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

[afan]

That new PP restaurant at SeaTac is already gone, barely lasted a week per DoC.

got my flights booked for our last minute two day trip to see DH's Dad and half sister. wow flights to SEA aren't cheap. Gotta say though I just found out I can use vouchers turned into travel funds and then that travel fund can now pay my fees so was able to pay for two flights with vouchers only

Depends on where and when you are going and the airline. When I lived in NC and flew US Air nonstop between CLT and SEA even at Christmas I don't think I ever paid more than $400. Cheap between CA places as well especially if you get them on sale. Even buying a same day ticket home for a funeral when I was in CLT was less than $400 which surprised me so I didn't mess around with trying to get a bereavement fare, if they even still do/did it then.

 

[1st*toright]

Because he's a weirdo He likes to go to the bank. I've never had that feeling lol

His company used to do all paper checks, then sometime in 2016 they went to direct deposit, but his commission and expense checks were still paper. Commission went to direct deposits sometime last year. Thank goodness! We started using YNAB/budgeting together in 2016 and I was always like, WILL YOU TAKE YOUR CHECK TO THE BANK??? Even the expense check, it's always $400 for his vehicle allowance and then other stuff on top of it (he doesn't usually have anything unless he travels). But even this last week, he just took in his Jan and Feb vehicle checks.

There would be a LOT more marital ******* in my house without mobile deposit! Our tenant writes the rent check out to DH and he used to wait a day or 2 before depositing it (using mobile deposit) and it drove me nuts. He's more on board with my budget mania these days, so he does it right away, but if I had to wait for him to actually get it to a bank, I might lose my mind. When I get an expense check from work I deposit it within about 5 minutes - right from my desk. Its the best thing ever! I salute your patience - he must be a good guy

 

[amalone1013]

There would be a LOT more marital ******* in my house without mobile deposit! Our tenant writes the rent check out to DH and he used to wait a day or 2 before depositing it (using mobile deposit) and it drove me nuts. He's more on board with my budget mania these days, so he does it right away, but if I had to wait for him to actually get it to a bank, I might lose my mind. When I get an expense check from work I deposit it within about 5 minutes - right from my desk. Its the best thing ever! I salute your patience - he must be a good guy

I was all over mobile deposit when it started, because i worked two jobs and only one had direct deposit. I usually went to work at 9am or 11am and would work until 7pm or midnight, so the last thing I wanted to do was drag my butt out of bed early to take a check to the bank. Now that we've been carpooling I usually try to get him to stop on the way home when he gets it... but he snuck that January one home and left it on his desk for 5 weeks

 

[Alexle2007]

@amalone1013 on your question about packing toiletries, I use a version of this Tumi cosmetics bag, and I love it (need to give cred to @CaliforniaGirl09 for telling me about it).

https://www.ebags.com/product/tumi/voyageur-madina-cosmetic/365950?productid=10703674

I've had mine for 4+ years, and it has held up great. I have no problem getting it through TSA when I go carryon, but caveat that that is with TSA Pre. Regular TSA might be more picky. Since I travel so much, I just keep a complete duplicate set of all of my toiletries in this bag so I can just pull it out and go when I am packing.

I do the same thing, only with a Vera Bradley bag. I keep DH and DS's items in it also so we just grab it and go. Although I guess I need a couple of items for DS since we have moved to the "more manly/teen" scents for his regular hair and body products. I don't even think about putting our liquid in a Ziploc anymore with pre-check.

 

[amalone1013]

I don't even think about putting our liquid in a Ziploc anymore with pre-check.

I might be most excited for this part of precheck

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

IHG to introduce variable point pricing per DoC:

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ihg-to-introduce-variable-point-pricing-in-2019/

Not enough detail to form an opinion yet. This could be a good thing for some people, bad thing for others...or it could be bad for everybody.

 

[Alexle2007]

I might be most excited for this part of precheck

Oh yes! So many perks with pre-check. No pulling out liquids and iPads. No taking your shoes off. Even if I didn't have a global entry credit on a CC, I would so pay for the convenience now.

 

[miztressuz]

I got a response to one of my Chase/Disney shaming comments on social media where somebody told me to "Sign up for Marriott Rewards - it's so much better than the Chase program and you can use points at the Swan and Dolphin"...



I didn't respond but I wanted to be like... #DoYouKnowWhoIAm? #1.4millionMarriottPoints

And you only need the ".4" of that to stay at Swolphin for a week... That's only 4 100k sign up bonuses needed for 20k in spend. URs are totally PWNed.

 

[mmmears]

TPG confirms own DP that AA GC purchase did not reimburse; announces to world that Delta and SW GCs still work to trigger Amex credit.

Same over at sister site MMS.

Nooooooooo. So it's dead forever? Sad day here.

Anyone have any thoughts if a VGC is an acceptable wedding gift?

Personally, I wouldn't want one. I do think you need to know your audience. We appreciated the gifts and checks we received (back in the stone ages) but I would have found a Visa gift card to be a pain to unload. Just one opinion.

That new PP restaurant at SeaTac is already gone, barely lasted a week per DoC.

Wow. That's kind of crazy. One week and they quit?

 

[afan]

I might be most excited for this part of precheck

I've still had to pull it out at some point. There's also the worry that for some reason a precheck lane isn't open. I just use my sephora one. I'd rather be prepared than have to toss it all because it's not in the right bag.

Wow. That's kind of crazy. One week and they quit?

Not the first that has done it. I wonder if it's because they get too busy or something else. You'd think at this point they'd make them sign a contract for x amount of time. It can't see how they'd lose money on it. Maybe PP doesn't reimburse the money fast enough for smaller businesses to float the money?

 

[Lain]

That new PP restaurant at SeaTac is already gone, barely lasted a week per DoC.

@Albort was much too optimistic.

i predict 2 months before its removed... lol.

 

[mmmears]

I've still had to pull it out at some point. There's also the worry that for some reason a precheck lane isn't open. I just use my sephora one. I'd rather be prepared than have to toss it all because it's not in the right bag.



Not the first that has done it. I wonder if it's because they get too busy or something else. You'd think at this point they'd make them sign a contract for x amount of time. It can't see how they'd lose money on it. Maybe PP doesn't reimburse the money fast enough for smaller businesses to float the money?

I have also had to pull it out, so keep it in a ziploc (the liquids part anyway). Just grabbed one of those little Sephora bags this weekend, based on the recommendations here. I won't get to try it out for a while, but it's cute. It's not worth the hassle of not packing it up properly, just in case. My latest DP on this is when the first/business line at Heathrow had an issue and they sent us all in the regular line (with the peasants). Even with our little baggies it was rather unpleasant and DD had to give up the DCL toiletries she had that didn't fit in her one little baggie.

Yes, I wonder what is going on with the PP thing, and even if they are going to be able to keep restaurants in the mix long term. It sure isn't looking good. I wonder if there are just too many PP people out there these days.

 

[Albort]

I'm sorry - I'm tired and confused. Are you saying that Chase is shutting down people who are getting Citi cards? Or shutting down people for making large purchases? I just put a pretty hefty one on my Hyatt last week. Isn't that what they want? For me to spend on my new card? If not, I know Amex would be happy to deal with my large transactions. I think I'm missing something here.

Chase does occasionally soft pull people accounts but im not sure if this actually causes chase to shut peoples account down. The problem i do see is that if your on the train, u be most likely hitting your citi cards hard, your chase spendings will go down... chances are, if u do a big purchase, it may trigger something.
now, we watch ppl shut down, we see about 50% of ppl that are below 5/24 able to get their accounts back. but i havent seen anyone getting their accounts back at lol/24. Citi Train will def make u lol/24.
Chase is very cautious on your spendings... they worry that u would put a lot of purchases at once and then stop paying. Amex of course is similar but Amex is a lot more friendlier than Chase is.

hopefully that makes sense. this is just an analyzation too.

Nooooooooo. So it's dead forever? Sad day here.

there is a rumor going around that amex is trying to get the airlines to change the coding of their gift cards... so its likely a major change in the future.
for now, it looks like AA has done so(but only seems to affect amex cards). WN still works, DL still works in $50 increments.

 

[Lain]

IHG to introduce variable point pricing per DoC:

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ihg-to-introduce-variable-point-pricing-in-2019/

Not enough detail to form an opinion yet. This could be a good thing for some people, bad thing for others...or it could be bad for everybody.

I guess the Intercontinental Thalasso will be that much further out of reach...?

 

[Lain]

there is a rumor going around that amex is trying to get the airlines to change the coding of their gift cards... so its likely a major change in the future.
for now, it looks like AA has done so(but only seems to affect amex cards). WN still works, DL still works in $50 increments.

Amex needs to get with the times and make this benefit a straight up travel or, at least, airline credit.

 

[Lain]

My DH will care way more about this when I make him downgrade his CSR... my CSR is peeling anyways lol.

You're going to make Zack downgrade his CSR?! What will the Lounge Lord do for Priority Pass access? Will he just carry around his Priority Pass card even if it doesn't get him in anywhere?

 

[Limes96]

Applied for United biz for P2 this afternoon. Will probably drag the minimum spend out on that one into the third month since I’m still finishing my SW biz and will go for the personal here in a couple weeks. My last personal was the CSR in October. Hoping P2 doesn’t mind yet another card for his wallet. Have to develop a plan also for keeping a steady amount of spend on our Amex cards. I will try to wait until tomorrow to call the status line.

 

[Calfan]

I've still had to pull it out at some point. There's also the worry that for some reason a precheck lane isn't open. I just use my sephora one. I'd rather be prepared than have to toss it all because it's not in the right bag.

I have also had to pull it out, so keep it in a ziploc (the liquids part anyway). Just grabbed one of those little Sephora bags this weekend, based on the recommendations here. I won't get to try it out for a while, but it's cute. It's not worth the hassle of not packing it up properly, just in case. My latest DP on this is when the first/business line at Heathrow had an issue and they sent us all in the regular line (with the peasants). Even with our little baggies it was rather unpleasant and DD had to give up the DCL toiletries she had that didn't fit in her one little baggie.

I have had the number of bottles in my Tumi cosmetics bag questioned once while going through TSA Pre at BOI, but they let me take it. I figure worst case is that I can check the bag in order to avoid tossing all of my stuff if I run into an issue. Since I am not a light packer, lol, realistically I only do carryon on very short trips (e.g., Boise to the Bay Area for a weekend). It wouldn't be an issue for me in either BOI or OAK to go back and check a bag if TSA Pre isn't open. I never do carryon for my international trips so it wouldn't be an issue for me there. Cosmetics case goes in my checked bag.

Amex needs to get with the times and make this benefit a straight up travel or, at least, airline credit.

Seriously!! If only they would make it as easy as the CSR travel credit. But I'd settle for actual airline tickets triggering the reimbursement.

 

[platamama]

I wish I could get rid of our escrow account and pay insurance with CC (no fee)! But it was a condition of the lower interest loan, so I'm thinking not.

I sent a SM (hate calling, lol). I'll see what they say! Didn't know that was a possibility, thanks!

Follow-up question for the AmEx multiplier. Is there any way to tell what's getting 4x on BGR (short of adding and re-adding to get the correct MRs)?

Like @elgerber said, depending on your mortgage company if you've been making payments for a couple years they might let you remove escrow. It's happened with a couple mortgages I've had.

I also am not seeing any 4x on my Biz Gold, and I chatted with Amex yesterday about it to make them aware (I've had to do that with the Rose Gold too) and was told they would escalate it. You might need to do the same, from reading other blogs it seems to be a common problem.

 

[GlamMistress]

IHG to introduce variable point pricing per DoC:

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ihg-to-introduce-variable-point-pricing-in-2019/

Not enough detail to form an opinion yet. This could be a good thing for some people, bad thing for others...or it could be bad for everybody.

I'm sorry but I'm sick of this variable pricing crap. Airlines, hotels even Disney with their tickets. Just set a price and let me plan. Freaking surge pricing. It seems like a scam.