I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[needsomesun]

Mine used to and a few years ago they took them out! Whyyyyyy?????

Probably because of people like me. I just sent a complaint to BJs that they have had one regular register open on two weekends in a row and the rest were self checkouts. When I have a lot of stuff, I want a real human.

 

[Psychodisney]

I always use the Sapphire Preferred (or Reserve) because the insurance coverage is PRIMARY. Having had an accident once with a rental car, this is a really big perk to me.

Oops, EACarlson posted while I was typing! Great minds...

I’ve also been paying myself back with equivalents of my car rental cost.

 

[platamama]

Lol. I know--I noticed what out-of-state engineering tuition was. I never even thought about this until I started looking into cost of attendance and realized how much higher engineering tuition was than college of arts & sciences and I thought I'd better check what me prepaid plan covers. Now I sort of want dd to go to Tech (just kidding--I want her to go where she wants

Are students locked into the college that they applied to, or can they apply to arts & sciences and then switch to engineering? Not to game the system, but truly wondering since I have a HS jr this year who is considering engineering as well as arts & sciences.

 

[Artygal90]

Any options for lounges at DEN if I forgot my physical CSR at home? I’ve got a couple hours to kill.

ETA: I like the PeopleMover at MCO better :’(

 

[StephPlum]

Side note: BF and I are hitting Nashville for my Bday in October. I've never been. Any suggestion on where to stay? I have a free IHG night I was thinking of maybe using. I have a ton of Hilton points too. Nothing really w/ Marriott and I don't do Hyatt (I mean I have UR so I could, but I don't have any Hyatt).

No help on hotels since the only time I was in Nashville was for a conference and stayed in the Omni by the convention center. But reading this made my mouth water for BBQ. A recommendation - Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint. Great BBQ.

 

[afan]

Any options for lounges at DEN if I forgot my physical CSR at home? I’ve got a couple hours to kill.

ETA: I like the PeopleMover at MCO better :’(

You'd need your priority pass card or have it available in the app. You don't use your CSR for lounge access.

 

[afan]

Asked someone else on r/churning that also apped today and they also get nothing from the status line. They did talk to someone to make sure the app was there, which I don't feel the need to do. But it makes me feel slightly better knowing I'm not the only one that the status line isn't working for. I've also only logged into my biz acct twice. I never combined so it's not as easy as using my fingerprint to get into the app, which is probably a good thing

 

[IFlossU]

Asked someone else on r/churning that also apped today and they also get nothing from the status line. They did talk to someone to make sure the app was there, which I don't feel the need to do. But it makes me feel slightly better knowing I'm not the only one that the status line isn't working for. I've also only logged into my biz acct twice. I never combined so it's not as easy as using my fingerprint to get into the app, which is probably a good thing

Fingers crossed for you

 

[havaneselover]

It looks like Xbox preorders will start at 11 AM EST on 9/22. Hoping it's more organized than PS5. Still trying to figure out a strategy. If I load xbox gift cards onto my account, will microsoft store charge those?

 

[Judique]

Ugh the status line glitch is THE WORST! So frustrating to not at least hear 2 weeks or 30 days.

I thought the status line was 'off' on weekends? Maybe I just made that up...

 

[mgarbowski]

Amex has been generous with retention offers recently. You might want to try that first. I think you can even do it by chat now. There's a thread on Flyertalk if you want to get an idea what people are getting.

If you do end up canceling, the AF is refunded within 30 days after it posts. You can probably get another airline credit out of the Gold. Downgrading to Green, is that just to keep the account history? It doesn't have much benefits for the $150 AF. Also, if you've never had the Green before, you'd lock yourself out of the bonus.

As for pop-up avoidance, it's a mystery. It should help that you've kept the cards past the 1 year. If you're planning to apply for anything, would be better to do it before you cancel anything. My guess is it's more spend than card cancellations, but just a guess.

Thanks. I tend to forget about retention strategy and I 'll check Flyertalk. As for why I'm canceling or changing, I think my decisions make sense but I'm happy to be second-guessed:

1. I'm getting rid of the Bonvoy Brilliant because I have the other Bonvoy card, don't need 2, and the extra free night plus the $300 annual Marriott credit prevents me from concentrating my stays at Hilton as much as I would like.
2. I'm getting rid of the Gold because I don't love the monthly $10 limited dining credit, and often have to go out of my way to use it. The bonus categories of groceries and dining overlap with way too many other cards I have. The $100 airline credit, which is in addition to the same credit worth $200 from the surviving Platinum and $250 from the Hilton Aspire, is almost impossible to use now that Delta and American gift cards no longer work, most carriers got rid of change fees, and I have free bags on my 2 favorite airlines (Delta and JetBlue).
3. Your guess that I'm product changing the Platinum to keep history is correct. It is my oldest card dating to 1986 (and it started as a Green back then during very different times and rules). I can't let it go. I also pay $109 annually for Clear so the $100 Clear credit covers all but $50 of the Green card fee for me. I'll live without the bonus, and I'm 98% sure the Amex rule is one bonus per card per lifetime, not that you can't get a bonus if you already had the card. So if I wanted to get a new Green for bonus purposes in the future I believe I could.

Thanks again, and happy to get more feedback from you or anyone else.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I thought the status line was 'off' on weekends? Maybe I just made that up...

I’ve never heard that. Sometimes applications just don’t register.

 

[Judique]

Probably because of people like me. I just sent a complaint to BJs that they have had one regular register open on two weekends in a row and the rest were self checkouts. When I have a lot of stuff, I want a real human.

They jump in and assist at our self checkouts. The only biggie is no cash. If I have water, kitty litter, 40 pounds of bird seed, 30 pounds of dog food, I don't even have to take them out of the cart - the person is watching and gets it all and will usually scan whatever else is in there unless it's too jumbled up. If they are busy and I have heavy items I know to start with the little stuff. To me they make it more efficient than the regular checkout. With a larger order, of 300-400, I do less work than at the regular line.

The other difference is the receipts are blue - I think this is a clear indicator for the door guy/person to count the items carefully. So people have less opportunity to not scan an item.

And, because I'm doing it myself, I watch the price more easily. Caught an error just recently. 3 piece toddler items were marked to $6 - rang up as $14.99. While I continued to scan, the clerk ran back to check the price. The machine talks at you, saying $14.99, so if you are listening, you don't even have to look. The only thing I don't like is the 'put your item in the tray area' when I don't work as fast as the machine wants me to.

 

[havaneselover]

I tried again for an amex retention offer on my spg card. No dice but was told I had access to the calm app for free. Gee, thanks.

I think SPG is going. Gold is probably going too. CSR is up for renewal (4th anniversary) but I'm keeping that one. I also have a CIP that will be renewing soon. I might just cancel it. I already have CIC and CIU.

 

[Judique]

I tried again for an amex retention offer on my spg card. No dice but was told I had access to the calm app for free. Gee, thanks.

I think SPG is going. Gold is probably going too. CSR is up for renewal (4th anniversary) but I'm keeping that one. I also have a CIP that will be renewing soon. I might just cancel it. I already have CIC and CIU.

My spg lux brilliant was going until they gave me the $100 offer, which I didn't ask for. I was going to downgrade it to another Bonvoy.

I'm hurting on the Rose Gold - I missed last month's $10 credit, haven't used this months yet, but have gotten enough offers to cover the fee. However, covering the fee doesn't bring me ahead with keeping the card, so unless something awesome comes along, I may have to bounce. I'm just not collecting enough MR's to make a difference.
And I have another MR card - the old fee free Optima Platinum - I'll probably have that forever. So my little MR stash is safe. At least til I need another appliance....

 

[wanderlust7]

Thanks. I tend to forget about retention strategy and I 'll check Flyertalk. As for why I'm canceling or changing, I think my decisions make sense but I'm happy to be second-guessed:

1. I'm getting rid of the Bonvoy Brilliant because I have the other Bonvoy card, don't need 2, and the extra free night plus the $300 annual Marriott credit prevents me from concentrating my stays at Hilton as much as I would like.
2. I'm getting rid of the Gold because I don't love the monthly $10 limited dining credit, and often have to go out of my way to use it. The bonus categories of groceries and dining overlap with way too many other cards I have. The $100 airline credit, which is in addition to the same credit worth $200 from the surviving Platinum and $250 from the Hilton Aspire, is almost impossible to use now that Delta and American gift cards no longer work, most carriers got rid of change fees, and I have free bags on my 2 favorite airlines (Delta and JetBlue).
3. Your guess that I'm product changing the Platinum to keep history is correct. It is my oldest card dating to 1986 (and it started as a Green back then during very different times and rules). I can't let it go. I also pay $109 annually for Clear so the $100 Clear credit covers all but $50 of the Green card fee for me. I'll live without the bonus, and I'm 98% sure the Amex rule is one bonus per card per lifetime, not that you can't get a bonus if you already had the card. So if I wanted to get a new Green for bonus purposes in the future I believe I could.

Thanks again, and happy to get more feedback from you or anyone else.

Since you can use the Clear credit, that's a great reason to have a Green. A good reminder that the value of these credits is different for each person.

Here is the offer terms:
"Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card or previous versions of the American Express® Green Card."

My understanding is Amex is not dependent on having gotten the bonus, unlike Chase for instance. If you think you're eligible for the bonus, the Green is elevated at the moment at 50k. Some people also have targeted support bonuses, some up to 30k! (But don't self support.) You could get the Green, then downgrade the Plat to the Green (holding 2 Greens).

 

[afan]

I’ve never heard that. Sometimes applications just don’t register.

Up to 4 logins now and I don't know why, they generally don't approve this kind of thing on the weekend which is why I should've waited. The lure of the elusive instant approvals that people kept posting about did me in.

I'll close my password manager that way it'll take more effort for me to check and will force me to wait.

 

[Judique]

So, I'm very close to applying for some cards.

And, I'm also considering some home improvement ideas. New windows are sort of 'up there'. I need basement windows and I have 5 to replace. And, since I'm doing those, why not chuck in a few new ones to replace the replacement ones that were here when I arrived? Now I'm up to 18 if I replace them all. That's not all my windows - I have additional that are about 10 years old and don't need replacing. The 'old' replacement ones are still working - they are double paned white vinyl, but not low e and all the new features. The basement ones are really old - they need some attention for sure.

I think I will start calling for estimates.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Oiy!

I got we need more time, which I expected. I don't get all these people that are getting instant approvals all of a sudden, have they gotten any cards recently. Anyway, I've gotten an email saying we need more time and an emails from experian and chase credit journey saying they've pulled my report. But when I call the status line they have no app under my sn, umm...

So apparently now I'm stuck just straight up waiting without any actual information? I'll try calling it again later, but I've called twice already and it should already pop up. I'm not going to hold out much hope at this point.

How frustrating..sending you are approved...

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I like the 5% categories, which can outweigh the extra 0.5% on not bonus spend, 3% at drug stores and the far superior cell phone insurance.

Am I misreading something what I’m seeing is both the CFF and CFU sign up bonus is the$200 cash back, 5x on groceries...3x categories..drug store and dining..
Differences are CFF :1x back on everything else 5x quarterly categories but I’ve only been able to use 1 this year...MasterCard with the cell phone coverage
CFU 1.5x back on everything else
So maybe YMMV depending on utilization of the quarterly categories