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

[Lain]

So amidst all the excitement today...did this get shared:

American Express relaunches Blue Cash Preferred with two new cashback categories

Starting May 9th, American Express will add two new reward categories to the Blue Cash Preferred card:

• 6% cash back on more than 20 US streaming subscriptions (including Amazon Prime, YouTube, HBO, Netflix, Apple Music, and Pandora)
• 3% cash back on transit purchases including parking, tolls, train fares and ride shares (including Uber and Lyft)

These cashback categories remain unchanged:

• 6% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year
• 3% cash back at US gas stations
• 1% cash back on other purchases

The 3% cash back for department stores is being removed from the reward categories.

Official Press Release: https://about.americanexpress.com/p...ss-unveils-refreshed-blue-cash-preferred-card

I’m exhausted from keeping the news thread updated, especially in the last few days. Lots of news!

I don’t know how DoC does it with just two guys.

Speaking of which, that twitter exchange you posted last night was bizarre. Bank was going to give DoC $50 per lead, then upped the offer to $100 when DoC kept suggesting the bank give away the initial $50 instead. It made me think of that WSJ article we discussed a few weeks ago. Amex spent almost $2 million on ads with TPG in Q4 2018, and during that same period Chase spent almost $1.5 million with TPG. And that’s just ad spending, not affiliate commissions; and only TPG, not any of the hundreds of other points and miles bloggers. Imagine if the banks redirected some of that money to bonuses or statement credits to the customers. Geez.

 

[Lain]

Thinking about getting my dd18 the SW plus at the increased offer. She is planning a couple trips later this year on her own and she could really use the SW points. Here are her cards:

07/18 Discover IT
12/18 CFU
12/18 Amex gold (AU)
02/19 CIP

Her credit score is 780'ish. Do you think she has a chance? She has summer tuition coming up so she could meet 3/4 of the MSR easily.

Co-brands are supposed to be easier to get approved for. Go for it!

 

[amalone1013]

Also, the new med we tried for my dd (thanks to my research!) has helped tremendously. A flare has never, ever begun to improve this quickly. Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers! Kiddo is on the mend!!!!

I'm so glad! Been thinking of you both!

 

[wendow]

Co-brands are supposed to be easier to get approved for. Go for it!

Is the minimum CL on the SW 2k? Just wondering if I should lower her extended credit since the CIP took up 5k.

 

[wendow]

I'm so glad! Been thinking of you both!

Thank you! I genuinely felt the love and support from y'all

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I’m exhausted from keeping the news thread updated, especially in the last few days. Lots of news!

I don’t know how DoC does it with just two guys.

Speaking of which, that twitter exchange you posted last night was bizarre. Bank was going to give DoC $50 per lead, then upped the offer to $100 when DoC kept suggesting the bank give away the initial $50 instead. It made me think of that WSJ article we discussed a few weeks ago. Amex spent almost $2 million on ads with TPG in Q4 2018, and during that same period Chase spent almost $1.5 million with TPG. And that’s just ad spending, not affiliate commissions; and only TPG, not any of the hundreds of other points and miles bloggers. Imagine if the banks redirected some of that money to bonuses or statement credits to the customers. Geez.

Thanks so much for your efforts on the news thread! You do an amazing job. I try to link things when I can but it’s so difficult on my phone that I wait to do it when I’m on my computer and by then you often beat me to it

 

[Lain]

Is the minimum CL on the SW 2k? Just wondering if I should lower her extended credit since the CIP took up 5k.

I’ve seen DPs of CLs as low as $2k on the SW personal cards. I don’t know if Chase will go any lower. I also don’t know enough to advise whether you should lower the CIP’s CL. You might want to think about that now that Plastiq could be back to coding 3x.

 

[Lain]

Thanks so much for your efforts on the news thread! You do an amazing job. I try to link things when I can but it’s so difficult on my phone that I wait to do it when I’m on my computer and by then you often beat me to it

Same. I absolutely hate using old Reddit on my phone, even though I like editing on old Reddit more than on new Reddit.

 

[wendow]

I’ve seen DPs of CLs as low as $2k on the SW personal cards. I don’t know if Chase will go any lower. I also don’t know enough to advise whether you should lower the CIP’s CL. You might want to think about that now that Plastiq could be back to coding 3x.

We currently are holding 3 CIP's in this house. My AF just hit and I was all set to close my card when the news came out about the CIP maybe coding 3x again. I can still use dd's and dh's but I'm not sure I want to let go of mine. But also not sure why I should pay $95 to keep it. I can't get another for like a year though so maybe that is why I'm reluctant to let go.

 

[mmmears]

You can do the book/cancel trick to "buy" points (like with IHG), but you have to have some in your account to begin with in order to do that. Only other thing I can think of would be to buy points during Daily Getaways if you don't want to spend MR's.

I hate that you can't see points prices without points in your account. Makes planning difficult.

Can you explain the book/cancel trick? I haven't dealt with IHG either. (or point me in the right direction - is it on dischurners?) What's a Daily Getaway? I guess I'm back to being a N00B when it comes to Choice. Right now we have a cash reservation at one of their "Ascend" properties (I had no idea until I read the article you shared and then searched their website). I'm ok with the cash expense although it would be nice to not pay for it. I'm kind of hoarding my MRs at the moment since we are planning a trip in 2020 and want J-class seats to Europe. We seem to get the most "bang for the buck" on MRs when we use them that way. And with the airlines devaluing all the points I'm getting worried we might not have enough.

Also, the new med we tried for my dd (thanks to my research!) has helped tremendously. A flare has never, ever begun to improve this quickly. Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers! Kiddo is on the mend!!!!

Oh, that's so wonderful! I'm really happy to hear this. Good for you for doing some research and finding something that is helping her.

I’m exhausted from keeping the news thread updated, especially in the last few days. Lots of news!

I don’t know how DoC does it with just two guys.

Speaking of which, that twitter exchange you posted last night was bizarre. Bank was going to give DoC $50 per lead, then upped the offer to $100 when DoC kept suggesting the bank give away the initial $50 instead. It made me think of that WSJ article we discussed a few weeks ago. Amex spent almost $2 million on ads with TPG in Q4 2018, and during that same period Chase spent almost $1.5 million with TPG. And that’s just ad spending, not affiliate commissions; and only TPG, not any of the hundreds of other points and miles bloggers. Imagine if the banks redirected some of that money to bonuses or statement credits to the customers. Geez.

Thank you for all you do on the news thread. And I guess we know why all the points have been devalued... Thanks TPG for raking in the money and making everything that much harder for the people you claim to be helping.

 

[wendow]

I don't think I posted about this but we closed dh's CSR It was a hard, hard decision but the AF had come up. I'd already gotten the 2019 TC. With no Disney on the booking portal, and the couple things we've booked over the last year have been very minor savings, even with the 1.5 multiplier, I just felt it was no longer justified. Very sad though. Originally that card was a keeper. Not because we eat out much or because we have paid travel much but because of the savings on the Disney resorts.
I love PP access but it frequently doesn't work out for us since Timberline doesn't open early. And our one non-Timberline experience was meh.

We PC'ed the CSR to a CFU and kept the CL at 10k. If we PC if back to a CSR, we pay the $450 but also get the $300 TC again?

 

[wendow]

Thank you @Lain for keeping our news thread up-to-date! I'm sure days like today are hard to keep up with!!

 

[afan]

So we are goochi? Your little crying guy made me sad.

That's how it's spelled? I thought it was like the brand, gucci. Apparently I've hit the I'm old range since I don't have kids or young people around to keep me "hip". Should be right on time since 40 happens sunday.

 

[wendow]

That's how it's spelled? I thought it was like the brand, gucci. Apparently I've hit the I'm old range since I don't have kids or young people around to keep me "hip". Should be right on time since 40 happens sunday.

I have no idea!! lol! That was me trying to be hip. I have two teens who use this language around me all the time but heck if I know the spelling of anything!?! I just guess and could care less if I'm wrong. I'm a mom. I'm supposed to be wrong. Pretty much all the time
Can't believe you are turning 40?!? You seem much younger. We are closer in age than I thought!

 

[Haley R]

I heard on Clark Howard the other day...

Take cash and buy a MO. Deposit it via the app in your account. Genius.

This might sound dumb but what’s an MO? Money order?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I have no idea!! lol! That was me trying to be hip. I have two teens who use this language around me all the time but heck if I know the spelling of anything!?! I just guess and could care less if I'm wrong. I'm a mom. I'm supposed to be wrong. Pretty much all the time
Can't believe you are turning 40?!? You seem much younger. We are closer in age than I thought!

Oh you darn young kids........

(Channeling my inner “old man churner” again)

 

[wendow]

This might sound dumb but what’s an MO? Money order?

Yes.

 

[afan]

Can you explain the book/cancel trick? I haven't dealt with IHG either. (or point me in the right direction - is it on dischurners?) What's a Daily Getaway? I guess I'm back to being a N00B when it comes to Choice. Right now we have a cash reservation at one of their "Ascend" properties (I had no idea until I read the article you shared and then searched their website). I'm ok with the cash expense although it would be nice to not pay for it. I'm kind of hoarding my MRs at the moment since we are planning a trip in 2020 and want J-class seats to Europe. We seem to get the most "bang for the buck" on MRs when we use them that way. And with the airlines devaluing all the points I'm getting worried we might not have enough.

I can't answer your question, but the best resource I've found regarding Choice hotels/points in Norway etc is Ric on this blog https://loyaltytraveler.boardingarea.com/ He stays at them and has posts about their points, good ways to earn them, whether buying them in daily deals is good, mattress what's it (when you check in but don't stay to earn the points cause it's so cheap) etc.

I have no idea!! lol! That was me trying to be hip. I have two teens who use this language around me all the time but heck if I know the spelling of anything!?! I just guess and could care less if I'm wrong. I'm a mom. I'm supposed to be wrong. Pretty much all the time
Can't believe you are turning 40?!? You seem much younger. We are closer in age than I thought!

Now I feel better I thought it came from the brand but I don't understand why or how. I don't feel that old and I'm not where I thought I'd be at this age but there's still time and I don't have regrets just what if's which is better and what I suppose we all strive for.

 

[Haley R]

Yes.

I’ve never done a money order before lol

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

This might sound dumb but what’s an MO? Money order?

There are no dumb questions here Questions are only dumb when asked in the r/churning discussion thread and downvoted to oblivion!!