Amex Reward Points Hacks

Let’s be honest, there are no real super-secret Amex Reward Points hacks buried deep within all the articles on the internet, or apps you can download that will provide you with a step-by-step process to unlock an unlimited supply of American Express reward points without having to pay for them somehow.

I know, I know, we all wish it were true, we all want to find a slick method to get over on the big credit card giants and gain the upper hand. But let’s be realistic for a moment. Credit card companies are like casinos, built to make money; in the long run, the house always wins. You might think you have scored a few victories, but in many ways it’s a fool’s game you’re playing.

Emotions drive most people’s decisions in life. We all get that endorphin rush when we think we have won. You found a credit card offer that gives you 10 times points, or the offer you received requires you to spend $100 on a purchase in return for $10 off. Your mind thinks, I’m saving 10%, but are you really saving anything? The honest answer is no!

While that might upset you when you hear the truth, you need to clear your head and understand that the retailer has already baked that rebate into the price, so in reality, you’re not saving anything. I know on paper you think you are, but again, you have to ask yourself several questions. First, would you have spent that hundred dollars with this company regardless, or did you justify the expense because you were getting something in return?

With American Express, all these so-called “offers” you’re seeing are nothing more than advertising promotions that retailers have negotiated with the credit card company to display. Simply put, retailers are trying to drive traffic to their websites and get you to buy whatever they sell.

The first frustration the cardholder faces is wasting time scrolling through a list of mostly crap they have no interest in, and then, secondly, having to click a button to activate that offer, only to find an extra benefit that is not really a benefit.

No one ever factors in what their time is worth, and no one really takes a hard look at the actual value they are receiving for all this time spent.

If you have spent any time watching YouTube videos on this topic, you have seen all the experts chasing after credit card sign-up bonuses and keeping spreadsheets to track which card to use for each purchase. You quickly realize that the vast majority of these folks have extreme obsessive and compulsive tendencies. I am not knocking them; I am just stating the obvious.

I recently watched a video of a woman who admitted to paying over $ 8,000 in annual credit card fees, and she was proud of herself, touting on paper that she received over $10,000 in annual value.

However, she failed to accurately calculate the value of her time and the time value of money. For her, this is a game she enjoys playing in her mind, feeling the rush that pushes her to do a little bit more. It’s sorta like the slot machine player who keeps pumping money into the machine and keeps seeing on the reels that they almost hit the winning jackpot combination. Everyone thinks that if I spend a little more, I will hit the jackpot.

Sadly, another common thing I see over and over is people chasing points to do something they could not otherwise afford, like spending money on a first-class ticket to fly overseas. When you fly overseas, you’re entering an endurance contest, spending seven to eight hours or even more, depending on where you’re trying to end up. No matter how nice your seat is, it is still uncomfortable, and nothing glamorous about it. Still, countless people are suckered into believing that paying with points is somehow magical. If your idea of magic is sitting in a porta-potty sipping cheap champagne, then go for it. Flying in general is a hassle and stressful; nothing about it is relaxing.

It’s fine if you want to play the game. Heck, I want to win just like everyone else, but the older I get, the more jaded I have become and the more realistic I see how things really are. I don’t like it any more than you probably do, but I’d rather know the truth than live in la la land.

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