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

[Judique]

AMEX wants all your love...or they won't love you in return... Sorry you're dealing with all of this, I want to say I understand, but you've treated them far better than I have and are still in essentially the same boat as me...

I just don't understand it, unless it's quantity of cards, and that doesn't make sense with @DisneyMandC. Sorry you got the pop up! I actually was expecting you to tell us you were approved! Good to know @Lain was at least able to get his wife a card and will cross fingers for the bonus.

I have 5 Amex - 3 new cards since 7/18 and 2 old ones (18-20 years old). I carry no balance and other than using my rose gold for the first 2K Nov- Jan and then about $700 in January, the others have seen peanuts, under $100 and SPG biz not a penny in months. This month Rose Gold will go up to $5-600 because of offers that I want to capture.

I'm trying to go under 5/24 to capture some UR's from Chase, so I'll be leaving Amex alone a bit other than rg. Right now I'm using 3 cards, my Costco citi, Amtrak Mastercard and the Rose Gold. I forced myself to do the Chase offers on my Hyatt, Marriott, IHG and Freedom and have not maxed my Freedom 5% either. But it's hard to spend money that I don't have a need to spend and I'm not MS'ing so other than a few gift cards with zero costs, I just don't have many expenses. Thankfully!

 

[Limes96]

@Haley R So glad you’re ok. This last bit of winter weather we got here in Ohio was really bad for slide offs too. All the rain we got last week completely cleared the roads of salt and made things worse even though we didn’t get as much snow here as you guys got. Everybody is so over this stupid winter. Why do we stay here and not all move south? I say this to myself every year. But my family is here and my husband is close to retiring, so here we stay for now. Maybe I’ll plan a trip someplace tropical for next year over Presidents’ Day weekend.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Guys...remember when we were all upset about the 48 month sapphire rule, death of the double dip, and one SW card rule?

Now we're all sitting here calculating in our spreadsheets when 48 months will pass so we can come back for another Sapphire
<<== (GUILTY AS CHARGED!!!)

 

[tink1970]

@Haley R So glad you’re ok. This last bit of winter weather we got here in Ohio was really bad for slide offs too. All the rain we got last week completely cleared the roads of salt and made things worse even though we didn’t get as much snow here as you guys got. Everybody is so over this stupid winter. Why do we stay here and not all move south? I say this to myself every year. But my family is here and my husband is close to retiring, so here we stay for now. Maybe I’ll plan a trip someplace tropical for next year over Presidents’ Day weekend.

Are you near Cinci? I told my DB/SIL that I'd come up next year to help with DN since DB is always away in AZ for spring training (he's an adult who writes about adults playing a child's game). They were both like "thanks...but you know it gets cold here, right?" I think they were implying a Floridian can't handle snow or something

 

[gottalovepluto]

Hyatt moving some up to Cat 5 and some down to Cat 4, most notable to me is the Centric SF Wharf and Seattle Grand Hyatt moving up to 5. Centric is where I stayed last Sept and it was a great location and redemption, the property here because that was my backup for a staycation to use my free night cert. A couple in Chicago moving down to 4 and the Centric Waikiki moving down to 4 as well. Could be good options now...

One's I notice that hit CA/FL theme park trips:
DL: Hyatt House Anaheim is being moved up to 15k/night cat 4 (from cat 3 at 12k) sad about this but not at all surprised
FL: Hyatt House and Hyatt Place across from Universal went up to 12k/night cat 3 (from 8k/night cat 2) interesting to me seeing as over the next year (or two?) Universal is going to add 2800 rooms in hotel competition with the new Value On-Site hotels
https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/landing/award-category-chart-updates.html

 

[DisneyMandC]

I just don't understand it, unless it's quantity of cards, and that doesn't make sense with @DisneyMandC. Sorry you got the pop up! I actually was expecting you to tell us you were approved! Good to know @Lain was at least able to get his wife a card and will cross fingers for the bonus.

I have 5 Amex - 3 new cards since 7/18 and 2 old ones (18-20 years old). I carry no balance and other than using my rose gold for the first 2K Nov- Jan and then about $700 in January, the others have seen peanuts, under $100 and SPG biz not a penny in months. This month Rose Gold will go up to $5-600 because of offers that I want to capture.

I'm trying to go under 5/24 to capture some UR's from Chase, so I'll be leaving Amex alone a bit other than rg. Right now I'm using 3 cards, my Costco citi, Amtrak Mastercard and the Rose Gold. I forced myself to do the Chase offers on my Hyatt, Marriott, IHG and Freedom and have not maxed my Freedom 5% either. But it's hard to spend money that I don't have a need to spend and I'm not MS'ing so other than a few gift cards with zero costs, I just don't have many expenses. Thankfully!

Thanks. Honestly I’m not upset about this one like I was the Gold. I was like of expecting it, even though there was literally no reason for it to happen lol. Like @SouthFayetteFan I’ll just start counting down to when I can get another CSP hahaha.

 

[afan]

One's I notice that hit CA/FL theme park trips:
DL: Hyatt House Anaheim is being moved up to 15k/night cat 4 (from cat 3 at 12k) sad about this but not at all surprised
FL: Hyatt House and Hyatt Place across from Universal went up to 12k/night cat 3 (from 8k/night cat 2) interesting to me seeing as over the next year (or two?) Universal is going to add 2800 rooms in hotel competition with the new Value On-Site hotels
https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/landing/award-category-chart-updates.html

Was just coming to post that link. DoC was later because he was more thorough and included the above link -

• 259 hotels are changing category
• 130 properties are increasing in price
• 129 properties are decreasing in price

 

[brownhaired_girl]

Ok, since I'm just hanging in the room with the sick kids today and browsing the boards I have another question for you all. I'm already considering a "2019 Disney do over". DH is not onboard.....yet. We have 10 day non hopper tickets now. If we were to come for 4-5 days this fall would you all update to annual passes now? I mean, we are working towards MSR on CIP anyways....

Sorry about the sick kiddos. YES, absolutely go for the AP

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Random Raise.com Observation:

So I noticed you can RAF to Raise - I didn't see any explicit household limit so my wife chose to support me...

• I registered her
• She instantly received $5 Raise Cash (which you can use on an order)
• She got a coupon for $10 off $100
• We can't use both together so she placed an order for ~$100 in Walmart for ~$90
• Then we placed an order for ~$10 Walmart for ~$5 with the raise cash
• Then she got an email that if she placed another order within 72 hours she'd receive another $10 off coupon
• So we bought another ~$10 Walmart this time for just a few pennies off

So we bought $121.45 in Walmart Gift Cards and saved $16.09 (not bad since it's hard to get Walmart GC savings anywhere...plus we earned 1% Ebates on that too)

Funny thing though...I now have $15 Raise Cash in MY account. I was supposed to get $5 Raise Cash for the RAF bonus but I guess each order triggered the $5. I don't want to abuse this or press my luck so I'll stick with that, but it sounds like we can get another ~$15 Walmart Gift Card now for free! AND we still have that other $10 coupon coming too.

I've never had any issues with Raise. They do send a ton of spammy crappy emails and when they have a national promo I rarely can find anything worth purchasing. I basically try to use them when they give me personal promos (like all of this above) and buy Walmart cards, lol. At any rate - figured I'd share with the group. The Raise link has your last name in it so I won't be adding it to DISchurners but if anybody wants to support me feel free to send a PM and I'll share it that way I dunno why I get excited over things like this that save me < $50 but it makes me happy haha!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Was just coming to post that link. DoC was later because he was more thorough and included the above link -

• 259 hotels are changing category
• 130 properties are increasing in price
• 129 properties are decreasing in price

Thanks for sharing - added to the NEWS THREAD https://www.reddit.com/r/DISchurners/comments/aj6vx6/news_discussion_thread/

 

[afan]

One's I notice that hit CA/FL theme park trips:
DL: Hyatt House Anaheim is being moved up to 15k/night cat 4 (from cat 3 at 12k) sad about this but not at all surprised
FL: Hyatt House and Hyatt Place across from Universal went up to 12k/night cat 3 (from 8k/night cat 2) interesting to me seeing as over the next year (or two?) Universal is going to add 2800 rooms in hotel competition with the new Value On-Site hotels
https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/landing/award-category-chart-updates.html

Also of possible use in NY the Andaz Wall Street, Grand Hyatt NY and Hyatt Herald Square all went down to a cat 5 or 20k a night.

6 of the properties in Japan went up 1 cat with the Andaz Tokyo going up to a cat 7. Most of China went down a cat. Park Hyatt Maldives is going up to a 7 so if you have plans book before March 18.

I wonder the reasoning, I'm guessing the ones that went up had lots of point bookings and the ones going down didn't.

 

[Ngwira]

Also of possible use in NY the Andaz Wall Street, Grand Hyatt NY and Hyatt Herald Square all went down to a cat 5 or 20k a night.

6 of the properties in Japan went up 1 cat with the Andaz Tokyo going up to a cat 7. Most of China went down a cat. Park Hyatt Maldives is going up to a 7 so if you have plans book before March 18.

I wonder the reasoning, I'm guessing the ones that went up had lots of point bookings and the ones going down didn't.

Really stinks about the Anaheim one but happy about the Manchester Grand Hyatt SD as it's now a category 4!

 

[shairpdrh]

Ok, since I'm just hanging in the room with the sick kids today and browsing the boards I have another question for you all. I'm already considering a "2019 Disney do over". DH is not onboard.....yet. We have 10 day non hopper tickets now. If we were to come for 4-5 days this fall would you all update to annual passes now? I mean, we are working towards MSR on CIP anyways....

I would say yes to the AP if you can do another trip. Our first APs were purchased after a bout of GI illness that caused a cancelled cruise. It almost made me forget the pain of losing out on that part of the trip.

My AKV contract just passed ROFR!!!! I'm excited and nervous. Guess I need to start collecting more discounted GC's to pay dues! Can't believe I'm an owner!

Congrats and welcome home! It is such a relief to pass ROFR. Hope the rest of your process is quick and painless. It is so much fun to save on GCs for dues using this hobby.

 

[Judique]

We did stay at Dewey beach and it was fine. It's very close to the beach and free breakfast but NOT worth a category 5. I'm so mad about SF as I had planned to use a free night cert and 15, 000 points to stay at HFW next July! At least we get to stay at the Andaz San Diego using my free night cert. I've never stayed at an Andaz before...

The Ocean city one is right on the Boardwalk and all rooms have some sort of ocean view. The season is really only June July and august, so I don't understand why they don't adjust the free nights for this. IHG is the same way - $500 in summer or 50K points $75 in winter or 50K points - doesn't make sense.

 

[speedyfishy]

Ugh, I went to my go to location for MOs today and got the first one and decided for the second one to ask them if I could have another with my other debit card (it was two VGCs with two different designs from GCM) he said ok but when I got to the car he gave me the MO for 59 cents more than I asked for but didn’t charge the fee which is 59 cents. I hope I didn’t just burn this location.

 

[amalone1013]

Man, I was just thinking that Amex is like a high maintenance girlfriend who done me wrong. I mean, I spend thousands of dollars on you every month, and you have me logging in on you all the time like some creeper, losing sleep at odd hours checking to see if you gonna send some love my way. But you ain't gonna, are you? You didn't even pop up to warn me that this relationship was on the rocks.



You wanna play it that way? I'm going back to my best girl, Chase. As soon as she lets me back in the door.

 

[Jax1023]

Decided to apply for and was approved for the SPG Personal.

Now to come up with a use for all these Marriott points I’m collecting...

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Well I went in the ditch for the first time in my history of driving. I was on my way in between schools for subbing and there was a patch of snow on the highway. I started swerving one way so I pulled back and turned completely around into the ditch. My car almost tipped on its side but luckily landed flat. My neck, back, and wrist hurt a little but I’m very lucky to be as safe as I am. Dh came to get me and dropped me off at the school so I could still sub. AAA is supposed to drop my car off here if they can get to it in time. We are supposed to get 3-5 more inches of snow and have 20-30 mph winds tomorrow. I’m so over this stupid winter

I am so glad you are ok! Is the car ok, too?

My older daughter hit a patch of black ice a couple weeks ago, banged into a curb, and harmed the frame of her teeny Kia She was ok but so, so frightened. She lives in an area with lots of windy roads and trees (thus, shade) that doesn't get plowed or salted well.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

My AKV contract just passed ROFR!!!! I'm excited and nervous. Guess I need to start collecting more discounted GC's to pay dues! Can't believe I'm an owner!

Congratulations!!!! Welcome home from another AKV owner

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

And in on-topic news, I was approved for the SW Biz card! CP, here we come!

(The application never went through the other day---browser issues, I guess. So I tried again today )

 

[afan]

We got about 2 inches of snow last night on top of the almost 8 we already had. It started snowing around 10 and heavier around 11 and hasn't let up. It's supposedly supposed to change to rain this afternoon but I'm really starting to doubt that they predicted the warm air correctly. We are at 500 ft but close to Puget Sound in that you can tell when the tide is out when the wind blows to the east. But it'll get near or below freezing tonight so the rain doesn't really help until it warms up tomorrow.

I've shoveled the driveway twice and cleaned my car off 3 times to keep it all from getting a frozen layer on top and to make it easier. I'm over this white crap. It's fun at first but then it's not. My city has 8 plows for 310 miles of road which doesn't count the hills they close. Was compact snow and ice on our road this morning even with the treatments. Can't wait for the big muddy mess and the flooding to come So ready for and so I can go to the gym.