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

[SouthFayetteFan]

Soooooo Chase should tell us the new Freedom quarter this week right?

Chase 5% categories are top-secret classified government regulated information...

I think you're a week early on this, They typically don't release it until the 2nd week of the month prior to the new quarter (so I'd expect something between 3/12 and 3/15). It is truly crazy how they can't release this information earlier!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

A new account for recurring direct deposits of SS income? I see bank bonuses in your future



I know Citizens doesn’t list MD, but you said you were close to PA so maybe your zip code might be eligible? You’ll find out quickly after you put your zip code in, either you’ll get a not eligible message or it’ll populate the promo code field with the code.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ct-d...-vt-citizens-bank-200-400-600-checking-bonus/

M&T is easy and quick. You can downgrade to the EZChoice checking which has no fees to ride out the 6 months avoiding the ETF (or just take the $25 hit if you don’t care) after the bonus posts. You know if a push worked for DD within a couple business days so it’s another quick hit like Chase and Discover.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/mt-b...-available-online-ct-dc-de-md-nj-ny-pa-va-wv/

Also, Suntrust looks interesting. I’m not in their footprint so I haven’t looked into it too closely but it’s one I remember hearing about several times on the old thread. @striker1064 , did you do this one? Or maybe it was @speedyfishy ? Or a bunch of others I'm failing to recall

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/sunt...l-ar-fl-ga-md-ms-nc-sc-tn-wv-va-and-d-c-only/




I think that maybe flew before when banks could be a little lose with reporting but combined with the referral bonuses actually getting 1099’s now, the climate changed and if you get anything over a threshold I think you’ll get the form. I’m not sure how they determine if it’s considered interest or miscellaneous income because each bank seems to just randomly decide; I think I’m at 50/50 for ones that said it was interest so since it was over $10 I got the form, and others said it was miscellaneous and I didn’t get the form because it’s under the $600 mark. Personally, I think it’s a valid argument for bank bonuses where the sole requirement is to make purchases with the debit card and if I didn’t get a 1099 I wouldn’t report it. But if it had an alternate means to getting the bonus, or even it’s a combination of steps to get it, that’s a little shaky and I’m not sure I’d want to waste the time arguing over the tax on it. I just set aside what I estimated the tax % would be and considered it a $250 bonus instead of $300 (or whatever) until we did the actual taxes.

I did suntrust. It was simple and a nice $500 bonus.

 

[Albort]

Chase 5% categories are top-secret classified government regulated information...

I think you're a week early on this, They typically don't release it until the 2nd week of the month prior to the new quarter (so I'd expect something between 3/12 and 3/15). It is truly crazy how they can't release this information earlier!

so, use Freedom card for Janet Airlines?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

What do you consider "regular spend". Around how much per month?

Nobody truly knows the answer here. AMEX popups are one of churning's great mysteries. There are too many variables to possibly pinpoint what causes these popup denials. One person may say they put a small charge on their cards each month and have no issue and another may put $100+ on their cards each month but due to some previous "perceived abuse" AMEX will blacklist them.

 

[Judique]

Yup, $95. I only got a $85 credit for the AF originally

They've got me confused. I got the 35K night, probably because I upgraded a week or so before my anniversary.

 

[striker1064]

Has she checked today? I ask because yesterday I was platinum, today I am gold

Yep! Still Platinum as of earlier today.

 

[tink1970]

I still have my Platinum status but it has nothing to do with Ritz so I think I am safe. Did they remove your suite nights, if that is the bonus you selected?

My status was a total surprise and likely based on the Ritz quirk so I was never eligible for the bonus. I wonder if enough people in my situation complained they weren't getting a Plat bonus and they figured it out and killed it or if it was in the works all along to address the error. Eh, easy come, easy go!

On the bright side, my Amex Biz Plat AF fee posted and I dodged the increase AF this year. Whoo hoo! Guess I'll keep it another year and keep Amex happy.

 

[Alexle2007]

I did suntrust. It was simple and a nice $500 bonus.

Ha, I looked at it And thought it looked like a lot of work and a lot of money tied up. I’ll keep it on the list after my Chase funds are freed up. I should have done that one before I had tuition to pay.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Discussion on r/churning about Marriott pulling Plat Status from some folks...
https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/awt241/discussion_thread_march_03_2019/ehpcthr/

This seems to be related to the Ritz card somehow. I honestly haven’t read it all since I appear to be unaffected. Might want to check to see if your Marriott status level has changed though.

geese, they are really trying to run off all their guests aren't they? It is one thing after another.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

geese, they are really trying to run off all their guests aren't they? It is one thing after another.

but...Bonvoy!!! Say it with me...don't you all feel better? Bonvoy...boynvoy...

 

[Alexle2007]

DH has a perfect FICO score. I guess that means it time for a new credit card Especially since “he” only has $350 remaining of his CIU MSR.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Tagalongs are so good. Dd asked for them this year and I ate most of them. Apparently aldi has a decent dupe.

I was about to post this. The Aldi ones are great! They have "thin mints" too.

 

[Lain]

I'm pages and pages behind as usual, but I saw the doc post about this:
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/get-...chase-freedom-and-freedom-unlimited-2500-max/
'
But can anyone who knows a lot more than me (most people) clarify these comments....seems this may be a good way to get some URs. DH is in hotels for work every week.View attachment 386187

I guess OP is suggesting there may be better ways to book hotels, from the hotel chain’s own channels that’ll ensure you earn points and stays and your status is recognized, stacking those official channels with cashback portals like Ebates; or through other OTA like Hotels .com, where you can often buy their GCs for like 10% off, or Orbitz that has discount codes.

This promo requires you to book through the Chase travel portal on the CF/CFU, and pay cash, not UR points. Although that’s now essentially Expedia, we’ve seen Chase’s UR portal is not the Expedia available to everybody. And Chase’s hotel prices may be more expensive than other channels, whether the hotel’s own or from other OTAs, so you need to do your research to be sure you’re getting a good deal even with the 10x UR.

The cryptic reply, and the follow-up to that comment seems to be in reference to the peculiar way refunds of purchases under the CF’s 5x UR bonus categories codes. If you pay for something under the CF’s bonus category, you earn 5x UR on the purchase; but if you have to return it, Chase will refund the purchase amount but only deduct 1x UR back, essentially letting you keep 4x UR. This may not be well known, but it’s not super secret stuff and Chase may at some point fix it (if it hasn’t already). I think that poster might be suggesting the 10x UR bonus could work the same way if done on a CF. However, as another comment notes, most prepaid bookings aren’t cancellable; and most cancellable bookings don’t involve any prepaying, so the cancellation isn’t a transaction that’s visible to Chase to credit you or refund. You might be able to try this with a hotel that requires a deposit, but lets you cancel for a refund of the deposit. But even DoC chimed in that he wouldn’t recommend it.

(To be clear—while this is the way refunds coded on CF’s 5x categories as recently as a month or two ago, I could’ve sworn I saw a DP recently that said Chase took back the full 5x on a refund. I can’t find that DP so I don’t know if Chase has fixed this glitch or not.)

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Please tell it to stop snowing because I wanted to make one more Kroger run for 4x fuel points on gift cards...

I guess OP is suggesting there may be better ways to book hotels, from the hotel chain’s own channels that’ll ensure you earn points and stays and your status is recognized, stacking those official channels with cashback portals like Ebates; or through other OTA like Hotels .com, where you can often buy their GCs for like 10% off, or Orbitz that has discount codes.

This promo requires you to book through the Chase travel portal on the CF/CFU, and pay cash, not UR points. Although that’s now essentially Expedia, we’ve seen Chase’s UR portal is not the Expedia available to everybody. And Chase’s hotel prices may be more expensive than other channels, whether the hotel’s own or from other OTAs, so you need to do your research to be sure you’re getting a good deal even with the 10x UR.

The cryptic reply, and the follow-up to that comment seems to be in reference to the peculiar way refunds of purchases under the CF’s 5x UR bonus categories codes. If you pay for something under the CF’s bonus category, you earn 5x UR on the purchase; but if you have to return it, Chase will refund the purchase amount but only deduct 1x UR back, essentially letting you keep 4x UR. This may not be well known, but it’s not super secret stuff and Chase may at some point fix it (if it hasn’t already). I think that poster might be suggesting the 10x UR bonus could work the same way if done on a CF. However, as another comment notes, most prepaid bookings aren’t cancellable; and most cancellable bookings don’t involve any prepaying, so the cancellation isn’t a transaction that’s visible to Chase to credit you or refund. You might be able to try this with a hotel that requires a deposit, but lets you cancel for a refund of the deposit. But even DoC chimed in that he wouldn’t recommend it.

(To be clear—while this is the way refunds coded on CF’s 5x categories as recently as a month or two ago, I could’ve sworn I saw a DP recently that said Chase took back the full 5x on a refund. I can’t find that DP so I don’t know if Chase has fixed this glitch or not.)

Thanks, the UR part of it with the refunds makes sense as to what he was alluding to in the reply. That is what I was trying to figure out. We have about 750k Hilton points, so I may have him book his rooms for work thru the portal for this promo to beef up our URs on the company's dime. I hate to give up all those hilton points earnings , but URs may be worth it in the sort run since we have so many hilton stashed.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I was planning this for my next card and doc just posted this...
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/barclays-business-aviator-bonus-now-60000-miles/

 

[WVMomof3]

Tagalongs are so good. Dd asked for them this year and I ate most of them. Apparently aldi has a decent dupe.

This was our activity today. Haha. We
compared Samoa’s vs Aldi’s version. Girl Scouts won out by a very narrow margin for DH and I. DS liked Aldi's. But Aldi’s was $1.35 for 18 and Girl Scouts was $4.00 for 14.

 

[elgerber]

.

 

[EACarlson]

Delta Gold, what are the opinions of those that have it? 60,000 a worthwhile SUB on it?

 

[elgerber]

This was our activity today. Haha. We
compared Samoa’s vs Aldi’s version. Girl Scouts won out by a very narrow margin for DH and I. DS liked Aldi's. But Aldi’s was $1.35 for 18 and Girl Scouts was $4.00 for 14.

View attachment 386228

your Girl Scouts are only $4? Ours are $5.