While most shopping portals don’t give bonuses on Amazon, TopCashBack does give extra cashback when you buy Amazon devices on Amazon. Right now it’s at 8% - so not only are you getting free credit card points, you’re also getting free cash back for buying stuff for the groups.

What’s In our Wallets (Newsletter Exclusive)

Our lineup for this week is below. See our rationale here just for newsletter subscribers like you.

Matthew: World of Hyatt Business | World of Hyatt | Chase Ink Business Cash

Sarah: Chase Ink Business Cash | Capital One Venture X

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About WuhooPoints

WuhooPoints focuses on the credit card consultation side of Wuhoo Group. We help you unlock the power of your credits cards for free luxury travel.