Great Posts from Around the Web Part 1

Here are some great posts from the around the Blogosphere to know about:

I haven't done this for about a week and then I was away for a couple of days and a ton happened so here is part 1.  I will try to get Part 2 at some point this weekend.

Great Posts from Around the Web

Some Great Posts from Around the Blogosphere to know about from last week or so.  I'm a little behind on this so there are a whole bunch of them.

• New Targeted AMEX offer - Get $75 back with $250 or more Purchase at Staples, Home Depot & More (Use 5x)
• Frequent Miler Quick Deals
• This is one of the best AMEX offers ever available.  I was not targeted, but definitely check if you were.  Only on AMEX business cards.
• Staples Easy Rebate: Purchase $300 in Visa Gift Cards and Receive $20 Visa Gift Card (June 21-27)
• Travel with Grant
• There have been a lot of these lately.  I never get upset.

• Best Buy - $15 promo gift card per $150 eGift Card.  Up to 26% off online with Discover Deals
• Big Habitat
• Great promo if you are planning on shopping at Best Buy anyways.  Not always something available to resell but flash sales have been good lately.
• Maximizing the Discover Double Cash promo: Huge Rewards via Online Shopping!
• Frequent Miler
• Great post.  50-70% off Sears Purchases in July?  Count me in!  50% is more realistic, but it may drop to as low as 30% off everything.  Oh no.
• How to Receive Mobile Notifications for Hot Deals that Will Likely Die Quickly.
• Doctor of Credit
• Doctor of Credit is flat out one of the best blogs out there.  The only problem is that there was no way to get the best deals quickly to your phone or inbox (too many posts to check everything).  Frequent Miler solved the problem with a separate site called Quick Deals.  Doctor of Credit started a new Twitter handle that you can set up for mobile notifications.  I highly recommend you jump on board to not miss out.
• Santander Adds a Definition for What is a Direct Deposit for Their Extra20 Deal
• Doctor of Credit
• Basically, switch to real direct deposit to get your $20.  Loopholes will eventually be shut down.  They're on to us!
• New Targeted eBay Coupons - I got a free $70!  Stacks with Discounted eBay Gift Cards
• Miles to Memories
• I wasn't targeted, but it's worth looking in your account to see if you were
• Top Cashback Offering $14 for Your First Purchase on Fiverr, Profit of $8.50
• Doctor of Credit
• Quick, easy, pajama money.  My favorite kind.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred is terrible, get Slate Instead
• Freequent Flyerbook
• Ever the contrarian, Freequent Flyerbook is always worth a read.
• Upgraded My Toolbox to Gift Card Churning Means Increased Efficiency and Execution
• Chasing the Points
• Interesting idea. If you are doing a lot of gift card churning, this is something to consider.
• 5,000 Points Per Hilton Stay Through July 6 at all Properties Worldwide
• View from The Wing
• Extra points if you are planning on staying at a Hilton anyways
• A Way Around Chase's New Rules
• Doctor of Credit
• Going into a branch to sign up for a credit card isn't as convenient, but it might be the difference between getting approved and not approved.  You also might get a bigger sign up bonus than online.

Discounted eBay Gift Cards, Free Miles, $5 for $10 at Starbucks

Some News from Today:

• Frequent Miler Quick Deals - $10 off $50 eBay Gift Cards - Great deal, take advantage

• Heels First Travel - $5 for a $10 Starbucks eGift - Targeted through Groupon

• Chase is making credit cards harder to get for churners - Doctor of Credit, Tagging Miles, Miles to Memories. 
• I've been rejected myself for business card applications recently.

• Frequent Miler - experiments in progress.  
• Eagerly anticipating his results!

• View from The Wing - Free 4,00 Miles on Copa - A star alliance partner

Posts from Around the Web

Some Nice posts from Around the Web

• $20 Statement Credit when you spend $20 at Amazon with American Express - Targeted - Every Blogger today.
• One example from Doctor of Credit 
• My 90,000 Ultimate Rewards Mistake - Frequent Miler
• Almost happened to me.  I was reminded by the rep as I was cancelling to move over my points before I lose them
• When are more points more valuable than fewer points? - Freequent Flyer
• I love American Express Gift Cards.  I use them to load onto RedBird and in non bonused spend since I can buy significantly more than I am able to liquidate through manufactured spend.  However, I buy them with a Fidelity American Express rather than any of the points earning cards he suggests since I would rather have 2% cashback than the equivalent points. 
• $100 Bonus for Setting Up Schwab Account with $10,000 deposit - Hustler Money Blog via Doctor of Credit
• Schwab is my main account due to their ATM refunds, lack of fees, low maintenance fee and commission free ETFs (SCHB is my favorite) and smartphone deposits of money orders.
• Defending the Sapphire Preferred from its Critics - View from the Wing
• I tend to agree with the "haters" on this one (See "The Devil's Advocate" and "Travel is Free".  I love it for the sign up bonus, but not much else.
• 2x points on restaurants isn't great.  
• Most people don't spend too much on restaurants.  You can also get 5x this quarter from Chase Freedom or Discover.  You can buy restaurant gift cards this quarter to get 5x in later quarters.
• 2x on travel is ok
• You can get 2 cents with Fidelity American Express and it would take a lot of spending to make the miles worth the extra $95 annual fee.
• Transfer partners is great, but...
• You can unlock Ultimate Rewards Transfer partners if you or your spouse has a Sapphire Preferred or an Ink Plus.  Ink plus has the same annual fee, but also has 5x at office supply, cable, phone and internet.  A far better card for the same fee.
• How to Find Manufactured Spending Opportunities by Yourself - Miles to Memories
• I actually think this will probably work very well to reach a spending threshold for a sign up bonus.  Sign up bonuses aren't usually clawed back in my experience, but I'm not positive.  Once the bonus posts you can ask for your refund.  I don't usually like refund techniques, but for some reason this one feels different.  
• No Hotel Status? Get Upgraded Perks with Visa Signature! - Deals We Like
• I've never of this so it was an interesting read.