I heard form a different post a while ago something about getting the ipod form the store with points and than selling it on ebay, but I dunno from personal experience. Maybe the new ring game tickets (if your a cash player) or the tourney tickets (if your a mtt player) are a decent idea, as if you win a big tourney that you wouldn't play normally... the payday might be greater than any rakeback you normally get, but only if you do cash... and the ring game tickets kinda seem like an instant bonus.. and bonus>rakeback.. but search about the ring game tickets if you decide that route because i haven't tried them out personally yet.
I used to buy step 1 or 2 tickets with my FT points/IM medals/FTPA points, and than work it up to step 3 (or whichever is the
$26 one) and unregister and than play a $26 matrix SnG, but that was before tournament tickets i think, so I dunno if you can still do it like that or not. But you used to be able to play anything with the $26 buy-in, no reg 9 or 6max sng's just matrix, but there is 45 90 and 180's i believe.