I love credit cards so much!

[wendow]

Wow, is it me or are we seeing a lot of big spend, big bonus offers lately?

It does seem like between the SPG biz and the Marriott offer some are targeted with, there are some pretty high spend offers out there right now. Banks giving longer to meet the min spend but higher min spends *maybe* equals people keeping the cards longer and maybe higher retention rates??

 

[Albort]

It does seem like between the SPG biz and the Marriott offer some are targeted with, there are some pretty high spend offers out there right now. Banks giving longer to meet the min spend but higher min spends *maybe* equals people keeping the cards longer and maybe higher retention rates??

makes me wonder if its a competition... cuz ya know... SPG and Marriott... amex and chase visa...

meeeeeerge...

 

[wendow]

Ooh, good thinking, Albort. That did not occur to me but you may be right!

 

[calypso726]

For anyone considering the BoA premium card, here are my DPs. I applied for the card last month, had it overnighted and made the spend before my closing date. $95 AF charged the first month. The $100 airline credit was triggered and credited on my statement with the purchase of an AA gift card online. The bonus points showed up right when my statement closed and I was able to either transfer them to my BoA checking account, purchase travel or apply as a statement credit for next month. I transferred to my checking account which is supposed to take 5 days to process but showed up sooner than that. This was an easy cash back process and nothing like the headache of a WF Propel card. It gets a thumbs up from me, the person who doesn't normally do cash back.

 

[GlamMistress]

I just received the 120k for $12k offer and that seems like a lot of spend for 120k points. I thought the 100k offer during the summer had a much lower spend. I am trying to figure out what a cat 5 free night will even get me. We are staying at a TownePlace Suites Thanksgiving Eve and I think that is considered a cat 3.

Personally I think this offer is A LOT of spend for the associated points. Thing is, it's easy if you set 1k of bills (or more) a month to autopay and basically sock drawer the card. But to actively be pulling it out of the wallet, purchase after purchase, I don't know. It's a high opportunity cost to me. I can see the value of this to Chase, though. People will switch all their spend to this card, hit the spend and not realize it and keep on charging to the Marriott.


I do think it's a trend of higher spend requirements, which I hate. But it is what it is I guess.

Also, it seems hard to find a good hotel to use the free night. But for many there's probably value there.

 

[Happy_2_B]

Personally I think this offer is A LOT of spend for the associated points. Thing is, it's easy if you set 1k of bills (or more) a month to autopay and basically sock drawer the card. But to actively be pulling it out of the wallet, purchase after purchase, I don't know. It's a high opportunity cost to me. I can see the value of this to Chase, though. People will switch all their spend to this card, hit the spend and not realize it and keep on charging to the Marriott.

It is for some- and isn't for others. We have been in this game a very long time. If we had to do it all over again (wouldn't that be nice) and were starting anew- we would be jumping on ALL of the high spend offers instead of going for the lower bonuses with less spend. Many are new to this- or have only been doing it a few years. As a long timer- my advice to people would be to jump on every high spend opportunity you can. As long as the person has the wherewithal to pay off the card before any interest posts, this is the way to go in today's tightening CC market given how much gaming has become mainstream. For most cards- you only get ONE opportunity for a given card nowadays, and once you get the bonus you will never, ever be able to get it again. We travel a LOT- and can tell you that the points and miles disappear quickly, and once they do- using manufactured spend to get more points/miles is a WAY harder method of playing this game than just signing up for CCs and meeting a spend for the bonus.

As to meeting the spend and putting the card away and never using it again- well, let's just say we aren't doing that anymore (with a couple of exceptions)- especially with AmEx cards. People that make the spend and quit using their cards WILL be flagged as gamers, and although they might not suspend your ability to get more cards and take away the bonus on the first 'go round'- my guess is that if someone tries to pull that trick a second time that they can say goodbye to getting another card from AmEx ever again. That's not where we want to be, and are perfectly happy to make occasional charges on most of our cards these days to present the 'illusion' of using the card as intended.

 

[calypso726]

Personally I think this offer is A LOT of spend for the associated points. Thing is, it's easy if you set 1k of bills (or more) a month to autopay and basically sock drawer the card. But to actively be pulling it out of the wallet, purchase after purchase, I don't know. It's a high opportunity cost to me. I can see the value of this to Chase, though. People will switch all their spend to this card, hit the spend and not realize it and keep on charging to the Marriott.


I do think it's a trend of higher spend requirements, which I hate. But it is what it is I guess.

Also, it seems hard to find a good hotel to use the free night. But for many there's probably value there.

I’d view this as 40,000 SPG points and call it worth it if I wasn’t LOL/24. I already have the card as does DH and we did keep it. I agree that the free night is not as easy to use since it’s hard to find cat 5 or less properties that we’d like to to stay. None the less it works for us thanks to the fact that there are 3 cat 4/5 properties just outside of WDW. The availability has never been an issue either. We decided to go see La Nouba before it closes next month and there was zero availability with DVC for a studio or even a 1 bedroom. So we are using our 2 annual nights at a Marriott property to go see the show over a weekend next month. For those who go to WDW every year, don’t mind staying off site for a couple of nights and are in 2 player mode with the cards, this one is a keeper.

 

[amalone1013]

So we are using our 2 annual nights at a Marriott property to go see the show over a weekend next month. For those who go to WDW every year, don’t mind staying off site for a couple of nights and are in 2 player mode with the cards, this one is a keeper.

I think this alone would make it a keeper to DH too. He just asked me last night how many days we would need to go to make an AP worth it

 

[kayteekt]

I think I'm ready to go for the CSR & CSP (I'm supposed to do them at the same time right, sorry I'm new to this).
I'm trying to time this right for the $450 AF, I want my travel expense(s) to be within a month or two, especially with Christmas upon us.
Will room charges from Disney (magic band charges) code as travel and therefore be eligible for the travel credit?

 

[Lain]

I think I'm ready to go for the CSR & CSP (I'm supposed to do them at the same time right, sorry I'm new to this).
I'm trying to time this right for the $450 AF, I want my travel expense(s) to be within a month or two, especially with Christmas upon us.
Will room charges from Disney (magic band charges) code as travel and therefore be eligible for the travel credit?

Make sure you're under 5/24, or you won't be approved. Make sure you haven't applied for any other cards with Chase in the last 30 days. Chase has a 2/30 rule that's not always enforced but can be the basis of denying you for having more than 2 personal credit card applications in 30 days.

Apply for the card you really want first, get it approved. Apply for the second one with another browser, or clear your cache and cookies, or use incognito mode, and get it approved all on the same day. You don't want your browser data to confuse Chase's system into thinking you're submitting duplicate applications that'll result in dumping one. Call recon if not automatically approved. Approval of both must be on the same day! Use a referral link if you can.

Yes, charges made on MagicBand to your room count as "travel," earn 3x UR, and qualify for the $300 travel credit if you pay off the charge at the hotel's front desk with CSR.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[kayteekt]

Make sure you're under 5/24, or you won't be approved. Make sure you haven't applied for any other cards with Chase in the last 30 days. Chase has a 2/30 rule that's not always enforced but can be the basis of denying you for having more than 2 personal credit card applications in 30 days.

Apply for the card you really want first, get it approved. Apply for the second one with another browser, or clear your cache and cookies, or use incognito mode, and get it approved all on the same day. You don't want your browser data to confuse Chase's system into thinking you're submitting duplicate applications that'll result in dumping one. Call recon if not automatically approved. Approval of both must be on the same day! Use a referral link if you can.

Yes, charges made on MagicBand to your room count as "travel," earn 3x UR, and qualify for the $300 travel credit if you pay off the charge at the hotel's front desk with CSR.

GOOD LUCK!

Good news on the travel coding, I was really wanting to offset the AF right away, so that will be perfect. No issue on the 5/24 as I've just started this and business cards don't count. I will def use a referral link. Thanks for all the help, it is MUCH appreciated!!

 

[Lain]

Good news on the travel coding, I was really wanting to offset the AF right away, so that will be perfect. No issue on the 5/24 as I've just started this and business cards don't count. I will def use a referral link. Thanks for all the help, it is MUCH appreciated!!

Fingers crossed for you! Hopefully you'll get auto approved for both cards. If you have to deal with a human who asks why you need all these cards, we often just suggest saying you want to keep expenses separate, especially with the holidays and travel coming up. If Chase feels they've already extended you enough credit, you can offer to move (or reallocate) credit from one personal credit card to another (Chase won't let you move credit between business and personal cards). Again, GOOD LUCK!

 

[kayteekt]

Fingers crossed for you! Hopefully you'll get auto approved for both cards. If you have to deal with a human who asks why you need all these cards, we often just suggest saying you want to keep expenses separate, especially with the holidays and travel coming up. If Chase feels they've already extended you enough credit, you can offer to move (or reallocate) credit from one personal credit card to another (Chase won't let you move credit between business and personal cards). Again, GOOD LUCK!

Thanks, fingers crossed. Thought...would it be wise to reduce my credit limits before applying? My CIP has a 12k limit and Freedom 25k. Maybe that would avoid an auto decline?

Edited...referring to lowering the Freedom, I would think the CIP is fine where it's at.

 

[wendow]

Thanks, fingers crossed. Thought...would it be wise to reduce my credit limits before applying? My CIP has a 12k limit and Freedom 25k. Maybe that would avoid an auto decline?

Edited...referring to lowering the Freedom, I would think the CIP is fine where it's at.

Proactively lowering credit limits has not really proven to work for auto approvals. Offering to do so in recon seems just as effective. You currently do not have a ton extended to you so you may be just fine. Good luck from me also! I know you have been waiting to do this. Hoping auto approved on both!!

 

[wendow]

@kayteekt Any word on your dh and his CIP?

 

[Happy_2_B]

Edited...referring to lowering the Freedom, I would think the CIP is fine where it's at.

NEVER lower your credit limits- it makes you credit score go down. As Lain said, offer to mover it if necessary. I have one of the old original Sapphire cards- I never use it, but it sits there with a 35k credit line on it just to keep my credit score boosted.

 

[kayteekt]

@kayteekt Any word on your dh and his CIP?

Not yet, today would be 48 hrs. I'm going to meet him for lunch and call.

 

[kayteekt]

Thanks @wendow & @Happy_2_B. New to all of this. Thanks for the info.

 

[mefordis]

In the midst of planning my trip to LA / DLR in August. I was encouraged to look into AirBnB instead of hotels for the LA portion. After much thought and research I have decided just as I have never been a B and B type person (I love big, nice hotels with poolside bars, etc., rather than the quaint inn type places) and I am really not a home rental person either. I like the amenities of nice hotels. Therefore, I am looking at a couple of hotels on the beach in Santa Monica. One of them is the Delfina (Starwood) so I decided to reactivate my SPG account. I had a long conversation with someone in customer service and without asking at the end of the call she made me a gold member! She also encouraged me to apply for the SPG Amex, but I am not going to depart from the plan of CSR / CSP application for husband in Dec. Then in March the CIP for myself.

My question is, should I apply for the SPG Amex at the same time as the CIP (March) so I can bank 25k Starwood points which would give me about 2-3 nights at the Delfina hotel in Santa Monica (provided they still have points rooms available in June -- my trip is Aug 20.)

Thanks as always for your advice!

PS: I was also encouraged heavily to get the Amex Charge card for ongoing Hilton Honors gold status, as well as SPG Gold status and $200 travel credit, 60k membership rewards points, lounge access -- this looks redundant with the CSR card.

 

[platamama]

I just bought my first couple Gift of College gift cards yesterday and everything went smoothly. The hardest part was finding them in stock. I profited $38 from contributing $1000 into DD's 529 account, by using my AX BCP to buy 2 x $500 VGC at the grocery store and then using the VGC to buy the GoC cards ($60 cash back minus all the card purchase fees). I don't always have a lot of leftover spend in the 6% cb grocery category, but with that category showing up in Chase Freedom 5x and my getting groceries from Costco, I have more to spend before reaching my $6000 annual cap. I certainly want to maximize my highest cash back category. Speaking of which, DoC notes today that Kroger stores have a $5 off a $50 VGC/MCGC digital coupon on Sat. 11/11 ONLY (log into your Kroger loyalty account to load the coupon), redeemable up to 5 times in one transaction. And also Office Depot/Max $15 off of $300 VGC from 11/19-11/25 --- awesome for 5x on Ink (I have Ink Cash).

I've also been on a crazy rampage with Discover Savings account bonuses. If all goes well (fingers crossed) I'll get $1200 by 12/1. If all doesn't go well, then at least I parked money in higher yielding accounts. My unicorn would be high yield savings linked to an investment account with low trading fees. Has anyone seen my unicorn?