I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[Humbug30X]

So here’s an idea on the Disney card...

1) create a referral link from your existing card at

2) upgrade your existing Disney card here:

(Do this even if the offer is only for $50 - if it’s $100 that’s even better!)

3) wait about a month

4) use your own referral link to apply for a new no annual fee Disney card

This would earn you a $200 bonus AND it’s likely you’ll get the $100 referral even though you upgraded the card and self referred!

Thanks! Working on this now.

 

[happ]

Datapoint for anyone doing the WF checking bonus of $400.

• 3/2 opened account with $50 on credit card.
• 3/14 txfr $3k from Fidelity cash account
• 4/28 txfr $3k from Amex Savings
• 5/6 txfr $3k from Fidelity cash
• 5/8 $400 bonus posted

I ran into an issue trying to move the initial $3k I transferred from Fidelity back into my Fidelity account. Not sure what happened but I had to delete and then re add the WF account info on my Fidelity account. That’s why my second deposit was from Amex Savings.

So in summary looks like both Fidelity cash and Amex Savings accounts work.

DH is using employer deposits and no bonus for him yet (he gets paid every 2 weeks so hasn’t hit his third month of $3k yet).

Just received my bonus, too. I used Santander ach and also had a Fed tax refund. I really was expecting this one to work since there were a lot folks on doc saying that only real dd would trigger it.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Today is the first day I can start choosing Olympics tickets to request!! I'm scanning the list this morning, but need to sit down and make a schedule and figure out what will work best. It's not a first come, first served basis, so I can put in any requests until May 31. I'll find out mid-June what my options are and have to purchase by June 26. I'm going to put in for the equestrian events I want to see at the highest category tier seats and hope I get all of those for options. I've decided I'm willing to pay a decent amount of money for those tickets since that event is obviously the highlight for us. I would like to see one of the really popular events like swimming or gymnastics, so if I get one of those options then I might shell out of a little for that too and buy it now. Otherwise, I probably won't buy anything for lower level events and wait and see what goes on sale for that closer to. I figure even if we just do one event each day, that will be plenty in addition to travel and sightseeing in Tokyo.

 

[hsmamato2]

https://www.barclaycardus.com/apply/cas/applications/search?PARTNERID=BUSINESS

hmmmm page said no app...yet I have a screenshot of the 'review your app' page.... has anyone called this line? is it a real person?

 

[Judique]

So here’s an idea on the Disney card...

1) create a referral link from your existing card at https://www.chase.com/referafriend/catch-all

2) upgrade your existing Disney card here: https://www.chase.com/godisneypremier/gopremier

(Do this even if the offer is only for $50 - if it’s $100 that’s even better!)

3) wait about a month

4) use your own referral link to apply for a new no annual fee Disney card

This would earn you a $200 bonus AND it’s likely you’ll get the $100 referral even though you upgraded the card and self referred!

Haven't read ahead yet to see if this was added, but last step would be to wait a year and downgrade the 'old' card back to a no annual fee version so as to preserve age of accounts and get rid of the af?

 

[FloridaNative8]

Sorta but sorta not.....UNLIMITED VACATION!!! Well, not really.

Does anyone work for a company that offers Discretionary Time OFF (DTO)?

DH received an email today saying he would be switched over to DTO effective July 1, 2019. While shiny, bright and exciting, I know they are not doing this out of the kindness of their heart. FYE is September 30 so they are trying to dump the ETO liability by then and the affected employees are being urge to use up their time immediately. Of course we have a vacation planned for mid September to use up the remaining FY 2019 days, and another end of October to draw from the FY 2020 bunch that he has not put in a request for time off for either yet. Not sure how this is going to go over with the new policy.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this policy, especially from those who have/had this "benefit".

We have what we call "Recharge", so unlimited time off (I was up to 5 weeks of paid vacation before they switched). We switched over a few years ago. I think it's great in theory (and I don't know of anyone that has abused the policy), I find that I have to be more aware of how many days I've taken, because I won't take enough. I don't take sick days (I work from home, so even if I'm not feeling great I can still work in jammies on my couch), so I will sometimes go a few months without taking any time off. I definitely don't take 5 weeks worth, though I should.

I think it's a benefit for companies because they don't have to pay out any remaining PTO to people, and they know that employees may tend to take less time than what they would've earned.

ETA: I'm fortunate in that our company encourages us to take time off. It's a personal thing that I don't take more time - my work load falls to others when I'm out, and although I have a fantastic boss and team, I feel guilty! There are definitely times when those in our role (we are in sales) don't take off (end of quarter, end of year). But not because that's forced.

 

[Judique]

Without @Lain spreadsheet, I remember you being late 30's - early 40's. So at your age you feel 4 weeks is an okay amount of time off in a year? No way I'm judging anyone, just trying to get a feel for what people think is appropriate and at what age.

I'm going to reply with what I had and I never had the need to use it all: Early forties - sick and vacation - approx. 5 weeks total. Mid sixties at retirement - approx. 9 weeks total. Sick was cumulative and I was paid 30 % at retirement and the time amount was added to pension. Earned annual was used at their instruction up to retirement date.

That said, many people with similar benefits used every last minute and never accrued any leave, and some never took a day off. The individual is who drives this. Some people are dedicated and actually like working and feel some reason to do a great job and some people always think the employer owes them more even when they are non productive and downright lazy with no sense of responsibility.

When I was working I never would have made that last statement.

I also realize there are employers who may be less than scrupulous.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Hilton 3x points on your next stay. I know most people here are using points, but in case anyone has a paid stay coming up....

https://www.hiltonhonors.com/en_US/...4_1557408601_d98d0a1a0156de71b2d8bab9f0a81c90

Also, the new promo is up so make sure and register for that as well
https://www.hiltonhonors.com/en_US/20190425_1763/landing/

 

[Haley R]

This is kind of what I think may be coming for my dh...less actual PTO but a lot more flexibility since he will be working remotely...that is, *if* he gets the job change. We've talked about even living a month or two or so in TX or FL until we can officially move.

No basements in TX is the biggest downside of TX. I love my basement. Love it. I will be sad when I have no basement.

I’m gonna miss our basement in Florida too. The house we bought is one story. It’s just so hard to find houses down there with space to store things. Our basement and garage hold so many things here but we’ll have to make do when we move

 

[amalone1013]

This was at the corp office for a long term care pharmacy, the last place I worked. I did actually start at the race team as a temp too though my background at that time was almost solely in sports and radio, and they did count my temp time which was about 5 months so it made a difference. The pharm had the same 401 thing but you weren't vested until I think 3 years and I knew I wouldn't make it that long so I didn't even bother. The other thing that annoyed me was they wanted my hire date to be the start of a pay period instead of it being the end of the month and I'd get my insurance after 30 days it was the beginning of the month because the weekend was the switch so I was stuck without insurance for a month. I do think I ended up getting paid for some vacation time in Nov that I shouldn't have though. You started accruing on day 1 but couldn't use until 90 days and no roll over, so here's 3 or 4 days but you can only use them in December when I'd been gone over a week in Nov. Lame. And while you had to accrue you got it all at the beginning of the year so if you left for any reason mid year and had used too much you'd owe them money. The way they do stuff seems so archaic.

Love when you accrue PTO but can't use it. I ran into that at both my last job and current one. We can borrow against what we expect to accrue, and had to pay it back if you left. They also say if you are negative at the end of the year they will take it from your check and put you back at zero for accounting reasons. I only know of one person who was always borderline negative on their PTO - another coworker and I have always wondered if they had to take anything from his last check because he was fired.

No basements in TX is the biggest downside of TX. I love my basement. Love it. I will be sad when I have no basement.

I want a basement. DH doesn't really understand it yet, but I often point out to him about how he and his dad hate to go into their crawl space to get things out of storage for his mom... and how if we have a basement I can get things myself Plus it's always nice and cool when it's hot out...

 

[hsmamato2]

View attachment 399332 Our cats love the new playpen! I think it was a good purchase and will make driving to Florida so much easier.

this makes me laugh..... my cats would have this thing shredded like spiderwebs the instant they decided they didn't like traveling,which is all the time... I can only transport the kitties in hardsided crates for that reason....

 

[amcc]

I usually just blow my UR in tickets for 6 in one shot but I have scraped together about 35k remnants that I’m thinking of booking a car with. Can you help me think this through?
I need a car that holds the 6 plus luggage.
Hertz through AutoEurope is $551
Hertz through Chase (same car) is $654 or 43k points (pay difference in cash).
So $551/43k is $0.012 so obviously not as great as $0.015 but is that the right comparison? How do people think this through? I’m thinking that I should just use the points since right now, I have no other plans for them (and will go for CIP2 as soon as I can meet MSR) but if I’m missing a key point...

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

I forgot this is your first cruise. Wonderful that you were able to get Palo brunch - it's really fun. And the Wonder is nice because it's a smaller ship so you should be able to find your way around quickly. Alaska is amazing, too. What a great choice for a first cruise. I hope you enjoy it. I never thought I'd like cruising, and I'm not the typical circle around the Caribbean kind of cruiser, but I love the cruises that let us explore new regions of the world. Alaska was one of those.

I’ve never had a desire to cruise before and I’m not a beach type person. This cruise was for a desire to see Alaska. I could see doing other cruises with great interesting ports, but doubt we will because $$$. I’d love to take a Galapagos or Yangtze River cruise...when I hit the lottery.

Alaska was our first and so far only cruise. We combined the one-way north with a rental RV to Denali NP. Dh's philosophy was that, with so much to see in the world and a limited time (late 40s then), we should see all that we could on that trip

It was an amazingly relaxing yet active trip (we hiked so much), but we discovered that we really aren't cruise nor RV people The only cruises we'd consider would be Galapagos, Greek Islands, and perhaps the Nordic types. River cruises to unusual areas have some appeal.

 

[Lain]

Just ordered some Patagonia jackets for DW from eBags while it's still 15% back on Ebates. Looks like they just restocked many popular styles that have been showing sold out in recent weeks.

@wanderlust7 - I know you were eyeing some Patagonia jackets. Maybe check it out?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Haven't read ahead yet to see if this was added, but last step would be to wait a year and downgrade the 'old' card back to a no annual fee version so as to preserve age of accounts and get rid of the af?

@Humbug30X - this is a great point by @Judique - you would want to do this instead of closing that old card a year from now

 

[havaneselover]

Bought my tickets to NYC for post-Thanksgiving weekend on AA (used my $250 gift card). All I have left to do is buy Phantom tickets when they become available through UR.

 

[Judique]

Maybe some of you might remember that my DH had a full knee replacement 3 weeks ago and that the plan has been for myself and my youngest to do a short WDW trip starting next Friday. With the other two girls before they turned 10 and Disney “adults” I started the tradition of going on a trip with just them and so this upcoming trip was going to be my 8 year old’s big chance. She has been crazy excited. Well fast forward to the last couple days. Physically DH has been doing better but mentally he is not doing as well. Last couple years he has struggled with PTSD (thanks USMC and law enforcement) and being off from work and coming off meds has not been great. Long story short he doesn’t want to be home while I am in WDW. At first Iwas trying to figure out a way for all 5 of us to go but we had a family meeting tonight to talk to the girls about it. I realize that they have gone to WDW a lot but I have to brag about my girls. Both D12 and D10 agreed they would rather stay with Grandma and go to school then miss school and end of year testing. They also did not want to infringe on D8’s trip. I was then worried D8 would be upset about Daddy coming but she was thrilled and giving him the sweetest hugs. I feel blessed.

BUT my question: DH is young for a knee replacement and he is in good shape but it is still a major surgery and just getting out and walking around our neighborhood is taxing. Our first night is at Boardwalk and even walking from there to the wheelchair pick up at Epcot would be too far right now. Any recommendations of the best scooter company? I might just get a wheelchair but then I would do all the pushing which might get hard even if I am in good shape. Any thoughts? I understand that there are a couple approved companies for WDW but not sure of which one to use. And because of course this is the trip we will be changing rooms almost every night. And I don’t really want to spend a lot (although I guess it will cost what it costs).

On one trip I had friends with me who lasted 1/2 day before they needed scooters. We just rented out front where the surreys are. Not sure they are still there. You get your scooter for 24 hours if they are still there and can park it in the hall or plug it in in the hall, plus changing it if something goes wrong is pretty easy.

Not sure how long your trip is or what days you are in parks. Renting offsite for a week is probably cheaper but with your resort hopping, will you need it everywhere? Such as a down day at the pool? Some resorts used to have a limited 'free' access to folding wheelchairs but that's probably in the past.

And, I pushed DD in a wheelchair for a couple of hours at Ikea before she could walk after the accident and it was really easy with a new type chair they had just gotten. But, in a park - I wouldn't look forward to it!

 

[punkin]

I am not having much luck lately. Just tried to apply for Barkley's business aviator. Got a pending message. They say they will call me. Oy.

 

[Haley R]

this makes me laugh..... my cats would have this thing shredded like spiderwebs the instant they decided they didn't like traveling,which is all the time... I can only transport the kitties in hardsided crates for that reason....

Ours are treating it like a tunnel so I can’t wait to get in the car and see them try to sprint out the mesh door that will be zipped

 

[bernina]

I am not having much luck lately. Just tried to apply for Barkley's business aviator. Got a pending message. They say they will call me. Oy.

Is this your first Barclays card? How many recent inquiries and open accounts do you have? Just trying to understand the method to Barclays madness