I love credit cards so much!

[Albort]

Currently SPG card since it will be devalued on August 1st and those points are the most valuable to me. I also want to try to ahve enough points to get 2 more hotel flight packages by transferring to Marriott and ability to upgrade those packages as well.

After that, I may be splitting the difference between the Amex Blue Business card which is 2x MR on all spend and the CFU which is 1.5x.

honestly, i think the new value of starriott is still up in arms. were still getting some pretty cool point usage(increased).

 

[kmc8826]

If you apply for the Amex Plat in late-November or December, you’ll be able to triple dip the $200 airline fee credit on one AF before possibly canceling the card before the second AF comes due. If you apply at any other time of the year, you can still double dip the airline fee credit.

You mentioned wanting to get back under 5/24. The Plat will add to your */24 count, but it likely won’t get reported on your credit reports until the close of your second billing statement, so about 2 months after the Plat is approved.

If you can pull the 100k MR offer, that’d be awesome. Cardmatch is supposedly targeting the 100k MR offers again.

(Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to pull up the 100k MR offer on Cardmatch for DW again. But I was able to pull the 75k MR offer by going incognito with my VPN set to Brazil.)

I think the best redemption value on MR is probably to transfer the points to a partner airline, particularly when there’s a transfer bonus. All MR points earned on any of your MR cards are automatically pooled into your MR account, but you’ll need to keep at least one MR-earning card open to keep all the points alive. I’ve been eyeing the Blue Business Plus (“BBP”) for that purpose, because I do want to cancel my PRG next year and may want to churn through the Platinum flavors eventually, so there might be some gap where I won’t have an MR card.

Points aside, if you go for the Plat now, would you have any use for the other card benefits, like Hilton and SPG Gold status; Pre-check and Global Entry credit, $15/month Uber credits ($35 in December); Centurion/PP/Escape Lounge access? You’re a Delta hostage in or around SLC, right? The Plat also offers complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs when traveling on same-day Delta operated flights, but guest access is another $29 per person. I’m not sure if your Delta cards offer the same or better lounge benefits.

Thank you! You are absolutely right Delta hostage out of SLC so I guess my end goal would be to ultimately be getting as many MR's as possible with the intention of transferring them to the airlines (mostly Delta).

I really don't care about Hilton as I already have 3 hotel cards (SPG, Hyatt, IHG). Pre-check and Global Entry we haven't even used on our Reserve's as we just paid for it before the Reserve opened. (And girls young enough haven't needed it for them). Lounge Access? We have Priority Pass but our only real constant travel right now is with the girls to MCO.

It doesn't look like the (BBP) has a sign up bonus. Is there another MR card I should start with? My only Amex cards are the personal/business SPG and then personal/business Delta Platinum. Fingers crossed I could get approved for one more?

Thank you for helping me think this through!

 

[Judique]

Just sitting here, mulling over the really important questions...

Can I make a Labor Day trip work to do the waterparks? Why doesn't DH have more vacation time? Is it excessive to do that and go again 2 weeks later? Do we need APs again?

Young as you are, of course you can go over labor day for the water parks! I have about 20 water park passes sitting in a drawer somewhere from when tickets didn't expire. We will use them when the babies get a little older. I did enjoy Typhoon Lagoon a lot, but haven't done Blizzard Beach.

Your DH's vacation time - will more time in his job get him more time off?

If you've got the points, by all means go two weeks later! (reference back to still young and ready to enjoy life!)

AP's - I don't have the spreadsheet with your schedule, but - maybe.

 

[Albort]

It doesn't look like the (BBP) has a sign up bonus. Is there another MR card I should start with? My only Amex cards are the personal/business SPG and then personal/business Delta Platinum. Fingers crossed I could get approved for one more?

Thank you for helping me think this through!

its a good card to use for non bonus categories. 2x up to 50k, no af, transferable(i think). It could be a good account to park all your MRs at too.

 

[amalone1013]

Yes.
Dunno, but is his PTO negotiable during an annual review. I'd be negotiating more PTO if that was on the table.
Of course not.
Doesn't everybody?

Signed,
The person who is contemplating a weekend trip to Paris to hit the 2 parks just so we can say we did all 12 parks the same year. * pages through dictionary searching for the definition to the word "excessive" *

He keeps saying he's going to ask for more PTO after the next sale. I think there's been enough next sales!

I couldn't resist DLP in your shoes.

Young as you are, of course you can go over labor day for the water parks! I have about 20 water park passes sitting in a drawer somewhere from when tickets didn't expire. We will use them when the babies get a little older. I did enjoy Typhoon Lagoon a lot, but haven't done Blizzard Beach.

Your DH's vacation time - will more time in his job get him more time off?

If you've got the points, by all means go two weeks later! (reference back to still young and ready to enjoy life!)

AP's - I don't have the spreadsheet with your schedule, but - maybe.

They get 5 more days at some point. Either 5 years or 10 years. He's almost at 4 years there. But I think he could negotiate a little, because his boss is pretty laid back. There's even a chance he would not make him use vacation to take an extra day for LD weekend.

The two weeks later trip is for sure, and if I cash out UR pts for tickets like I'm leaning towards, our current cost will be $211 plus food/souvenirs. And we'll still have 200k UR left.

I'm trying so hard to make APs work, but it's really more emotional than anything. That was the first AP I had for anywhere so I felt super fancy Right now we're doing 7 day PHs plus for sure a 1 day Epcot ticket in the next 12 months. That runs about $600 from Undercover Tourist, an AP is $904. Memory Maker is not totally necessary but I like it because I'm always the one with the camera. That makes it a little closer. If we do more than one day at Epcot next summer, it's almost break even... At least I'll have until September to figure it out. I'll just get tickets and upgrade them at the park if it works in our favor.

 

[peel]

I just stumbled across something on the SPG site that someone here may be interested in.

St. Regis Suite Luxury, Legacy Rates
Celebrate our heritage. Reserve select suites and stay the second night for *$4, just as it was in 1904 when the first St. Regis hotel opened its doors. Book online, through your preferred travel professional or by calling our Worldwide Reservation Offices and mention rate plan STR1904.

Stay from Jan 1, 2013 to Dec 31, 2018

*$4 USD or local currency equivalent.

Offer Terms & Conditions

• Offer valid at participating St. Regis Hotels & Resorts worldwide, please see participating property list
• Offer is valid for stays booked and completed between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2018
• Advance reservations are required and should be made using Rate Plan STR1904.
• Offer includes the first night priced at the retail rate and the second night priced at $4 USD or the equivalent in local currency.
• Reservation confirmation will not reflect the discount; that adjustment will be made by the hotel at check-out.
• A minimum stay of two nights is required.
• Consecutive reservations for this offer will be honored. For every two nights paid, the second night will be priced at $4 USD or the equivalent in local currency.
• An eligible stay is defined as two or more consecutive nights paying a qualifying rate in the same hotel regardless of the number of check-in or check-outs that occur.
• Rates are per suite, per night, based on single/double occupancy and availability at time of reservation and do not include additional per room, per night charges that may be imposed or state/local taxes.
• A limited number of rooms may be available at these rates.
• Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.
• Offer not applicable to groups.
• Not to be combined with other offers or promotions and subject to change.
• Starwood reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time.
• Starpoints, SPG, Starwood Preferred Guest, Sheraton, Four Points, W, Aloft, Le Méridien, The Luxury Collection, Element, Westin, St. Regis and their respective logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

© 2018 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights reserved.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stay from Jan 1, 2013? So maybe this is old news, but I've never seen it mentioned before. It doesn't look like you can take advantage of the offer with award stays, but it could be useful. I can't find an easy list to access, you have to search using dropdown menus that are divided up by country.

 

[Lain]

Thank you! You are absolutely right Delta hostage out of SLC so I guess my end goal would be to ultimately be getting as many MR's as possible with the intention of transferring them to the airlines (mostly Delta).

I really don't care about Hilton as I already have 3 hotel cards (SPG, Hyatt, IHG). Pre-check and Global Entry we haven't even used on our Reserve's as we just paid for it before the Reserve opened. (And girls young enough haven't needed it for them). Lounge Access? We have Priority Pass but our only real constant travel right now is with the girls to MCO.

It doesn't look like the (BBP) has a sign up bonus. Is there another MR card I should start with? My only Amex cards are the personal/business SPG and then personal/business Delta Platinum. Fingers crossed I could get approved for one more?

Thank you for helping me think this through!

The BBP has a targeted offer for 20k MR after $5k/3 months: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/amer...lus-20000-point-offer-2x-purchases-50000-cap/

There's also a 10k MR offer via "support link" after $3k/3 months. A few people have their links up for the BBP on /r/DISchurners.

The BBP has no annual fee so it makes for a great card to hold MR points, won't report to your personal credit report or count against 5/24, and earns 2x MR on every purchase up to $50k/calendar year.

[ETA: You mentioned you have 4 Amex credit cards. The BBP is a credit card, so counts against Amex’s limit — I think it’s 5 credit cards now?]

There's some thought, but very mixed DPs, that opening a MR card will reduce your chance of getting targeted for the 100k MR Platinum. I'm not sure if that's true for the BBP. Pretty sure if you open the Premier Rewards Gold ("PRG"), you won't get targeted for the 100k MR Platinum. The PRG was my first Amex card, and I've never received any targeted offers for the 100k MR Platinum, never had any luck triggering 100k, and eventually settled for 75k MR on my first Platinum.

The PRG is a decent card. The public offer is 25k MR, but you can pretty easily use incognito to pull a 50k MR offer after $2k/3 months (best offer is 50k MR after $1k/3 months). It earns 2x MR at restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations, a $100 airline fee credit that's good for a $100 GC from AA or Southwest (or 2x $50 GC from Delta), 3x MR for flights booked directly with airlines, first year AF waived (but $195 AF after that). Bonus categories are nothing spectacular -- especially when the BBP earns 2x MR on everything -- but the card's a moneymaker in its first year with the signup bonus, fee credit, and waived AF. But if you want to hold out for the 100k MR Platinum, or get back under 5/24, you may want to hold off on the PRG.

If you have some big spend coming up, Amex has business versions of their gold and platinum charge cards with big bonuses but high MSRs.

@SouthFayetteFan, any other ideas for @kmc8826 if she wants to start earning MRs?

 

[Lain]

Two questions from my dh:

When you are not working on a minimum spend, what card do you use for purchases that do not qualify for a bonus amount (for example, car repairs)? Why did you choose to use that card?

Thanks

I'm a big believer in diversifying your wallet so you have a card that earns you some kind of bonus on every one of your expenses and anything that may come up.

• I charge all dining and travel to my CSR and earn 3x UR.
• I may charge hotel stays to that hotel's co-branded credit card for a better bonus.
• I pay rent, utilities, student loans, daughter's tuition through Plastiq using my CIP for 3x UR.
• I have our cell phone bills set to autopay on the CIP for 3x UR and phone insurance.
• Our internet is set to autopay on the CIC for 5x UR.
• I have our Netflix and Playstation Vue subscriptions charged to gift card credit, which I buy when iTunes and Playstation Store gift cards are on sale and pay with whichever card gives me the best return at the merchant selling them.
• Shopping on Amazon all comes out of Amazon gift cards purchased from office supply stores using CIC for 5x UR (and grocery stores this quarter because that's included in Chase Freedom 5x UR bonus category).
• I'll add that you can use your Amazon gift card balance to buy third-party gift cards, so I often will get Amazon gift cards purchased at 5x UR, then use them to buy Safeway and Whole Foods gift cards to pass on that 5x UR bonus to groceries. If I don't have gift cards for groceries, I'll charge it to my Amex PRG for 2x MR on groceries or SPG card for 1x Starpoint per $1.
• I'll use the Gyft app to buy gift cards to merchants where I shop, like Target, because it earns 5x UR through PayPal checkout on the CIC (or 3x UR on the CIP), whereas paying the merchant directly with a credit card may not earn any bonus or a lower bonus multiplier.
• If there's a merchant not on Gyft or the points and miles I'd earn are better on MPX (another gift card app), I'll use the appropriate card (because of pass through coding on Visas) to purchase the gift card I need on MPX instead to earn some combination of United miles, UR, MR, or SPG points.
• I often buy Visa gift cards using an Amex on which I'm working towards MSR or an Amex SPG to use at Costco (because they only accept Visa).
• I'll buy Chevron, Shell, and Exxon gift cards for gas at office supply stores with my CIC for 5x UR; and this quarter, I've bought a few gas gift cards from SVM on eBay because I'd earn 5x UR on them by paying with a Chase Freedom through PayPal. If I don't have gift cards for gas, I've been using my Chase Freedom this quarter through the Chase Pay app at Shell for 5x UR, or the CIC anywhere else for 2x UR.
• If I have to Venmo someone, I'll use CIP because it earns 3x UR and negates the 3% fee.
• I have my eBay seller fees set to autopay on the CIP, which earns me 3x UR back on fees from a side hustle that I use a lot to apply for biz cards.
• I also have the CIP set in PayPal to pay for eBay shipping, which earns another 3x UR back. USPS/UPS/FedEx also earn 3x UR on the CIP.
• I'll use a particular Amex card if it has a useful Amex Offer on it for the merchant where I'm going to be spending money.
• I'll see how I can best use whatever is/are included in Chase Freedom's 5x bonus categories.

If after all that, the thing I have to spend money on won't earn some kind of bonus, I'll throw the charge on a new card for which I'm working towards MSR, or an Amex SPG card until base earn is devalued on 8/1/18. After 8/1/18, I'll probably get an Amex BBP card for 2x MR on every purchase.

ETA: more examples of bonus category spend.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Our internet is set to autopay on the CIC for 5x UR.

Crap, forgot about this and just set it to pay on my Hilton Amex. Working on CIC MSR right now too so I'm going to switch it to that!

 

[amalone1013]

I'll use the Gyft app to buy gift cards to merchants where I shop, like Target, because it earns 5x UR through PayPal checkout on the CIC (or 3x UR on the CIP), whereas paying the merchant directly with a credit card may not earn any bonus or a lower bonus multiplier.

I need to start using Gyft with DHs CIP!

 

[Lain]

I need to start using Gyft with DHs CIP!

Remember, add CIP to PayPal and select CIP using PayPal checkout.

 

[amalone1013]

Here's a WWDD: What Would DisChurners Do?

I can pay my auto insurance with a credit card, or a check. It's about $250 a month. Options:

• Barclay Arrival Plus = 500pts
• SPG AMEX (for now) = 250pts
• Pay by Plastiq with CIP = 768.75pts for a fee of $6.25 (which I would try to cover with our travel fund, not cash out URs)

 

[wendow]

I just used Coupon Cabin for $75 off a $75 Aeropostale purchase. This was my first time snagging an offer. It shows up in my account due to be paid out to paypal sometime in August.

I did a $50 off $50 Disney purchase a couple weeks ago. Still pending and won’t pay out until mid-July. First time I ever tried coupon cabin. Online reviews are hit and miss. A lot of people say they deactivate your account before payout. I was buying stuff anyways so will just be a bonus if it pays.

 

[wendow]

Thats tough. I think you might be stuck paying for 2 rooms. You might want to call the Palazzo and/or Venetian directly and ask them about how many you can put in a suite. We used a free night at the Palazzo and then paid cash to upgrade to a larger suite. The room was huge with a pull out sofa bed (see the hotels thread for pics). They also brought us a rollaway. You could easily get away with 5 people. Not sure if they would bring a second rollaway for you or not.

It's the Bella Suite that is on the UR site (and available with points on ihg). Says it is 720 sqft, has two queens and a double pull-out sofa. PLENTY of space! I called Intercontinental hotels last night and talked to someone and she said if the room says the occupancy is 4, then that is the limit ("no matter how big the room is or how many sleeping spaces there are"). Really puzzling. Are fire codes that must stricter in Vegas?? The Residence Inn not that far away sleeps 6 in 500'ish sq ft with same bed set-up.

 

[Haley R]

No, I wouldn’t recommend it.

DH got approved for the CIP just last month; I don’t even think it’s been 30 days yet.

Chase business credit card approvals are subject to a 0/30 rule, meaning you need to have had 0 other Chase applications in the past 30 days or you’ll face likely denial.

Even if/when DH is past 30 days since applying for and getting his CIP, it’s too soon for him to go for another Chase business card. Technically, he could do it. Chase may approve him, but he runs the risk of hitting Chase too hard, too fast. Particularly with Chase business cards, it’s best to give yourself at minimum 3-6 months in between business cards. Or Chase may deny DH for a myriad of reasons, including not enough time has passed since his last account with Chase was opened.

If you want the CIC in your household, you can apply for it. It has a solid 50k UR signup bonus, a low(ish) MSR of $3k in 3 months, and like you said, solid 5x UR earning categories for gift cards. I know you were planning on DH referring you to the CIP for a 20k bonus to him and a 80k bonus to you. You getting the CIC now would mean pushing your CIP out 3-6 months. So you need to decide your roadmap going forward.

Okay I think we'll just have to keep our original plan. Thanks!

 

[Haley R]

I'm wondering if I misunderstood your question.

By "switch," did you mean have DH product change his CIP to the CIC now?

I wouldn't recommend that either.

Technically, you can PC the CIP to CIC after you've met the MSR and your bonus posts; no need to wait a year like personal cards. Many people feel that's a good way to piss off Chase because if you PC that soon, you should've gone for the card you really wanted in the first place but you went for the bigger bonus. That said, it's doubtful anything bad will actually happen.

But, it's still not a good idea for DH to PC his CIP to CIC this soon. The reasons being:
(1) DH can eventually get the CIC's signup bonus if he applies for that card separately; he won't get any bonus for PCing to the CIC.
(2) DH still has to refer you to the CIP, so he should keep his CIP until then to generate a link for you to apply through. The CIC does not have referrals.

Yes this is what I was asking. I meant for him to product change to the CIC. It's okay we will just do what we planned and have him keep his CIP for now as he refers me.

 

[wendow]

Yes, we stayed at the Hyatt Place Las Vegas in February and it was a good stay. We are at the Hyatt Regency MCO this weekend and have 3 upcoming stays there due to late flights in August and November.

I’m looking at that Hyatt place. Might be the winner. There are no rewards rooms though

 

[Ngwira]

I’m looking at that Hyatt place. Might be the winner. There are no rewards rooms though

oh no..definitely a good points plus cash value...

 

[Ngwira]

It's the Bella Suite that is on the UR site (and available with points on ihg). Says it is 720 sqft, has two queens and a double pull-out sofa. PLENTY of space! I called Intercontinental hotels last night and talked to someone and she said if the room says the occupancy is 4, then that is the limit ("no matter how big the room is or how many sleeping spaces there are"). Really puzzling. Are fire codes that must stricter in Vegas?? The Residence Inn not that far away sleeps 6 in 500'ish sq ft with same bed set-up.

We stayed in the Bella Suite(on ihg points) on the same February trip where we did the Hyatt. It's MASSIVE...surprised it only sleeps 4.

 

[Disneyonmymind]

I had this problem too recently. I haven't decided what to do about it. Given my recent issues with Plastiq, I really don't want to reach out to support. Curious to know what you end up doing.

I started a chat yesterday about the problem. They said they would have it fixed by the end of today. I received an email earlier that the problem was fixed. I logged in and my payment type was changed to “automobiles” so I paid it. All is good.