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

[wendow]

My DD19 was reading really well at 4, and the first day of 1st grade her teacher called me and said she tested reading and comprehension at halfway through 7th grade.
Fast forward to my boys....struggle, struggle, struggle. My now 5th grader is on grade level now, so I know not to stress about my 3rd grader...he will get there...the boys seem to just be late bloomers.

My kids have been all over the place with learning to read. DD18 read at 3, dd16 at 7, ds10 at 4 and now ds7 is my hardest to teach and he is still very much a struggling reader at almost 8. We found out recently that he has an astigmatism and a lazy eye. So we are working to correct and the eye doc seems to think that may be affecting his reading ability. Maybe? But I also know he could just be a late bloomer and when it clicks, it will click and off he will go.

 

[WVMomof3]

Can anyone tell me about renting cars internationally and how insurance works? Is just getting the rental car insurance enough? My DD is looking into renting a car and I am a nervous wreck about it. There is really no other way for them to explore and not many of the other international students she is friends with even have a driver's license. She did look into it and will need to pay a fee for being under 25, but didn't seem like a lot. I am worried about the driving on the other side of the road and how hard that might be to get used to. She has my Marriott card because it had no Foreign fees, but I don't think it offers any rental insurance benefits.

 

[Alexle2007]

Exactly! You can always go back. My cousin in TX pulled her ds out in 4th or 5th. He was way behind and just kept falling deeper and deeper in the crack. She homeschooled him for one school year, and she didn't even do the teaching. She used their state online k-12 type program so he stayed with the materials the school was using but he worked at home with an online teacher grading his work. Back to school a year later and he tested way ahead of his classmates. It clearly worked well for him.

I am curious, how do you handle the more challenging middle/upper grade class work? Sure, I took higher level math and science in high school but I am not qualified to teach DS geometry, trig, chemistry, physics or bio given that it’s over 30 years since I took those classes.

 

[wendow]

We are considering using Redfin as our listing agent. They are only charging 1% here in Nashville, I guess b/c the market is so busy. Do you know how they are on the selling side?

We are a couple years from selling but I've been looking at Redfin for awhile as well for when we do sell. It's 1% here in our area too and that is a huge savings. When are y'all selling?

 

[WVMomof3]

I am curious, how do you handle the more challenging middle/upper grade class work? Sure, I took higher level math and science in high school but I am not qualified to teach DS geometry, trig, chemistry, physics or bio given that it’s over 30 years since I took those classes.

I always wondered this. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Engineering and I feel like mine all passed me up in Elementary School. lol

 

[wendow]

I really don't know. My mom is getting ready to list her house and I think she will use Redfin so I may know more in a few weeks.

Definitely please share how your mom's experience goes!

 

[wendow]

I am curious, how do you handle the more challenging middle/upper grade class work? Sure, I took higher level math and science in high school but I am not qualified to teach DS geometry, trig, chemistry, physics or bio given that it’s over 30 years since I took those classes.

So, middle school doesn't phase me really. I'm still good with the math through alg 1. After that...HELP! and pretty much same for high school sciences. Everyone has different resources but what we have done is online math where they are taught by someone other than me and graded by someone other than me High school science I 'farm' out. There are GOBS and I mean, GOBS, of options and classes for homeschool kids to meet their requirements...some do through the public school (if laws allow), private schools/groups, homeschool co-ops (taught by other homeschool moms), online classes, or local colleges. We've done a mix and it's worked well. My dd18 is currently a double nursing and biology major. She got one of the few A's in bio 111 last semester and currently has one of two A's in bio 112 and I never taught her biology. One of her professors actually pulled her aside and asked her where she went to high school because he was so impressed with her work! Haha!! It was proud homeschool mom moment for me Not trying to be braggy just trying to share that it is very possible to prepare a kid for college even if you forgot all that upper math and science stuff.

 

[magickingdomprincess]

Trying to decide on a strategy going forward and had a few questions please.

• Do you have to be 3/24 for the MDD to work for the csr/csp combo? I would think so but just checking. I'm 4/24 right now and have 3 cards dropping off in June.
• Is there a suggested amount of time between apps for a second CIP? I opened mine on 11/2. I also got a CIC on 2/3 so I should probably hold off from Chase for a while, right? The 2nd CIP is so tempting though! Not looking to apply till April probably. I do have a citi AA biz to work on too, but if I can convince DH to pay the mortgage through Plastiq I can knock that out pretty easily.

TIA!

 

[wed100105]

@calypso726 did a great job pulling up comprables for flights. I'll say that I've found UA overall the easiest to use, points wise, especially since URs transfer to United Mileage Plus easily. I made up dates for a May trip (when there are usually the MTY-military discounts) and you could fly non saver (since it's only 2 months out) RT for 2 economy for about 130 UA miles OR RT mixed (economy to ORD, ORD to YVR) for 200 UA miles.

AA miles redemption tickets, especially if you're looking for more than one ticket, can be much harder to find, especially from a small market. However, I'm sure you've seen references to the grAAvy train and so it is fairly easy to rack up some AA miles there. The danger is always having a lot of miles you can't use.

Much as I love Delta, they surely do want a lot of skymiles (normally) for a flight so that might be the last ditch currency. I just priced the same flight dates in May (*granted all the less expensive awards are long gone) and for 2 people RT it would be 181, 000 Skymiles for economy comfort, 170-ish for economy.

Personally, I'd keep hoarding URs and consider ditching your family and get an MTY for a May Alaska cruise (usually the first cruise of the season will have the MTY and it's a great deal). Joking, sort of on the ditching family. But...I would keep an eye on the MTY rates for DCL, there are usually several at any one time but especially right before summer. DH and I have no shame using them. If my DD weren't graduating in May, I'd be booking the transatlantic one in a heartbeat!

Thank you so much for all the help!

We won’t be able to travel until the last week of May. Have you seen many military promos that late? I just happened to see one this year.

The other problem is the fieldwork.

Darn jobs are keeping me from traveling full time!!!


I’ll post more thank you s later! I’m in the Starbucks driverhru and short on time!

 

[amalone1013]

I was actually in education prior to kids. I taught in Cherry Creek, which is almost as good as the districts can get here in CO, and even then, the school I was in was a poor performer. I don't remember hearing a lot of good things about Adams 5-star. We are in Jeffco now and there are some good schools but most are mediocre at best. Funding just isn't there. If you look at the stats, CO has some of the lowest per pupil funding in the country. Thankfully, CO has open enrollment so you could take your future children to any school that you want BUT the good schools are very hard for those not living in that area to get into. Most of those are on a lottery system. You'd really want to move into an area that has good schools but then the houses are $$$$. Like they aren't already $$$$ enough

That sounds on track with what I've heard here! I've looked up the funding before, that's just so sad to me. MIL comes home with some completely ridiculous and unbelievable stories about things that are going on, and across all the schools too. She's on OT so she travels between 5-6 schools every week, multiple each day.

 

[FoxC63]

Dh actually mentioned renting first. I would hate to do that since we would be essentially throwing that money out instead of putting it in a mortgage but I also see how it makes sense to get a feel for the area. He said he’ll ask them about where most people live who work there

I had a great realtor and now an awesome piece of property to build on. And this ^, location, location, location! With your knowledge of what to look for in a school district as you're planning a family, I would consider that a priority too. Lifestyle is another which should not be overlooked unfortunately that is something we did. We would love to ride our bikes to an ice cream parlor, be close by to a park and connecting trails. Unfortunately we have no sidewalks and would have to cross main roads which have had many accidents several of them fatal.

You may want to make a list of what type of neighborhood you want to live in that's all I'm saying Haley. I'm sure you and yours will do just fine.

 

[wendow]

That sounds on track with what I've heard here! I've looked up the funding before, that's just so sad to me. MIL comes home with some completely ridiculous and unbelievable stories about things that are going on, and across all the schools too. She's on OT so she travels between 5-6 schools every week, multiple each day.

It is sad and it's the reason why so many parents are feeling the need to pay out the nose for private school or homeschool.

 

[wendow]

Getting nervous since Plastiq still isn't back up Seems odd to me to be down for this long but I guess since it's the weekend, maybe they thought it was a good time...?

 

[georgina]

So my Niece is an AU on my oldest card (1996-before she was born) and recently had to have her credit pulled for a rental at college. The landlord (who rents to college students) had never seen a 20 YO with a credit score so high. It was funny.

My DS had an excellent credit score also when he got out of college and moved to Manhattan for a job. But even with that and a salary that fit the requirements (annual salary 40X the monthly rent) they still said his credit history wasn't long enough and insisted on 6 months rent as security deposit! We did not live in the tri-state area and could not qualify as a guarantor. He had paid rent for 2 years in his college town too, in addition to being an AU on our card for years.

 

[kmc8826]

I will look into that! I have the Rose Gold card, and have had it forever - it's our go to when we're in between spends. Do you think it's worth a x/24 space if we have about 300K MRs we could potentially transfer?

You should be able to refer from your Gold to Delta. If you went for the Delta Business Gold or Platinum it would not count on your 5/24. You are in Tampa right? There are 3 daily flights from SLC/MCO. And Seattle is also a Delta hub with frequent flights. And then you could transfer the MR’s to Delta or just keep for another redemption as wouldn’t have to use as many.

Post here from reddit with a link to generate support links for the higher delta business offers (70k gold, 80k plat) have expiration dates of 5/1 on them. Wasn't able to generate from Plat Biz but was able to generate from Delta personal.

Thank you. I just referred DH under assumption that just maybe pop up will be gone still. I am seriously considering referring self to the Gold Biz since I have never had it but as much as I want the miles not sure worth my last credit card spot. I need to cancel one but am nervous of RAT. And I really would like the BBP. Decisions!

 

[Lain]

 

[kmc8826]

Getting nervous since Plastiq still isn't back up Seems odd to me to be down for this long but I guess since it's the weekend, maybe they thought it was a good time...?

I am nervous too! I guess I always feel like a little bit of leap of faith when I do it and this does not help. Glad I don’t have an active payment our right now!

 

[Lain]

Getting nervous since Plastiq still isn't back up Seems odd to me to be down for this long but I guess since it's the weekend, maybe they thought it was a good time...?

A little worried too from the tone of the tweet. Being down (for so long) didn’t sound planned.

 

[wendow]

So my Niece is an AU on my oldest card (1996-before she was born) and recently had to have her credit pulled for a rental at college. The landlord (who rents to college students) had never seen a 20 YO with a credit score so high. It was funny.

That's awesome! Right after my oldest dd turned 18, we applied for her a Discover IT card and her credit score came back over 800 lol. Better than most adults Now she's gone on to get a CFU and CIP. Big believer in adding your kiddos (or nieces!) as AU'ers!

 

[Haley R]

I got an email today from Hilton honors. It says I can stay in Las Vegas or Orlando for 4 days/3 nights for $199. I clicked more info and looked but it just has a purchase button and with tax it’s $223. It didn’t have me pick a hotel or have dates. Seems strange to me. I’ll include a screenshot of what it looks like