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

[wendow]

Everyone here is making me too scared to even apply.

I would totally apply. You never know. I think what did my dh in was three other cards in the last three months (2 pers, 1 biz). Still waiting on the denial letter to know exactly why.

 

[Haley R]

I already placed my order for pickup and the $45 worked. I just had to have $45 of items that were not on sale. Then I added bunch that were on sale and it kept the discount.

Oh great! We will do pick up then. Thanks!

 

[1st*toright]

I just PCed my CIP to a CIC because the annual fee came due. Now I find out that I can maybe go get another CIP? Oh the temptation... We need to get through DH's united explorer biz MSR first, but that shouldn't be too tough.

I just booked a trip that will burn through a pretty large chunk of Amex points - 2 different swanky hotels in NYC booked through the Amex fine hotels program for a nice weekend away for me and DH later this spring. Will get free breakfast and $100 f&b credit, plus early check in/late check out in both places, plus some kind of upgraded room. One of them is a Luxury collection property - do you think I will get an extra super upgrade with Bonvoy Platinum as well as the fine hotels Amex upgrade? If so, I will stop making fun of the Bonvoy name (for like, a week at least). Anyway, its a silly amount of points, but the properties look really nice. Both have celebrity chef restaurants at the hotel, and DH and I love to go eat at the bar at high end restaurants - you get to try a few small plates of great food, and drinks are usually good too, and while it isn't cheap, its way cheaper than a full meal (and a full restaurant meal is usually more than we want to eat). Even in NY, $100 should take care of most of the check for dinner each night. We might try the ticket booth in times square and see if we can score cheap tickets to something interesting one night. No other real plans, but we are looking forward to getting away.

 

[punkin]

I'm considering bonvoy biz for DH before 3/28 to get the 100k offer. Any thoughts?

 

[mmmears]

I just PCed my CIP to a CIC because the annual fee came due. Now I find out that I can maybe go get another CIP? Oh the temptation... We need to get through DH's united explorer biz MSR first, but that shouldn't be too tough.

I just booked a trip that will burn through a pretty large chunk of Amex points - 2 different swanky hotels in NYC booked through the Amex fine hotels program for a nice weekend away for me and DH later this spring. Will get free breakfast and $100 f&b credit, plus early check in/late check out in both places, plus some kind of upgraded room. One of them is a Luxury collection property - do you think I will get an extra super upgrade with Bonvoy Platinum as well as the fine hotels Amex upgrade? If so, I will stop making fun of the Bonvoy name (for like, a week at least). Anyway, its a silly amount of points, but the properties look really nice. Both have celebrity chef restaurants at the hotel, and DH and I love to go eat at the bar at high end restaurants - you get to try a few small plates of great food, and drinks are usually good too, and while it isn't cheap, its way cheaper than a full meal (and a full restaurant meal is usually more than we want to eat). Even in NY, $100 should take care of most of the check for dinner each night. We might try the ticket booth in times square and see if we can score cheap tickets to something interesting one night. No other real plans, but we are looking forward to getting away.

I think this sounds like a fun redemption of points. I really like the FHR benefits. Enjoy your trip!

 

[wendow]

Oh great! We will do pick up then. Thanks!

Just FYI, my 2% from Dosh didn’t credit. I think it’s in store only. I didn’t spend much since I got $45 off so the convenience of pickup wins for me this time.

 

[1st*toright]

All this talk about liking trains... I am the guy that opts for long distance overnight trains over flying (although there are other reasons for this). We are riding the Acela later this month to NYC for only the second time, that should be fun. One day, I'd love to ride the Empire Builder through North Dakota and Montana, especially through Glacier National Park. I've also heard the California Zephyr is the best scenic trip, as the train goes through the Rockies.

I like the Acela, but it makes me feel a little queasy - it kind of bounces in a weird way. Some friends of mine did the trans-Siberian Railroad - now that's a train journey! The Empire Builder does sound amazing!

 

[karen4546]

Went to Sam's Club today to use my cash back. I had $140 that i got back in cash and used for 2 -$75 packs of Disney - pics below of what they had in stock. Buying the 2-$75 was a little better deal than one $150 pack.

 

[striker1064]

Apparently Barclays thinks that applying for the same card in December and then in March is reason enough alone to turn me down, because I got my letter today and it says "too many recent applications", but also says that they didn't check my credit. What the heck, Barclays?? Are there rules about this, or is do they just hate me now?

I remember there being some kind of denial waiting period with Barclays, and this DoC comment confirms - if you are denied for a Barclays card, you will be insta-denied if you try again with any Barclays card within 120 days. Also, the no hard pull is not surprising - if you are a Barclays cardholder already, they frequently will NOT re-pull your credit when you are denied.

 

[MKTokyo]

Thank you all so much for the kind words, condolences, and thoughts. It's truly appreciated. My grandma had just turned 85 in January and while she hasn't been in the best of health over the last few years, this was very sudden for us all. Having lost loved one both unexpectedly and after being sick over a good length of time, I'm honestly not sure if one is easier than the other. The one good thing is she did not suffer as it all happened so fast. Thank goodness for that!

Hoping we've gotten rid of the flu in our house. It really feels like I'm finding out another friend or family member has it almost every other day. My sister was diagnosed with it the same evening of my grandma's funeral, then her son just a few days after her. My SIL and BIL are at WDW with their family now and had to go to urgent care today. My nephew woke up with fever and tested positive for flu. They arrived Friday and are staying until Saturday. At least he got in a few park days. They plan to spend the rest of the week hold up in their cabin at the Fort.

As I'm getting nearer to our April trip, I really need to decide if I'm finally going to cash out my URs to my Chase checking to pay off that trip. I know I keep saying this, but I keep talking myself out of it. Thing is, I won't be using those URs for anything else (at least nothing I can think of at this point) and my primary purpose for them has always been Disney. It's been long enough that Disney hotels have been gone from the UR portal, you'd think I'd be over it and could just cash out. Every time I log on and I'm about to do it, I can't go through with it. Maybe I need to have DH go online and do the redemption for me. Guess I need to catch up on the GC thread to find some good deals there.

So sorry for your loss. Hope things get easier for you & your family soon.

 

[mmmears]

I like the Acela, but it makes me feel a little queasy - it kind of bounces in a weird way. Some friends of mine did the trans-Siberian Railroad - now that's a train journey! The Empire Builder does sound amazing!

Uh oh! It's bouncy? DH and I have tickets for the Acela in May.

 

[MKTokyo]

wait, you needed a babysitter in 1995????? I am so old.

I was born in 1995

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I will say...I currently have active MSRs on CitiBiz AA, 2x Barclay Biz, a CIC, I’m getting another CitiBiz AA in a couple weeks via mailer...

AND I’m tempted to go for the 2nd CIP for my wife LOL!!! I will resist that temptation. $11k in MSR at once is ok but $16k...NOT ok haha!

Nope, can’t do 11k. Mostly one at a time, we don’t have that much spend and I’m just not into MSing.

 

[striker1064]

Uh oh! It's bouncy? DH and I have tickets for the Acela in May.

I've ridden it before, and I don't recall having problems with it despite being the person who gets motion sick with everything.

I'll report back after next weekend.

 

[wendow]

Do the citi email offers work the same way as the mailers? My dd got a 9-digit code that says non transferable for a AA personal card. 50k/2.5k.

 

[mom2elal]

I remember there being some kind of denial waiting period with Barclays, and this DoC comment confirms - if you are denied for a Barclays card, you will be insta-denied if you try again with any Barclays card within 120 days. Also, the no hard pull is not surprising - if you are a Barclays cardholder already, they frequently will NOT re-pull your credit when you are denied.

Thank you! This is very helpful. And maddening, because I'm assuming now that I've applied again, the clock has restarted and I have to wait 120 days from my March application?

 

[mmmears]

I've ridden it before, and I don't recall having problems with it despite being the person who gets motion sick with everything.

I'll report back after next weekend.

Oh thank you. I'm that person. Even the monorail. I use a patch on the cruise ship, which is why I don't want to sail too often. I won't use it for a 1 hour trip, or even a long flight.

 

[afan]

Don't worry the snow will change to rain. Don't worry, it won't accumulate, just a trace. Don't worry it's well above freezing. Ha! It's above freezing, snowing and sticking to everything but the road/driveways. Whatever weather station my phone picks up on for my city is obviously in the valley at sea level because it says it's raining, well at 500 ft where I am it's snow.

I know it's way worse for many of you, but this much snow and cold isn't normal for us. We're at like 34 days in a row below normal and this is after having a warmer January. I live here because it's not supposed to snow this much or get too cold. I need to go somewhere and thaw out.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

All this talk about liking trains... I am the guy that opts for long distance overnight trains over flying (although there are other reasons for this). We are riding the Acela later this month to NYC for only the second time, that should be fun. One day, I'd love to ride the Empire Builder through North Dakota and Montana, especially through Glacier National Park. I've also heard the California Zephyr is the best scenic trip, as the train goes through the Rockies.

I was excited to book the train into Grand Canyon Park. It was a let down, scenery was pretty boring. I did upgrade our trip there and DS enjoyed all you can eat snacks and big cushy seats. We went low rent on the way back which was not cool, literally no AC.

 

[amcc]

I am trying to add a day or to my trip in April so I can take the kids to Legoland - I can get a 2 day ticket for 3 of us for less than 1800 URs!
But Southwest is not cooperating the flights now cost 3000 more points per person and I have used up all my “stash”. I wish I had a fraction of @SouthFayetteFan has!
I did sign up for airhit I think @disneymagicgirl recomended that site before. I am hoping to get luck and they drop the prices!

Are you seeing the Legoland tickets on the UR portal? I need to get 6 of us there next month. Thank you!