SEATTLE — Whether you call it a "side gig" or a "side hustle," there are all kinds of ways to make money outside of your day job.
Todd Baldwin of Seattle has figured out how to make a career out of spending money. Some call it credit card "hacking."
"When I explain it, I typically say churning, just because when I tell people that I'm a credit card hacker, they think I'm like stealing credit, or something," Baldwin said.
Either way you spell it, he has a lot of credit cards.
"I think I have about 30 credit cards, which would make everybody freak out. I totally know. But only one is in my wallet. The rest are in a safe, so I pretty much I strategically use different cards for different scenarios," said Baldwin.
That strategy is about seeking the best deals and perks for every card and then reaping the rewards.
"It makes sense to take advantage of the bonus, whether it's cash or we have an airline miles card. We have enough miles actually right now for two tickets round trip to Europe and back," Baldwin said.
He admits it's actually a lot of work though.
"I keep myself very organized," Baldwin said. "I actually have a spreadsheet, where I have all of my credit cards and the available credit limit, and you know, just all the things basically about these cards."
Baldwin grew up poor and was broke in college, so he says he's always been wired to find deals. Today, he and his wife own a real estate company where they rent Airbnbs in western Washington. He uses cashback cards for the company, which brings in money too.
"It's kind of like a game for me, like, I enjoy seeing, okay, how can I legally and legitimately get something for free?" Baldwin said.
Another important tip from Baldwin is to always pay the credit cards in full. That way he never carries a balance or pays interest.
Baldwin says when credit card churning, your credit score will drop a few points when you open a new card, but he made sure to make big purchases like a house or a car beforehand. His credit score is still 822 because he stays so on top of it.