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

[punkin]

Can I get some advice? I will need to pay DD's tuition in August and again in December. Her college portal charges 2.5% if you pay by credit card (no amex option). I can also do a monthly payment plan. No "interest" but there's a $75 fee. I do not have that money sitting in the bank so I'm considering a 0% transfer card (I think amex has one for 15 months). After that, assuming it's still not paid off, I'm considering a home equity loan.

DH thinks this is all too complicated and we should just put the whole thing on a home equity loan and pay it off as soon as possible. This is her last year so this will be it.

A complication is that I have no idea what her tuition will be next year until her financial aid award comes in.

I need to structure this to minimize interest and fees and maximize points. Any ideas?

 

[spacerangerqueen]

Just an FYI- I didn't read the fine print and failed to notice that I had to go through the Amex link in order to get the cash back offer on Turbo Tax Just keep that in mind if you're planning to use it.

The offer on my Plat is just to get $10 off making it $29.99 which is the same price I get just going to the TurboTax website so my plan is to skip Amex and just get the 1000 RR points through the Southwest portal.

 

[trenty]

Can I get some advice? I will need to pay DD's tuition in August and again in December. Her college portal charges 2.5% if you pay by credit card (no amex option). I can also do a monthly payment plan. No "interest" but there's a $75 fee. I do not have that money sitting in the bank so I'm considering a 0% transfer card (I think amex has one for 15 months). After that, assuming it's still not paid off, I'm considering a home equity loan.

DH thinks this is all too complicated and we should just put the whole thing on a home equity loan and pay it off as soon as possible. This is her last year so this will be it.

A complication is that I have no idea what her tuition will be next year until her financial aid award comes in.

I need to structure this to minimize interest and fees and maximize points. Any ideas?

I would try to avoid both options - heloc and 0% card. Is it possible for you to save as much as possible to put towards tuition before August and then do the $75 fee for monthly payments? I pay tuition for 2 right now. I am resolved that I do not get the CC points since both universities charge the 2.75%. I pay monthly through the universities and pay the universities' one time fee. For one of my DS it is $75. For the other it is less, but I forget how much.
We budget each month and try to save money to put towards tuition each month.

 

[liloca]

Can I get some advice? I will need to pay DD's tuition in August and again in December. Her college portal charges 2.5% if you pay by credit card (no amex option). I can also do a monthly payment plan. No "interest" but there's a $75 fee. I do not have that money sitting in the bank so I'm considering a 0% transfer card (I think amex has one for 15 months). After that, assuming it's still not paid off, I'm considering a home equity loan.

DH thinks this is all too complicated and we should just put the whole thing on a home equity loan and pay it off as soon as possible. This is her last year so this will be it.

A complication is that I have no idea what her tuition will be next year until her financial aid award comes in.

I need to structure this to minimize interest and fees and maximize points. Any ideas?

I got a Discover Miles card for my classes. It is 0% Apr and double
Miles in the first year. Even with the fee that I got charged by paying with a cc I will still come out ahead. But I get the tuition money reimbursed after the completion and the class by my work (need a grade B or above).

 

[hsmamato2]

I'm beginning to think I'm not going to get the PNC bonus for DH. It's been almost a month since I completed the debit card requirements and my CC funding from DH's CSP is showing as a paycheck in the account, but still nothing. Any ideas? I don't want to call and draw attention to the fact that I used a CC, but looking through some of the comments on DoC it looks like either people have called even using a CC and nothing has been said about it since it shows up as a paycheck.

I literally never knew that Disney resorts were on Expedia. I had just never checked until yesterday.

 

[hsmamato2]

I pushed from Paypal for my PNC bonus. It was pretty easy. Just transferred funds to Paypal and pushed to PNC.

mind blown...that works for a direct deposit requirement????

 

[Lain]

@speedyfishy, I don’t know if you caught this discussion yesterday: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/as98l2/comment/egt57vq?st=JSDA1SFK&sh=895b7c18

 

[Lain]

mind blown...that works for a direct deposit requirement????

Depends on the bank. DoC has DPs of what counts as DD.

 

[hsmamato2]

I took the upgrade as well when it was 5KRR. I'd still do it for 2500. I agree with @palhockeymomof2 that the upgraded boardings and credit are worth it. The credit does apply to the $5.60 fees if you are using points to book flights.

ETA: I just checked and my $69 fee was refunded June 1 and the $149 fee posted December 1.

what is that 75 credit useful for?

 

[hsmamato2]

Yup, this about sums up how I'm feeling.

I'm so annoyed right now with our whole new fridge fiasco. The replacement fridge for the original damaged one was supposed to be delivered today. Take the day off work (again), empty out the fridge (again), delivery guys remove the back door so they can get the fridge out (again)...and then they start to leave!

Me: "Wait wait wait - where's the replacement fridge?!" Delivery guys: "There's nothing on the work order about that."

So they call the warehouse, find out the fridge is going to arrive there tomorrow and our delivery is scheduled for tomorrow too. Wait - what?!? Something definitely got screwed up because why would we schedule pick up and delivery on different days? Ugh. So nothing we can do and have to wait for tomorrow.

But we have no fridge right then because they had already moved out the damaged one. They tell us they aren't allowed to move the damaged one back in. HOLD ON - WHAT??? I'm sitting there with my counters piled up with food. After yet another call, we finally get them approval to move the damaged fridge back in (which is even more damaged now because they scratched it up).

So I just called customer service to complain and see if they could do anything to compensate me for my troubles, but they can't do anything until there's been a successful delivery. Told to call back tomorrow after the delivery for any compensation, and that compensation was at the discretion of whatever agent I end up talking to. ??? The fridge tomorrow better be in perfect working order because I can't keep taking days off for this. I need my days for all my churning-related vacations!!!

is this Sears???? b/c the only two times I ordered from them,my life was like this for a while. (after the 2nd time I vowed never again,which isn't hard now that they're rightfully out of business)

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I just got rejected for a Barclay's CC that came with 70K bonus points. The letter said I had too many new credit cards. I did get 2 chase Disney credit cards recently (one gave me $200 and one gave me $200 plus $50 gift cards,(daughter was co-signer with her own separate card). I have good credit (one of my credit cards says my credit score is 827 and one says 730???). I closed one of the Disney credit cards and another older credit card that I don't use. Is it possible to find out see my full credit report? Maybe I have some credit cards open that I don't even know about? Can I apply for the Barclay's credit card again? If so, how long should I wait?

I was just coming on to post that. Yes, I have the JetBlue Barclays card that I use all the time.

It's the first time I ever got rejected for a credit card.

What does being below 6/24 mean??? Sorry, I don't the lingo. I just know I love getting a new credit card and then getting $500 in restaurant gift cards. Lol. Can I check credit karma for alerts? or to see my credit status? Thanks for any help.

OK, I got it. You cannot have more then 6 new accounts in 2 years. Honestly, I am not sure how many I have opened. I know the JetBlue Barclays I opened April, 2018, maybe that's why? Can I find this information out on Credit Karma? I am assuming it's done online?

What card would you recommend?

Can someone suggest the best Chase business card to get?

Ok - so let's help set you up for success! To effectively ask for advice, I would recommend checking out sticky #2:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/i-love-credit-cards-so-much-v2-0-see-first-page-for-addl-details.3729982/#post-60156306

We are getting scattered information here and it is difficult to help without a clear picture. You said you got 2 Chase Disney cards recently - depending on how recent, we may recommend you wait a month before looking to a Chase card (especially a Chase business card)...

I like to check my credit report using a free account at Experian.com. We really need a list of all of your cards in MM/YY format to give good advice. It sounds like you have a husband who would also "throw his hat in the ring" with the CC churning game which is great but we need the same information on him. Keep in mind that without a full and complete list of all cards we might give you bad advice and get you declined again, further setting back the clock.

Once we have a complete picture, and can confirm that you and/or him are indeed at 4/24 we're going to have you focus on Chase most likely. If you can qualify for their small business credit card products there are 3-4 cards you could get without affecting your "5/24 status" and without affecting your personal credit report (aside from an inquiry which has a negligible affect). I would agree with prior advice that a Chase Ink Preferred is a phenomenal card to get IF you are under 5/24 and can qualify for it. Be patient and get the information needed and we'll chart a good course for you!

I'll also send you a message with an invite to our DISchurners reddit group if you'd like to join. We have some guides and good tips over there! (but the discussion is all here)

EDIT: apparently you don't allow PMs or the DIS has blocked you form those for some reason?? If you want to join DISchurners I guess let me know, or see if you can send me a PM. Thanks.

 

[Lain]

Can I get some advice? I will need to pay DD's tuition in August and again in December. Her college portal charges 2.5% if you pay by credit card (no amex option). I can also do a monthly payment plan. No "interest" but there's a $75 fee. I do not have that money sitting in the bank so I'm considering a 0% transfer card (I think amex has one for 15 months). After that, assuming it's still not paid off, I'm considering a home equity loan.

DH thinks this is all too complicated and we should just put the whole thing on a home equity loan and pay it off as soon as possible. This is her last year so this will be it.

A complication is that I have no idea what her tuition will be next year until her financial aid award comes in.

I need to structure this to minimize interest and fees and maximize points. Any ideas?

Are you still under 5/24? Have you considered the CIU? It has a 50k UR SUB and one of its features is a 0% APR for 12 months. $3k MSR. $0 AF. Since the CIU is a Visa, it’s a card your DD’s college will accept directly.

The Amex BBP has a 0% APR for 15 months, and a 10k MR SUB via referral. (And a referral bonus if you self refer.) Also $3k MSR and $0 AF. However, depending on your travel priorities, you may find MRs harder to use than URs. And most people will agree that 50k UR > 10k MR. Even though your DD’s college doesn’t accept Amex, you can use Amex on Plastiq to make a payment towards your DD’s tuition, Plastiq will charge the same 2.5% fee and send a check for the tuition amount to DD’s school. Allow up to two weeks for payment to arrive.

But the hitch is you don’t know how much of a credit line you’ll be approved for by Amex or Chase. With Chase, you can probably expect to be approved, if at all, for at least $5k on the CIU. For Amex, my wife has been approved for as little as only $3k or so on a biz card. If you have other biz cards open with these issuers, you may be able to move some credit over. I believe Chase will let you do this immediately, but Amex may make you wait. So depending on your DD’s tuition, your creditworthiness, any other amounts of credit already extended to you, you may or may not have enough credit line on either new card to cover the tuition. (If it’s not enough, apply for both the CIU and BBP to make payments on each?)

One last thing about carrying balances on these 0% APR cards. Because they’re biz cards, they don’t report utilization to your personal credit report, so carrying a high balance won’t hurt your credit score. However, if you plan to apply for more cards from these issuers while maintaining a high balance at 0%, they may deny you until you pay it down.

ETA: the CIU will earn you 1.5x UR on the tuition and fees. The BBP will earn you 2x MR for the same amount. This base earn rate combined with the respective SUBs will help offset the 2.5% fee from the college or Plastiq.

 

[Judique]

We have a two hour delay here but it still hasn’t started snowing yet

It didn't start here until early this morning, maybe 4am. But since weather was going to be iffy through the whole day, they closed it down early. Most of the counties announced early here. Today all the schools plus the colleges and universities are all closed. Younger daughter works at a college and they announced yesterday as well. It's supposed to be gone tonight with ice replacing the snow which is actually worse around here.

 

[punkin]

I would try to avoid both options - heloc and 0% card. Is it possible for you to save as much as possible to put towards tuition before August and then do the $75 fee for monthly payments? I pay tuition for 2 right now. I am resolved that I do not get the CC points since both universities charge the 2.75%. I pay monthly through the universities and pay the universities' one time fee. For one of my DS it is $75. For the other it is less, but I forget how much.
We budget each month and try to save money to put towards tuition each month.

That was the original plan, but DH wants to get the helic just in case and I'd hate to leave all those reward points on the table.

 

[hsmamato2]

so.... apparently the person whom I don't know has purchased $82 of merchandise at Bath and Body works...I seem to get their email reciept a few times a year..... I've confirmed it's not my purrchase on any of my cards, so I just ignore it now but it skeeves me out to get someone elses info that easily by mistake. When I brought it up to a phone rep last year they shrugged and said 'it happens' without further fuss. ok...

 

[punkin]

Are you still under 5/24? Have you considered the CIU? It has a 50k UR SUB and one of its features is a 0% APR for 12 months. $0 AF. Since the CIU is a Visa, it’s a card your DD’s college will accept directly.

The only new card I've gotten in the past 24 months is an upgrade on my amex gold, which I think wasn't even a hard pull. DH got an Amex platinum and Barkley's AA card (cancelled citi AA card). All his other cards are older than 24 months (so I don't think they count even though they are Chase.

The Amex BBP has a 0% APR for 15 months, and a 10k MR SUB via referral. (And a referral bonus if you self refer.) Also $0 AF. However, depending on your travel priorities, you may find MRs harder to use than URs. And most people will agree that 50k UR > 10k MR. Even though your DD’s college doesn’t accept Amex, you can use Amex on Plastiq to make a payment towards your DD’s tuition, Plastiq will charge the same 2.5% fee and send a check for the tuition amount to DD’s school.

But the hitch is you don’t know how much of a credit line you’ll be approved for by Amex or Chase. With Chase, you can probably expect to be approved, if at all, for at least $5k on the CIU. For Amex, my wife has been approved for as little as only $3k or so on a biz card. If you have other biz cards open with these issuers, you may be able to move some credit over. I believe Chase will let you do this immediately, but Amex may make you wait. So depending on your DD’s tuition, your creditworthiness, any other amounts of credit already extended to you, you may or may not have enough credit line on either new card to cover the tuition. (If it’s not enough, apply for both the CIU and BBP to make payments on each?)

One last thing about carrying balances on these 0% APR cards. Because they’re biz cards, they don’t report utilization to your personal credit report, so carrying a high balance won’t hurt your credit score. However, if you plan to apply for more cards from these issuers while maintaining a high balance at 0%, they may deny you until you pay it down.

I was thinking maybe pay tuition with the CIU for 2.5% and then transfer to the Amex after 1 year (it has no transfer fees) for another 15 months. That's 2.5 years and I am sure I can pay it off by then. As far as credit lines, we have high household income (on paper at least-high COLA) and DH usually gets lines in the 25k range. It should cover us. I just have to get DH on board.

 

[Limes96]

Just double checking...we wait 30 days after SW biz approval to apply for a SW personal for the CP, right?

 

[amalone1013]

Just checking what bridging tickets at Guest Services codes as : I’m guessing entertainment ?

We upgraded tickets to APs at a waterpark ticket window back in September. On AMEX it coded as entertainment

 

[amalone1013]

Just double checking...we wait 30 days after SW biz approval to apply for a SW personal for the CP, right?

You don't have too... I think it would be more about being cautious. I app'd for SW biz on 10/25, was going to do Personal in air app first weekend of December on a trip but went for a leaked link on 11/15. Haven't had any issues.

 

[platamama]

That was the original plan, but DH wants to get the helic just in case and I'd hate to leave all those reward points on the table.

Make sure your DH knows the tax treatment of interest on HELOCs changed when the new tax law was signed. It used to be deductible, and is no longer deductible...unless the money is used toward home improvement only, i.e., only the portion that's used for home improvement is deductible.

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