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

[bernina]

Are you going to send your second one exactly 30 days after? Wasn't sure how everyone was doing it.

I put a reminder in my calendar to initiate the next transfer around the same time the first hit. I don’t think it has to be exact since many paychecks hit every other Thursday or last business day of the month, etc. I just didn’t want to do the second deposit too early and risk it counting as part of the first “month”.

 

[Lain]

does the $50 Amex credit on the platinum personal card work on a gift card?

Saks? In stores only.

 

[DisVegas]

So so sad to hear this. My sympathies to you and friends and family. I hope the sun shines a little brighter tomorrow and each day thereafter.

So sorry to hear this!

 

[GlamMistress]

Conversation starter:

As I need a distraction, I was scrolling Twitter and this tweet caught my eye

@PointsCentric Apr 5
With every domestic loyalty program basically pegging each mile to be worth a penny why would anyone put any spend on an airline branded credit card? Time to seriously consider 2% cash back no annual fee cards.

I kind of have to agree with him. I am not shy in my disdain for dynamic pricing - I think this is akin to a bait and switch.

Then I spied this piece on BoardingArea - I agree with the premise, but there are better cards than the DoubleCash

https://www.pointswithacrew.com/4-r...7.1408210347.1554601620-1746992793.1545394611

I mean, the Barclays Uber is one of the best for cash back and very underrated. The no fee Savor from CapOne is darn good too. Would we all be better with cash back cards and avoiding annual fees?

Just some different cards to discuss tonight.

 

[Lain]

They say the change on United inokements on November 15th. What if I can book before that?

It doesn’t matter if you book now. I’m already seeing increased miles required for flights on and after 11/15. Of course with dynamic pricing, the miles cost may change at any time to reflect demand.

So...we have been building up United points with DH's United Mileage Card, MPX and Mypoints for a trip to Europe (sometime in the next few years). The trip is still going to happen, but with the recent news I think I will stop adding to our United balance and just keep earning URs to transfer to United if we wind up still using United when we finally book the trip.
If we decide to use a different airline for the proposed trip, can those United Miles be converted to anything useful? We usually fly SW domestically so not sure I will ever use those saved up miles if we fly another airline to Europe.

You can redeem United miles for gift cards on MPX at a rate of 15,625 miles for $100. That works out to a lowly 0.64 cents per mile. However, the slight upside is MPX sells Disney gift cards, and you can now buy them in whatever custom amount you want (which should make it easy to use up your miles) up to $500.

 

[trenty]

You can redeem United miles for gift cards on MPX at a rate of 15,625 miles for $100. That works out to a lowly 0.64 cents per mile. However, the slight upside is MPX sells Disney gift cards, and you can now buy them in whatever custom amount you want (which should make it easy to use up your miles) up to $500.

I guess that is good to know. If I wind up with useless points at least I will be able to pay my DVC dues...or it will help pay for tickets or meals on our next trip.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Conversation starter:

As I need a distraction, I was scrolling Twitter and this tweet caught my eye

@PointsCentric Apr 5
With every domestic loyalty program basically pegging each mile to be worth a penny why would anyone put any spend on an airline branded credit card? Time to seriously consider 2% cash back no annual fee cards.

I kind of have to agree with him. I am not shy in my disdain for dynamic pricing - I think this is akin to a bait and switch.

Then I spied this piece on BoardingArea - I agree with the premise, but there are better cards than the DoubleCash

https://www.pointswithacrew.com/4-r...7.1408210347.1554601620-1746992793.1545394611

I mean, the Barclays Uber is one of the best for cash back and very underrated. The no fee Savor from CapOne is darn good too. Would we all be better with cash back cards and avoiding annual fees?

Just some different cards to discuss tonight.

I still cling to my colloquial mantra: “Always Be MSRing”. Nothing can beat that...

As far as “regular folk” - what you share absolutely makes sense. Case in point: numerous people on the DIS (not here) putting every $ on the Chase Disney credit card bragging about how they earn so much towards their trips... In your mind you’re screaming “you idiot - get a Double Cash, and use the cash back to purchase discounted Disney gift cards...you’d come out 6-10%+ ahead!!” Yet people don’t think logically or efficiently when it comes to CC rewards. They make emotional decisions (oh I love my card with Yoda on it) or they are blown by the winds of marketing and advertising. It’s sad really...yet I think back when I used to put every dime on a Discover for 1% and then every dime on a SW card for ~1.7% at the time before I was a churner.

 

[GlamMistress]

I still cling to my colloquial mantra: “Always Be MSRing”. Nothing can beat that...

True that. I've been without an MSR for so long, trying to be back under 5/24 which is something I swore I'd never do. We'll see if I regret this - there is a definite opportunity cost to sitting on the sidelines, letting bonuses pass me by.

I do think that for most folks, a cash back card or 1/2 really good points earners is enough. You have to want to learn how to manipulate these programs to get full benefit, especially when AFs are involved. We're credit card nerds here.

 

[wendow]

True that. I've been without an MSR for so long, trying to be back under 5/24 which is something I swore I'd never do. We'll see if I regret this - there is a definite opportunity cost to sitting on the sidelines, letting bonuses pass me by.

I do think that for most folks, a cash back card or 1/2 really good points earners is enough. You have to want to learn how to manipulate these programs to get full benefit, especially when AFs are involved. We're credit card nerds here.

We are CC nerds and that is the reason the 2% back on everything cards don't really get us excited lol. I think for your average consumer, those types of cards are actually the best there is. I have several family members who will NOT use more than one card. They really could care less that there is a free card that gets 3% back on grocery, a free card that gets 4% back on gas, a free card that has rotating categories, etc. They are carrying one card and one card only so the 2% back cards are what they use. I can't argue that. I would do the same if I wasn't a CC nerd who knows better.

When I started this game so many years ago, I didn't always keep a MSR. I paid the AF on the BCP and really did use that card for groceries. I paid the AF on the CSR and really did use it for dining and any travel we paid for. Now, I have learned from @SouthFayetteFan to always have a MSR. I haven't been without one in probably close to two years. Now I no longer have the BCP as I found I wasn't really using it and pretty sure we are PC'ing the CSR since we never really use it and Disney isn't an UR redemption.

Anyways, I am totally rambling...

 

[Limes96]

@GlamMistress So so sorry for your loss and praying for continued healing for your DH. I was probably 10 pages behind tonight, and as I read through each page, seeing so many from our group sending you condolences...well, it’s very heart warming the amount of caring coming from this group. I hope that provides even just a tiny bit of comfort during this difficult time.

 

[Haley R]

Since Virginia won by 1 point I ended up beating Dh in our March Madness brackets. Our deal was the winner gets to choose the next vacation and it has to be in the states. I'm leaning towards a Yellowstone trip unless anyone here can convince me to pick something else. I definitely want something with a little more nature like a national park.

 

[WVMomof3]

DS really picked his brackets right. He was 3 for 4 in Final 4 and has both teams in the Championship. The rest of us were out before tonight.

 

[wendow]

@GlamMistress So so sorry for your loss and praying for continued healing for your DH. I was probably 10 pages behind tonight, and as I read through each page, seeing so many from our group sending you condolences...well, it’s very heart warming the amount of caring coming from this group. I hope that provides even just a tiny bit of comfort during this difficult time.

Thinking the same. What an amazing group here. We are all friends and it shows. Bless you all.

 

[Haley R]

DS really picked his brackets right. He was 3 for 4 in Final 4 and has both teams in the Championship. The rest of us were out before tonight.

I never would've guessed these teams in the final four or the championship. He either really knows his stuff or he got lucky lol. I went pretty typical with number 1 seeds this year: North Carolina, Gonzaga, Duke, and Virginia.

 

[speedyfishy]

DS really picked his brackets right. He was 3 for 4 in Final 4 and has both teams in the Championship. The rest of us were out before tonight.

That’s impressive. Who does he have winning? lol

 

[Limes96]

The United news is messing up my plans too. I’d planned to use them for our Europe May/June 2020 trip. We’re still working on the United biz MSR (Probably will be for several more weeks too). I hope it won’t be so awful that we can’t use those miles for that trip. Especially with the excursion perk where you can get an additional flight for free in the middle of your trip. Nothing I can do about it though. Also not much I will change in my plan either, since I was planning to going back to bringing in more UR’s after we finish the United MSR.

 

[afan]

I forgot who it was, but pretty sure it was someone(s) here that that recommended It Happened One Night. So much fun! I think it's my favorite of the movies I've watched so far. Such a different role for Clark Gable, though I've only seen him in Gone With the Wind. And it has the scene from Sex and the City 2 where she hikes her skirt up.

Conversation starter:

As I need a distraction, I was scrolling Twitter and this tweet caught my eye

@PointsCentric Apr 5
With every domestic loyalty program basically pegging each mile to be worth a penny why would anyone put any spend on an airline branded credit card? Time to seriously consider 2% cash back no annual fee cards.

I kind of have to agree with him. I am not shy in my disdain for dynamic pricing - I think this is akin to a bait and switch.

Then I spied this piece on BoardingArea - I agree with the premise, but there are better cards than the DoubleCash

https://www.pointswithacrew.com/4-r...7.1408210347.1554601620-1746992793.1545394611

I mean, the Barclays Uber is one of the best for cash back and very underrated. The no fee Savor from CapOne is darn good too. Would we all be better with cash back cards and avoiding annual fees?

Just some different cards to discuss tonight.

I think it depends. Knock on wood, but I still find Alaska miles have good value. But they have an award chart and decent partner redemption. On the other hand I generally only use my delta card for offers but that's also partly because I know there are other delta cards I can sign up for. I can't churn alaska for 2 years. I haven't heard if they've changed that rule for the biz yet but with ao many not getting biz cards I can't imagine I'll be able to easily churn it when I cancel it. But I may still try if the offer is right. The miles are just so hard to get.

 

[amalone1013]

In your mind you’re screaming “you idiot - get a Double Cash, and use the cash back to purchase discounted Disney gift cards...you’d come out 6-10%+ ahead!!”

Or... just get a double cash in general!

 

[NewbieMom]

Guys I don't know what to say or do anymore. You already know my one girlfriend was out for Vegas because she hurt her knee very badly. Then my husband went into a downward health spiral.

But now, I have just learned that my other girlfriend who was meeting us... died last night. At age 42 this is obviously sudden and a shock.

I feel numb. And I don't know who to talk to about this so I posted here.

I am really sorry for your loss, and my condolences to the family. There are really no words, but please take some time to process and grieve. I understand the position you're currently in, as I also lost a high school friend last Wed. We knew it was coming, as she's been battling cancer for the past 18 months. But it's still hard to process with her being in her 30s and leaving behind 2 young children. I am taking a week off to process and spend more time with my kids. Hopefully you have the opportunity to take some time and do something for yourself.

 

[Haley R]

For anyone interested, we've slowly been adding points to our Hilton Tokyo Bay reservation and today when I went to add another 7k points they weren't able to do so. Apparently if there's no availability at the hotel in the room type you selected they can't add points to your reservation. I guess I assumed they would just add them to my current reservation, but they must have to create a new reservation to add points.