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

[snugglebug]

Do you invest with Fidelity at all? I enjoy my Fidelity cash management accounts. I use them as my vacation and house sinking funds. But all our investments are also at Fidelity which makes things nice. Plus we use Chase and a local credit union. I am no longer interested in opening more bank accounts at this point.

I don't use Fidelity for anything other than holding the $400 that's in there. My travel fund is in PNC, I have the higher interest rate there.

Fidelity is the only one I kept because it has fee-free ATM privileges, including international ATMs, with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. But, I also have a brokerage & a Roth with them. It might not make sense if you don't hit the ATM that much and have your investments elsewhere.

Might be good to hang on to for international travel then.

Fidelity offers select trades commission free, but if that’s your thing a few brokers offer that. As for the bank account, it has benefits for international travel but Schwab’s checking account is better- if you can get that one instead I see 0 reason to keep Fidelity.

I’m biased on Ellevest. Imho- Ellevest can suck it. My bonus and referral should have been released to me over 3 weeks ago and Ellevest just can’t figure out what’s going wrong. The founder stepped back/sold her position after raising a bunch of money this year and expanding the business with that $50 referral offer. Hey, if this is the top I want out too. I can’t WAIT to shut that thing down.

My Ellevest payments finally credited, I ended up making $200 on it. I can't find any reason to keep it though.

I feel like I have money all over the place and it's time to reel it all in to one so I can see exactly what I have even though I check each acct on Fridays. Part of me wants to close Aspiration, but if Swagbucks comes back with that as a cash out option I want to use it.

 

[PolyRob]

Yes and my 40th is Good Friday so that is when I was looking too.

What a great way to celebrate! It will be such a small world if we end up on the same cruise!!

I've never done a 3 night...way too short. Four night is about right if you're combining it with a WDW trip. I'm very prone to motion sickness. I've been on 23 cruises from 4 days to 13 days in all kind of seas including 25-foot swell. I take Dramamine. In normal or light swells I don't need to take anything. I do take Dramine when visiting Universal. I'm ok for the first 3 or 4 coaster/simulator rides and then I start to get sick. The key is pre-medicating once you get seasick it's too late.

Our first cruise was a 4 day. We didn't leave Port Canaveral until 4 am due to a tropical storm. I didn't take any meds and I was so sick I wished I was dead. Seasickness is the worst feeling in the world. The following three days the sea was as smooth as glass and it ended up being the best vacation ever. I've been hooked on cruising ever since. I'm the only one in my family that suffers from seasickness. My DH never gets seasick, but he has a hard time with rollercoasters. My kids never get seasick, but they get carsick. . You just never know until you try it. Simulators may bother you, but rolling around in the ocean may not. I would just recommend having meclizine or Dramamine on hand just in case.

Wow, 23 cruises! That is so exciting!! Thank you for the tip about the medication. I always travel with dramamine in my bag. My sister has felt woozy on flights and I don't do well with the simulators so it is good to have. I only took it once when there were bad storms and the flight attendants warned us it would be bumpy and they most likely would not get out of their seats. I did preemptively take it before Universal and was fine all day! I took it before trying Mission Space Orange and that was a no-no!!

I suffer from motion sickness. Simpsons, Mission Space, and teacups come to mind as rides I cannot handle. I've been on 3 cruises and have never gotten so sick I wouldn't go on one. Just have some meds handy just in case!

Thank you for the reassurance! I guess it really is different when you have fake/real motion. I've been on ferry boats and stuff and have been fine. Obviously different, but my only comparison. I have no problem taking it so I may just pop one daily to be safe

 

[PolyRob]

For those looking for Disney World resort discounts for Jan/Feb/Mar:

According to what I feel is a reputable source: Discounts may come out Tuesday. It's also possible that Tuesday won't happen so don't shoot the messenger if I'm wrong.

Anything can change, I'd still check on Monday. (I feel it's VERY safe to say they won't happen on a weekend, I've never seen Disney release discounts over a weekend). Perhaps we could see a Visa Discount release on Monday but it seems signs are pointing to Tuesday.

I can't share what this source is but it's more than a bus driver rumor, I'll just say that. Happy weekend everybody!

Ahhh... it must have been Skyliner CM then

Wooo so exciting! I have a room I would love a discount on and I would also consider a Jan/Feb room if I can score something reasonable.

 

[afan]

What a great way to celebrate! It will be such a small world if we end up on the same cruise!!

Wow, 23 cruises! That is so exciting!! Thank you for the tip about the medication. I always travel with dramamine in my bag. My sister has felt woozy on flights and I don't do well with the simulators so it is good to have. I only took it once when there were bad storms and the flight attendants warned us it would be bumpy and they most likely would not get out of their seats. I did preemptively take it before Universal and was fine all day! I took it before trying Mission Space Orange and that was a no-no!!

Thank you for the reassurance! I guess it really is different when you have fake/real motion. I've been on ferry boats and stuff and have been fine. Obviously different, but my only comparison. I have no problem taking it so I may just pop one daily to be safe

I think it all depends. I have problems on parts of minions, the simpsons, transformer and hp because it's trying to simulate real stuff but you aren't moving like you are on a rollercoaster etc. I am fine on fop and generally ok on star tours. I haven't had issues on the ferry's or boats I've been on but have started to not feel well when snorkeling in somewhat rough water in hawaii and when horseback riding because my horse wanted to do more than just walk and the up and down was too much. ToT will get me too if I don't take meclizine before because of the up and down. So for me it's two things, it's either the disconnect between the screen and what you are doing or it's the up and down.

Of course then you add in that I have ear crystals that like to get loose and cause issues too and if I don't take meclizine each day I'm at WDW or anywhere I'm doing rides, I'm going to have issues from all the head movement. The past two trips were good though, I didn't have to do the epley maneuver to put the crystals back in place during the trip which was nice. But it's been all about learning to manage it, knowing triggers and early signs. Makes hitting my head worse because that'll knock them loose sometimes too. It all becomes avoiding being dizzy and the worse vertigo.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I have completed something that is LOOOONG overdue...
I have UPDATED the Hotel Reviews Thread Index

• I've changed the format slightly because it was WAY too much work to link to everything. Now you'll each review listed with a page number.
• If you've never had a chance to read through this thread it's REALLY neat
• Anybody can contribute new reviews to the thread. If possible start your review with a clear name of the hotel being reviewed in Bold. This will make it easier for me to update the index in the future!

Thanks to everybody who has contributed to that thread. I think people enjoy doing a write-up and reliving fun hotels that they stayed at! I certainly enjoy reading them!

 

[calypso726]

Drive by post:

If anyone wants to follow along, I am posting a TR on the ABD forum. Here’s the link https://www.disboards.com/threads/japan-adults-only-9-29-19.3771628/#post-61113800

I actually like the Park Hyatt Tokyo and am glad I am staying here. 60k UR transferred to Hyatt and well spent. I’ll do a review on our hotel thread later. The service is outstanding! It’s about a 15 minute walk to Shinjuku station and not close to anything I planned so we got to experience public transportation. The hotel allows you to get a Suica card (pre paid reloadable) and load it by charging to the room which is great. We’ve been using it to pay for the trains and subways as well as the vending machines.

Today we played with digital light exhibits and hung out with owls.

 

[DisMommyTX]

What a great way to celebrate! It will be such a small world if we end up on the same cruise!!

Wow, 23 cruises! That is so exciting!! Thank you for the tip about the medication. I always travel with dramamine in my bag. My sister has felt woozy on flights and I don't do well with the simulators so it is good to have. I only took it once when there were bad storms and the flight attendants warned us it would be bumpy and they most likely would not get out of their seats. I did preemptively take it before Universal and was fine all day! I took it before trying Mission Space Orange and that was a no-no!!

Thank you for the reassurance! I guess it really is different when you have fake/real motion. I've been on ferry boats and stuff and have been fine. Obviously different, but my only comparison. I have no problem taking it so I may just pop one daily to be safe

We love cruising, but my son and I both suffer from pretty awful motion sickness. We have found that Bonine works better than Dramamine with far less side effects. I take it every day when cruising, DH only if it gets rough. Both of my kids use sea bands, which really seem to work great for them, plus half a Bonine occasionally as needed. I never understand people who try to tough it out; why suffer and make the trip worse for everyone around you too? Try different kinds in advance to see what works best for you.

 

[PolyRob]

I think it all depends. I have problems on parts of minions, the simpsons, transformer and hp because it's trying to simulate real stuff but you aren't moving like you are on a rollercoaster etc. I am fine on fop and generally ok on star tours. I haven't had issues on the ferry's or boats I've been on but have started to not feel well when snorkeling in somewhat rough water in hawaii and when horseback riding because my horse wanted to do more than just walk and the up and down was too much. ToT will get me too if I don't take meclizine before because of the up and down. So for me it's two things, it's either the disconnect between the screen and what you are doing or it's the up and down.

Of course then you add in that I have ear crystals that like to get loose and cause issues too and if I don't take meclizine each day I'm at WDW or anywhere I'm doing rides, I'm going to have issues from all the head movement. The past two trips were good though, I didn't have to do the epley maneuver to put the crystals back in place during the trip which was nice. But it's been all about learning to manage it, knowing triggers and early signs. Makes hitting my head worse because that'll knock them loose sometimes too. It all becomes avoiding being dizzy and the worse vertigo.

Star Tours was a dealbreaker for me! I didn't try it with any medication, but it was a once and done. Maybe I would have tried more if I was SW obsessed LOL

I will look into meclizine and see how it works compared to the Dramamine! I feel like I always found Dramamine more readily available at my local Target, but I see Bonine online! I actually bought another Dramamine a few weeks back under a promo, but I can always return it.

We love cruising, but my son and I both suffer from pretty awful motion sickness. We have found that Bonine works better than Dramamine with far less side effects. I take it every day when cruising, DH only if it gets rough. Both of my kids use sea bands, which really seem to work great for them, plus half a Bonine occasionally as needed. I never understand people who try to tough it out; why suffer and make the trip worse for everyone around you too? Try different kinds in advance to see what works best for you.

Thank you for suggestions! It looks like Bonine/meclizine is very popular. I definitely 100% would not be the one to try and tough it out. I would take whatever it is starting before I got on the ship HAHA I forgot about the wristbands. I will look them up too! I also feel like I read about a patch somewhere, but I think that requires and Rx?!

 

[kylenne]

Star Tours was a dealbreaker for me! I didn't try it with any medication, but it was a once and done. Maybe I would have tried more if I was SW obsessed LOL

I will look into meclizine and see how it works compared to the Dramamine! I feel like I always found Dramamine more readily available at my local Target, but I see Bonine online! I actually bought another Dramamine a few weeks back under a promo, but I can always return it.


Thank you for suggestions! It looks like Bonine/meclizine is very popular. I definitely 100% would not be the one to try and tough it out. I would take whatever it is starting before I got on the ship HAHA I forgot about the wristbands. I will look them up too! I also feel like I read about a patch somewhere, but I think that requires and Rx?!

I swear by Bonine, it doesn’t make me drowsy at all and I don’t feel “stoned” the way Dramamine gets me. It is a lot harder to find though, generally I can only get it at Walgreens.

Weirdly enough I’m fine on simulator rides, it’s coasters and transportation that can make me sick. Only time it happened on a ship was on Navigator of the Seas on the way back to Rome (Civitavecchia), one night we had rough seas and I got horribly dizzy and had to spend the whole night after dinner lying down. We were on deck 11 so up fairly high. I’ve heard lower decks are better for motion because you don’t feel it as much.

 

[Tikitoi]

We did WDW first and then the cruise. The cruise is more relaxing, so it was nice to unwind after a few busy park days.

This was us too when we did a Cruise and the parks. Parks first then on our way for a nice relaxing cruise.

 

[mfly]

We love cruising, but my son and I both suffer from pretty awful motion sickness. We have found that Bonine works better than Dramamine with far less side effects. I take it every day when cruising, DH only if it gets rough. Both of my kids use sea bands, which really seem to work great for them, plus half a Bonine occasionally as needed. I never understand people who try to tough it out; why suffer and make the trip worse for everyone around you too? Try different kinds in advance to see what works best for you.

We used Bonine during our cruise this past spring as well - it worked wonders for me! I get motion sickness pretty easily, so I was nervous about our 7 night cruise. I took it twice a day (if I remember correctly) and never felt any motion sickness. I also didn’t feel any side effects from taking it.

We looked into the patch and I even got one prescribed before we left just in case, but my doctor recommended I try just Bonine first, as the patch can have some pretty strong adverse side effects for some people and you won’t know until it’s too late.

 

[schmass]

I feel like I have money all over the place and it's time to reel it all in to one so I can see exactly what I have even though I check each acct on Fridays. Part of me wants to close Aspiration, but if Swagbucks comes back with that as a cash out option I want to use it.

I feel the exact same way about the money in so many different accounts. It’s time for me to close a couple. Especially since I want more bonuses!

 

[schmass]

@PolyRob I agree with those saying to sandwich the cruise between WDW stays! It’s kind of hard to understand how sad it is to leave the ship on that last morning, but knowing that you’re going to WDW certainly helps!

One trip we did 2 nights in a studio at the Poly, 7 night Eastern cruise, a night at BCV and then a night at SSR. By the end of that we actually felt like it was time to go home.

 

[elgerber]

Motion sickness and I are old adversaries. I have a patch on right now, for the plane ride, FoP and Smugglers Run. Star Tours doesn't even sit well with Meclizine anymore. Maybe with the patch I will try it, or I will just shop, as usual while they ride. The patch is a godsend to me, it got me through a cruise in a hurricane, I could not believe it worked that well! My OBGYN gives me a standing prescription for them at my annual visit LOL, she is the best.

 

[tink1970]

I also feel like I read about a patch somewhere, but I think that requires and Rx?!

The patch is a godsend to me, it got me through a cruise in a hurricane, I could not believe it worked that well!

@PolyRob There is a prescription patch (transderm scop/scopolamine) and it can be very effective, if you can tolerate the side effects. My dear dear mother, bless her heart, swears by them and always wears one to fly, cruise and even...shm...for our river cruise this past June (serious overkill since river cruises have very little motion).

I get all sorts of motion sick except seasick-only twice in all the times I've been on boats and cruises-once in high waves/rough seas on a sailboat and my very first cruise on DCL when the waves were >20' and the Captain had come on to warn about rough seas and seasickness. Now I just throw bonine and ginger candy in my travel purse just in case and request ginger ale in my cool box (when I'm traveling in concierge). When I'm completely prepared, I'm never sick so Murphy's law.

I'm excited for you as you contemplate your first cruise-please don't hesitate to ask any questions you have-many of us have cruised before and that's how the mouse receives the majority of my $$$ now.

 

[amalone1013]

I have completed something that is LOOOONG overdue...
I have UPDATED the Hotel Reviews Thread Index

• I've changed the format slightly because it was WAY too much work to link to everything. Now you'll each review listed with a page number.
• If you've never had a chance to read through this thread it's REALLY neat
• Anybody can contribute new reviews to the thread. If possible start your review with a clear name of the hotel being reviewed in Bold. This will make it easier for me to update the index in the future!

Thanks to everybody who has contributed to that thread. I think people enjoy doing a write-up and reliving fun hotels that they stayed at! I certainly enjoy reading them!

Thanks so much for taking this on!!

 

[KEGintheSEA]

First I would recommend not closing any cards until they have been open a year, it can really anger the card issuers and you want to stay in there good graces. So you are 5/24 if all of those store cards count, I don't have any personal experience with the VS or Jc Penney's cards, but maybe someone who does will pipe. If you are 5/24 this locks you out of chase, without any cards falling off until 5/2020. Typically we would recommend that you start with chase cards as they have lucrative sign up bonuses. Some more questions for you, how much spend do you typically have for a given month. What airline are you looking for flights? Are you open to apply for business cards?

I want to close my flexperks gold AMEX card before being charged the AF, so if closing prior to March is ill-advised, I'll just keep it open until then.

I'm pretty sure the store cards count. Drat, that VS card put me over! oh well.

Typical monthly spend averages between 1.5k to 2k, but if I can convince my bf to be p2, we'd be between 3.5 - 4k
I live in Seattle and prefer flying Delta, Southwest, or Alaska, not opposed to AA, refuse to fly United.
I don't have a business and don't intend to start one just for the purpose of churning (at least not yet), so no business cards for now.

My primary goal for churning is just cheaper travel (airfare and/or accommodations) so we can spend money on the fun stuff (entertainment, experiences, food/drink, etc.).

 

[amalone1013]

Booo, how am I supposed to sneak in my phone calls at work today when a coworker is over in the corner that isn't supposed to be here???

 

[amalone1013]

Guess who's in Denver tonight....


The group we missed seeing at F&W since we left early!!

 

[elgerber]

@PolyRob There is a prescription patch (transderm scop/scopolamine) and it can be very effective, if you can tolerate the side effects. My dear dear mother, bless her heart, swears by them and always wears one to fly, cruise and even...shm...for our river cruise this past June (serious overkill since river cruises have very little motion).

I get all sorts of motion sick except seasick-only twice in all the times I've been on boats and cruises-once in high waves/rough seas on a sailboat and my very first cruise on DCL when the waves were >20' and the Captain had come on to warn about rough seas and seasickness. Now I just throw bonine and ginger candy in my travel purse just in case and request ginger ale in my cool box (when I'm traveling in concierge). When I'm completely prepared, I'm never sick so Murphy's law.

I'm excited for you as you contemplate your first cruise-please don't hesitate to ask any questions you have-many of us have cruised before and that's how the mouse receives the majority of my $$$ now.

I am grateful that I do not have side effects from the patch, knock on wood. DD has eye issues when she wears it though.