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

[mom2elal]

Jumping in on the library conversation...

I just found out recently that here in CA, you can get a library card for the larger cities (SF, LA, SD, Sac that I know of) even if you don't live there, as long as you're a CA resident. You do have to physically go into the library to get the card, but after that you can use it online. I've recently started using Libby/Overdrive, mostly for audiobooks, and our local system would only let me have 4 holds and 4 checkouts at a time. I got a card for Sacramento library and they let me have 30 of each! I'm LOVING using Libby for audiobooks.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Not @CyndiLouWho, but I wanted to answer too because I was very much like this as a kid. I was born anxious. When I was 4 I can remember being in bed at night and feeling terrified the house was going to catch on fire.

It's continued throughout my entire life. As a child, it was kidnappers, floods, tornadoes, lions in the woods. As an adult, it's health issues, natural disasters, terrible things happening to my kids.

I have to carefully monitor what I "take in" to be sure my anxiety doesn't flare up any worse than it usually does. No cancer books, no dead kid movies, no climate change reports.

Not sure if @CyndiLouWho 's kid is a generally anxious kid like I was, or if it's something deeper, but I wanted to answer since this is such a loaded question. For years I tried to minimize or fight my anxiety because people told me I was scared of everything or I worried too much. Now, I realize it's a part of who I am. I've turned out great, my kids are happy and healthy, and I'm excellent at car seat installation and water safety it's a win win.

Yep this is my kid. He was scared of the house burning down and didn’t want us to use the furnace because ‘there’s fire in there’ at age 5. Most things we can work through. But we do try to avoid obvious triggers. He gets to pick the books or movies we watch. I have a little bit of it too. Not bad, but I’m not a good sleeper and take a long time to go to sleep because I’m thinking of all those things. And after our house flooded, I can’t watch weather reports of flooding or natural disasters, it’s like PTSD. We don’t watch the news in our house, ever. I read bits of the news here and there and keep up but I can’t watch it all in one shot.

 

[mom2elal]

Somebody (@DisneyMandC maybe?) mentioned mostly listening to audiobooks. Do you have any you recommend? I had never listened to an audiobook until the beginning of this year and now I have one going every day on my commute to work. So far, I've loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Graveyard Book and Magpie Murders. I'm finding that I'm totally a sucker for a narrator with an accent.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Wow, all of you who accompany your non-precheck spouse through the regular security line are making me feel bad for leaving DH alone in the regular line. Although suffering through the regular line while I went through precheck did inspire DH to get his GE application submitted so maybe I won't feel too badly.

Well if you did GE and he wouldn’t then it’s kind of on him. My DH just got it free on his boarding pass once. OTOH not sure how much it would help to have him standing around waiting for me on the other side anyway. He’d be waiting either way.

 

[Livelovedance]

Thank you all for the information! I applied for the card because I got the mailer saying I was “preselected” for the card. I’ll laugh if I don’t get approved because I don’t have a relationship with them. If that's the case, they shouldn’t have sent me the mailer lol.

Hi everyone! Just popping back in (for anyone that was interested) to say that I ended up getting approved for the BoA Cash rewards card I was asking about earlier this month. Thanks again for the information everyone shared!

 

[mmmears]

Mostly just his personality. Some people have anxiety. He does verbalize and acknowledge his early losses. Being adopted, he is well aware that his birth mom and dad abandoned him. He takes that loss to heart and is afraid of losing the family he has now. My dad died when DS was 4, they were very close. He spent months and months worried that DH and I would die and leave him. We had to make a pact that even though we all have to die, we will meet in heaven. It did give him some comfort. Even now, he worries, mostly about me. So the things he is scared of in books involve injury or death, which he directly applies to his family.
So the Fortnight commercials show guys with guns. Guns can kill Mom or Dad. Nightmare.
Same with the tsunami, volcanoes, sharks. “No mom, volcanoes can kill you. Do you want to die? I don’t want to lose you.” We just try to work through it and avoid obvious triggers. But irrational fears are..well, irrational.

I'm sorry he has to deal with anxiety, and can see why he has issues with many books. So many stories and movies for kids, going all the way back to the old fairy tales, are about kids who have either lost their mother or are orphans. I took a children's lit class for fun in college, and this came up because it goes far back to the stories that were passed verbally from one generation to another, and in all cultures. It's just a device storytellers use so they can put kids in danger or give them more autonomy than a normal child would have, because this child doesn't have a mother looking out for him/her. But since it's everywhere I can see why it could be an issue. DD asked about it when she was little and seemed happy when I explained it to her, because there sure are a lot of orphaned and abandoned kids out there in the literary world.

ETA - My DD loved non-fiction books as well as fiction. She enjoyed reading about space, mummies, fairies, marine life, and even the Guiness book of World Records (a bunch of kids loved it and would read it in the school library on rainy days).

Somebody (@DisneyMandC maybe?) mentioned mostly listening to audiobooks. Do you have any you recommend? I had never listened to an audiobook until the beginning of this year and now I have one going every day on my commute to work. So far, I've loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Graveyard Book and Magpie Murders. I'm finding that I'm totally a sucker for a narrator with an accent.

I listen to books when waiting for an appt or sometimes to help me fall asleep. I love the Harry Potter series narrated by Jim Dale - he really brings the books to life and is my fave, and has a British accent. We have To Kill a Mockingbird (read by Sissy Spacek I believe) and that one is good, too. When the reader is too intense or has an annoying voice I really can't listen well. Oh, and 4 of the 5 Game of Thrones books are narrated by someone who's nice to listen to, but the reader for the one he didn't do really doesn't work for me. I tried Outlander but didn't like it.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I can see why he has issues with books. So many stories and movies for kids, going all the way back to the old fairy tales, are about kids who have either lost their mother or are orphans. I took a children's lit class for fun in college, and this came up because it goes far back to the stories that were passed verbally from one generation to another, and in all cultures. It's just a device storytellers use so they can put kids in danger or give them more autonomy than a normal child would have, because this child doesn't have a mother looking out for him/her. But since it's everywhere I can see why it could be an issue. DD asked about it when she was little and seemed happy when I explained it to her, because there sure are a lot of orphaned and abandoned kids out there in the literary world.

It is very common in kids books and Disney movies. Lol. We joke that every Disney movie kills off a parent, usually Mom. Like Finding Nemo. First 5 minutes. Mom and 299 kids die, Dad left to raise handicapped son alone. Happy ending and all, but some kids have a hard time in the beginning with those movies. Surprisingly one of DSs favorite movies is Despicable Me. He was watching at my sister’s house and I hadn’t seen it before. When they get to the part where Gru takes the girls back to the orphanage, I was horrified. I didn’t say anything, waiting for him to react. He didn’t say anything until later but we were able to point out how Gru realized what a mistake he made and how the girls changed his heart. And how we would never give him back.
There are books we start reading and out of nowhere bam a parent dies in the story. Generally he just decides he doesn’t want to read the rest of the book. Sometimes it is hard to find books that avoid those themes which is probably why he prefers the goofy funny books like Wimpy Kid.

 

[Lain]

Also any news on the Centurion at JFK? We are flying out of JFK in April and hoping it's open by then.

This is happening??? Do you know if it will be after security and what terminal? I hate LGA is before security. I like being through security early lol

It’s supposed to be happening. Lax, lhr, Jfk and Cleveland are all getting centurion lounges.

JFK, DEN, and LAX Centurion Lounges are all supposed to open in “early” or “first half” of 2019.

https://thepointsguy.com/2018/01/amex-centurion-lounge-jfk/

https://www.businesstraveller.com/b...unge-demand-as-premium-card-membership-grows/

https://thepointsguy.com/news/amex-centurion-lounge-den/

https://onemileatatime.com/centurion-lounge-lax-opening-2019/

LHR is coming in 2019: https://thepointsguy.com/news/centurion-lounge-london-heathrow/

PHX is rumored for late 2019 or early 2020: https://thepointsguy.com/news/phoenix-sky-harbor-may-be-getting-an-amex-centurion-lounge/

Charlotte is coming in 2020: https://thepointsguy.com/news/centurion-lounge-charlotte/

AFAIK, there are no plans to open a Centurion Lounge in Cleveland.

Relatedly, the Escape Lounge, which the Amex Platinum gives access to, is expanding to Sacramento (SMF) and Ontario (ONT).

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/sacr...lounges-free-access-for-platinum-cardholders/

https://airlinegeeks.com/2019/02/03/ontario-airport-opens-new-premium-airport-lounge-at-t2/

 

[afan]

Because they had a fee-free card for a year and didn't want to keep it? I'm planning to cancel DH's gold AmEx before we have to pay the AF, and am not positive on the best timing.

Always wait a year until the AF hits then cancel before it's due. I would do this even if it wasn't a new card unless I needed the slot or was going to churn. Amex and Chase are sensitive to when the card is cancelled, especially the first year. There's generally no reason to cancel one of their cards prior to a year.

 

[platamama]

Amex Gold cardmembers, check your account/email to see if you’re targeted for an AU bonus:

• Add new additional card members to your account through this e-mail and earn 5,000 Membership Rewards points after they spend $500 in eligible purchases on their card in the first 3 months of card membership (limit of 20,000 points). Offer ends April 14th, 2019.

See: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/new-...bonuses-hilton-everything-you-need-to-know-2/

Note, Amex requires you to provide SSN information for the AU(s) within 60 days after the card is issued. AUs have to be 13+ years old. In the past, people have added AU cards, hit the $500 spend quickly, then the bonus will post. However, Amex will close AU cards that are not registered with DOB and SSN after 60 days. Unclear how Amex will treat bonuses obtained on AU cards without providing SSN and ultimately closed going forward.

Hmmm, wondering if DD can be AU on both DH's and my Gold cards. Sign her up, spend $500 on each AU card. I can't see any reason why she can't be an AU on each of our cards.

Activated the cards...went and made 2 small deposits, went to another place a couple hours later and made 2 more deposits. Tried to log in and the info was incorrect (the info was 100% correct when I tired, so I know I didn't lock them). I called and am being told they are restricted and they have to review and they will let me know in 8-10 business days.

I'm sorry you had issues with the Serve cards. That makes me nervous. I got mine, activated it, but am holding off on adding any funds until March 1 so that I don't get hit with the monthly fee for Feb. Please post again when things get worked out!

It’s supposed to be happening. Lax, lhr, Jfk and Cleveland are all getting centurion lounges.

So is DEN!!!

 

[Angrose]

Thanks for this! Ours is this Friday. I have prepped DS, asking him his birthdate, place of birth, address, etc. I did forewarn him that they are like police and may have guns. He doesn’t seem overly worried yet although the mention of guns brought

You’re welcome! We had a female agent and I don’t recall seeing a gun on her. I feel like I would’ve noticed that. She was very serious but nice. I’m sure you’ll be fine!

 

[Lain]

Hmmm, wondering if DD can be AU on both DH's and my Gold cards. Sign her up, spend $500 on each AU card. I can't see any reason why she can't be an AU on each of our cards.

I don’t see why not!

 

[Haley R]

That is an odd place to use a stolen cc.... all this book talk perhaps it was Captain Underpants??!!!

Haha well now we think the whole thing is a scam because we don’t see a charge on our account. Dh looked up the number and people have reported them texting and calling to say they are chase and you have a fraud alert. Then they ask for all of your info. He said he’ll call chase tomorrow and see what’s going on

 

[Haley R]

If you set up an account with Mint.com (or another like that) you can easily monitor all your charges daily. At one point when I had 30 cards or so open this was key to make sure that no unexpected expenses occur. I typically login once every day or 2, it takes a few minutes to update, then I just check all charges (posted and pending) to make sure I recognize them.

Dh has had a mint account for a couple years now. He mainly uses it for our budget to see if we’re ever going over for the month. I’m not sure he checks the charges but he might have to now.

 

[Haley R]

Not @CyndiLouWho, but I wanted to answer too because I was very much like this as a kid. I was born anxious. When I was 4 I can remember being in bed at night and feeling terrified the house was going to catch on fire.

It's continued throughout my entire life. As a child, it was kidnappers, floods, tornadoes, lions in the woods. As an adult, it's health issues, natural disasters, terrible things happening to my kids.

I have to carefully monitor what I "take in" to be sure my anxiety doesn't flare up any worse than it usually does. No cancer books, no dead kid movies, no climate change reports.

Not sure if @CyndiLouWho 's kid is a generally anxious kid like I was, or if it's something deeper, but I wanted to answer since this is such a loaded question. For years I tried to minimize or fight my anxiety because people told me I was scared of everything or I worried too much. Now, I realize it's a part of who I am. I've turned out great, my kids are happy and healthy, and I'm excellent at car seat installation and water safety it's a win win.

That makes total sense. I was terrified as a kid that someone was going to come into our house. I slept on my parents’ floor until about 6th grade. If I slept in my room I would sleep on the floor in between my bed and wall with stuffed animals and pillows surrounding me. I’m still nervous about someone coming in our house today so I watch 0 scary movies. I can’t do any kind of scary movies. I can watch things like supernatural because those aren’t realistic. I watched the movie prisoners a few years back, which is a fantastic movie, but I couldn’t sleep for a week. I wish I could watch scary movies but I need sleep more.

 

[Haley R]

Mostly just his personality. Some people have anxiety. He does verbalize and acknowledge his early losses. Being adopted, he is well aware that his birth mom and dad abandoned him. He takes that loss to heart and is afraid of losing the family he has now. My dad died when DS was 4, they were very close. He spent months and months worried that DH and I would die and leave him. We had to make a pact that even though we all have to die, we will meet in heaven. It did give him some comfort. Even now, he worries, mostly about me. So the things he is scared of in books involve injury or death, which he directly applies to his family.
So the Fortnight commercials show guys with guns. Guns can kill Mom or Dad. Nightmare.
Same with the tsunami, volcanoes, sharks. “No mom, volcanoes can kill you. Do you want to die? I don’t want to lose you.” We just try to work through it and avoid obvious triggers. But irrational fears are..well, irrational.

I can definitely see why he might have some anxiety then. Has he read any of the wayside school books? They’re kind of silly. I liked the book chocolate fever as a kid but idk if he would think that’s real or not. Any of the Judy Blume books? The lemonade wars series is pretty good too

 

[miztressuz]

Wow, all of you who accompany your non-precheck spouse through the regular security line are making me feel bad for leaving DH alone in the regular line. Although suffering through the regular line while I went through precheck did inspire DH to get his GE application submitted so maybe I won't feel too badly.

I'll join the club with you I have GE, hubby's not interested. I told him I'll meet him at the gate
Since I have it I take the carry-on with all the electronics and liquids to make it a little simpler for him, but otherwise he's on his own. I wouldn't feel too bad about it, seems to be the push he needed. So far it's only saved about 15 minutes on our trips, but it is nicer not to unpack and repack the carry-on. However that's not enough to push him into applying yet. In fact it gets him out of carrying the backpack so maybe that backfired

 

[miztressuz]

Do you just ask if you can prepay?
We have no cellphone bills. (Paid for by someone else)
We don’t have cable.
Our internet is $50. It Verizon so I’m sure I could prepay that.
Our town does our utilities and electric they charge just to auto draft your payment. A credit card payment is like $5.
Thank you. I plan on paying our insurance every six months now.

Verizon will let you have a$500 credit on your account, that'll get you most of the year.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

I think it depends what your library allows. I just checked my Hoopla account again and we only get 3 at our library. Each one must be different.

Our library used to do 10 now we are at 5. Wish it was 10 again

What do you budget per day for universal studios? Never been with kids so no clue how much food and souvenirs I should budget. We do the dining plan with Disney. Plus I haven’t seen any gift cards for universal so can’t do any savings there.

@3ddloveprincesses That is a hard one to answer because it really depends on your eating style and how you accommodate souvenir requests. For us, we typically start our morning with the breakfast buffet at the resort. That's runs around $65-70 (family of 3, DS11). Because we have a large breakfast we typically skip lunch. We will refill DS's popcorn bucket for $2 and we have the refill drinks for $9. For dinner, we typically eat at the resort or CityWalk which runs $60-80. If you are going to invest in a magical wand that will run you around $50 and if you are getting a HP robe that will be $130. DS has two wands so we just bring them with us now (although I will admit I forgot it when we went in Jan, oops, mom fail ) Next time we are staying club level so our food spend will be much less since breakfast will be the club room and we have evening apps there also so dinner will be lighter, if at all. You can certainly eat for much less though. I don't where you are staying but the HRH breakfast buffet was yummy! I had freshly made Elvis French toast and it was so good![/QUOTE]
Thanks we are staying at hard rock.

 

[calypso726]

Somebody (@DisneyMandC maybe?) mentioned mostly listening to audiobooks. Do you have any you recommend? I had never listened to an audiobook until the beginning of this year and now I have one going every day on my commute to work. So far, I've loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Graveyard Book and Magpie Murders. I'm finding that I'm totally a sucker for a narrator with an accent.

Hi my name is Calypso and I am addicted to audiobooks. I've been a platinum Audible subscriber for many years now and renew the platinum subscription (24 credits in 24 months) well before the 2 years is up. I drive a lot for work. Just yesterday I had to drive a little over 3 1/2 hours to Key West and back in the same day. 7 hours of driving in one day, although that isn't typical. My favorite audibooks that I will often listen to over again is The Outlander series (on my 4th re-listening of that one. The narrator, Davina Porter is outstanding. The books are loooooong and were the catalyst to my travel hacking and churning. The story made me and DH want to visit Scotland, ABD announced a new Scotland itinerary and I tried to figure out how to afford that trip, stumbled upon travel hacking and here we are.

Jim Dale, narrator of the Harry Potter series is also amazing and the books are so much better than the movies. I am Pilgrim, written by Terry Hayes is a great story. That one was recommended to me by a gentleman sitting next to me on a plane. Just about anything written by Ken Follet is a great listen as is anything by Jeffrey Archer.