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

[miztressuz]

I want to try and drive to Disney once...maybe when the kids are older. Its a 21hr ride according to Google. I for sure don't want to drive back though!

Yeah, the drive back sucks. Actually, for you, probably the beginning of the drive down will suck too having to come through NY/NJ/PA before even hitting the headache of Baltimore and DC. Once you hit VA it's pretty flat and open so if you time it right it's just smooth sailing from there. Monotonous but smooth.

That's the part of the drive that allows me to agree to do it again, until we get going and by the time we're passing PHL I'm wondering why are we doing this when there's a perfectly good airport RIGHT THERE with SW flights 6-8 times a day to MCO and by the time we get to DC we could be there by now! But hubby is a strange creature that likes to drive. I do not understand this fascination.

I prefer straight through the night runs, which works great getting down there, not so much on the way back. So last one we did split it up where we got a hotel wherever we were when we got tired and then finished it off the next day. The two days travel is just too much in the car time for me, and even hubby agrees to a limit, we both prefer 18 hours or less journeys after our FL experiments. But on the plus side it makes the 5 hour trips to Pittsburgh seem like a cake walk now.

 

[DisneyMandC]

OMG, I have never been made to feel so guilty for cancelling a credit card before. Citi transferred me to 3 people to get me to keep from closing out my AA Citi Biz. They offered me 1k bonus mile a month for 16 mos if I spent $1k/mo. So I guess like earning 2 miles for every dollar. I still cancelled.

So now, when I apply for Citi Biz #2, can I do it under the same name? This was under my legit photography biz. And also I know it's a gamble, but any link I can gamble with, right?

They are so awkward when you call to cancel. They did the same thing to me and @speedyfishy.

And yes, I've done both of my Citi cards for both of us under the same name. I did do different logins for each card, but honestly I doubt that really matters.

 

[elgerber]

I need some thoughts on AMEX please.
I am still waiting for my 80k miles on my Delta Biz plat. I have not wanted to rock the boat until I finally get those.
That said, my BGR has the $175 fee due on the 25th. I really don't want to pay this, but I have been delaying cancelling as long as I can because of the Delta issue.
Also, dh has been in pop up jail forever, and I can't seem to get him out of it. I tried again yesterday to refer him to the BBP so he can have a fee free card to keep his MRs.
So, so I just cut the losses and move his MRs to a partner when his fees come due on his MR cards?
Do I refer him and get the bonus miles and just not worry about making the MSR on that card (if they approve him) but just put some spend on it, so he can keep his MR?
If I do that option (like today) I am guessing my BGR needs to stay open until the referral MR's credit?? Or would they credit anyway if I close it by Tuesday when the fee is due? That $175 is hard to stomach. Would they prorate a refund if I close it a couple weeks after I pay it?

Whew, did you follow all that?

 

[MrPTato]

Yeah, the drive back sucks. Actually, for you, probably the beginning of the drive down will suck too having to come through NY/NJ/PA before even hitting the headache of Baltimore and DC. Once you hit VA it's pretty flat and open so if you time it right it's just smooth sailing from there. Monotonous but smooth.

That's the part of the drive that allows me to agree to do it again, until we get going and by the time we're passing PHL I'm wondering why are we doing this when there's a perfectly good airport RIGHT THERE with SW flights 6-8 times a day to MCO and by the time we get to DC we could be there by now! But hubby is a strange creature that likes to drive. I do not understand this fascination.

I prefer straight through the night runs, which works great getting down there, not so much on the way back. So last one we did split it up where we got a hotel wherever we were when we got tired and then finished it off the next day. The two days travel is just too much in the car time for me, and even hubby agrees to a limit, we both prefer 18 hours or less journeys after our FL experiments. But on the plus side it makes the 5 hour trips to Pittsburgh seem like a cake walk now.

We drove to Philly last year...the ride wasn't toooooo terrible. The only headache was NY traffic and trying to get onto the bridge. NJ wasn't all that bad, and Philly was just down right terrible.

 

[Judique]

I absolutely love flying. Driving makes me so stressed that I get a headache and I’m not even the one driving. There are too many idiots on the road and a bunch of rubber neckers

When I was your age I also loved flying. In fact, I took lessons when I was 17 in a Piper Cherokee. I never did get my license because the guy who was teaching me moved on to another location and there were no other close options where I lived. And then in my very early 40ties I developed a lot of anxieties, flying, heights, big long bridges like the 4 and 1/2 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge. I used to drive it myself but then 1 day I couldn't. I have no problem with other people flying and loving it.

 

[Haley R]

When I was your age I also loved flying. In fact, I took lessons when I was 17 in a Piper Cherokee. I never did get my license because the guy who was teaching me moved on to another location and there were no other close options where I lived. And then in my very early 40ties I developed a lot of anxieties, flying, heights, big long bridges like the 4 and 1/2 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge. I used to drive it myself but then 1 day I couldn't. I have no problem with other people flying and loving it.

I get anxiety on car trips especially if I have to wake up early. It’s gotten much better because I’ve kind of trained myself to get through it. It started in college out of nowhere. I would get shortness of breath and have to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes. They ended up giving my anxiety medicine but that made me loopy so now I just try to breath through it if it starts and put cold air on myself

 

[Judique]

South Carolina can be a nightmare. 95 is only two lanes in a lot of parts and I've spent a lot of time stuck in SC. Makes a 900 mile ride with kids and a dog almost unbearable.

It always seems to be the part just before the Charleston exit and then maybe exit 30ish to the Hilton Head exit 8. We use a traffic app of some kind to watch for this. I'm usually there mid morning so not usually a problem but 4pm is worse. I'll detour or cut off towards HH if that's where I'm going.

 

[PolyRob]

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[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

They are so awkward when you call to cancel. They did the same thing to me and @speedyfishy.

And yes, I've done both of my Citi cards for both of us under the same name. I did do different logins for each card, but honestly I doubt that really matters.

How long did you wait to apply for #2? Should I wait a day or 2? Or can I just go for it today? I hate that I feel like I'm "wasting" my money right now because I'm not going for a spend, LOL

 

[Haley R]

I would 100% go for CIP2. Higher SUB, smaller AF, and you can get 20,000 referral URs (Only CSP has a referral right now, not CSR). The CIPpy cup may dry up at anytime whereas the CSR's current offer has been the same since I started reading this thread back in August of 2018. You can do CIP2, then get DH CIP3 when you are ready for your next card if the CIPpy cup is still flowing.

So Dh will have to close his CSR at the end of July. I don’t see us booking anything anytime soon but that would get rid of our option to use the 1.5x on the travel portal if I go for the CIP

 

[speedyfishy]

We won’t do two cards at once. Which one do you think I should get first?

I would 100% go for CIP2. Higher SUB, smaller AF, and you can get 20,000 referral URs (Only CSP has a referral right now, not CSR). The CIPpy cup may dry up at anytime whereas the CSR's current offer has been the same since I started reading this thread back in August of 2018. You can do CIP2, then get DH CIP3 when you are ready for your next card if the CIPpy cup is still flowing.

Oh oops I didn’t realize the CSR still doesn’t have referrals. I would have done that first so you can close your DHs

 

[happ]

If anyone needs to put some small spend on a sock drawered card or top off MSR, Swagbucks has their discounted purchase going on. This time it’s buy 2000 Swagbucks ($20) for $19. You can buy up to 3 times.

For your first cash out of the month you can get a $25 virtual visa for 2175 Swagbucks. They are sometimes a pain to redeem but seem to work well when added to your PayPal account and used with PayPal checkout. You can also get Walmart giftcards ($25 for 2200 Swagbucks) and use those to get discounted Disney GC at Sams Club.

I've been doing this the past few days and slowly finishing up a spend. When I cashed out to paypal again today I second guessed myself wondering if I'll be getting a 1099 come tax time.

 

[Haley R]

Oh oops I didn’t realize the CSR still doesn’t have referrals. I would have done that first so you can close your DHs

I was thinking this too so we can keep the 1.5x. I’ll have to talk to Dh when we get a moment and he isn’t driving lol

 

[Judique]

We drove to Philly last year...the ride wasn't toooooo terrible. The only headache was NY traffic and trying to get onto the bridge. NJ wasn't all that bad, and Philly was just down right terrible.

I go 30 miles out of my way to avoid the city bridges. Garden State Pkwy and NJ Turnpike. I contend it saves time. I know it saves predictable traffic backups. But this way can certainly have it's problems, such as accidents or construction also. I've gone both ways dozens and dozens of times as inlaws live in DC and my relatives are all pretty much in the north.

 

[speedyfishy]

SO's year anniversary for the CSR is coming up in July. Do you guys think I can call my dreams unlimited travel agent and pay another $300 to my adventures by Disney and get reimbursed for that? Does anyone know if Dreams codes as travel or are they just paying Disney for me? can I call and make multiple payments before my trip?

 

[miztressuz]

We drove to Philly last year...the ride wasn't toooooo terrible. The only headache was NY traffic and trying to get onto the bridge. NJ wasn't all that bad, and Philly was just down right terrible.

Preach!
So I guess take that, add another NY or Philly to cover the Baltimore/DC leg, and then just add another 10+ hours to it. Really IME, after DC and Northern VA (or before it, depending on your direction) it's mostly just dealing with being cooped up in a car. If you go during the day you hit pockets of traffic but pretty normal experiences for the most part; at night, it flies. Idling through VA on the way to DC on a Sunday afternoon felt like being back in Philly or Manhattan during rush hour.

 

[Haley R]

I just realized I’m not sure how we would double dip on dh’s CSR travel credit because I don’t see us having any travel expenses coming up in July

 

[platamama]

I'm watching UAL business saver fares for my August Japan trip, EWR to NRT , just to see if there is a pattern in when they are released. I'm finding no pattern, but 10 months out seems to be the sweet spot, several business saver fares offered mid April. Absolutely nothing is showing for the month of May, which is the earliest you can book a flight and 11 months out.

4 months and prior nothing at all to be found.

You need to consider seasons as well. Mid April is not as popular a time for travel as summer is (especially for families who are tied to a school schedule), so airlines don't have much incentive to put out many award tickets in the summer. Have your Plan A, but best make a Plan B (& C) if you have your heart set on award travel.

On the UR accrual front, I saw this posted on DoC for 60,000URs for Chase Sapphire Banking that maybe you could do?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I just realized I’m not sure how we would double dip on dh’s CSR travel credit because I don’t see us having any travel expenses coming up in July

Refundable SW fare for the win

 

[miztressuz]

I'm in for another $60 today. Trying to knock out a citi ty retention offer.

Wonder what your 2nd goal will be like in a week

Although I'm not sure why I care, it's not like I can hardly make mine now anyway. What's the diff between 150 and 500 if I can barely make 50 cents some days? If I keep repeating that, maybe I can convince myself to go for some spend then.