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

[Judique]

Hey friends - sorry I hijacked the thread today with my Universal issue, I feel bad! I GREATLY appreciate all of the awesome feedback and advice I received today. I tried to like all of the comments but I can't possibly begin to list and thank everybody who weighed in. I read all of your thoughts and ideas and I appreciate ALL of you!!!

I hate that this adds a potential layer of stress to such a short trip. But like I said earlier, I'm just going to plan to spend another $300 for some one day tickets if necessary and anything better than that is a win. It's not like I don't have the points to spare...

I also really like the notarized paperwork idea. I might just call Universal and get their thoughts on the situation later this week.

Sharing your issue is good because it may help someone else avoid the headache.

 

[PolyRob]

I really want to try this, but the closest WM to me is always busy and the CS counter is S L O W (I have had the misfortune to make a few returns). The lines at checkout are always super long. I will be brave and order the Serve and give it a shot! Maybe I can go really early on a weekend when it shouldn't be too busy.

This is my exact concern! I almost never go to WM (last time was maybe November?). I also have to drive like 20/25 minutes to my nearest one. I could make a trip out to WM on the weekends, but with so few trips IDK how high my return could be once I got comfortable with it. 1 swipe at check lanes, 1 at customer service, 1 at electronics, and 1 at garden center? lol I have been thinking about hitting WMs on my route home from work. I usually go into the office 3 days a week and that could get me some coverage, BUT sometimes (really all the time) all I want to do is go home when I leave

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Dh and I just talked and I’m gonna go ahead and apply for my first CIC. Is there anything I need to know before applying? I’m assuming it’s similar to the CIP. Can I expedite or should I not after having 2 CIPs?

I used the same information when applying for my CIC....didn’t expedite it so not sure

 

[speedyfishy]

This is my exact concern! I almost never go to WM (last time was maybe November?). I also have to drive like 20/25 minutes to my nearest one. I could make a trip out to WM on the weekends, but with so few trips IDK how high my return could be once I got comfortable with it. 1 swipe at check lanes, 1 at customer service, 1 at electronics, and 1 at garden center? lol I have been thinking about hitting WMs on my route home from work. I usually go into the office 3 days a week and that could get me some coverage, BUT sometimes (really all the time) all I want to do is go home when I leave

I do two swipes at each register. I load my P2s card. I just ask if it’s ok to load my card and my husbands and no one has a problem.

 

[LynnTH]

Just applied for Citi Biz AA #3 public link for 65,000. Other 2 were public links for 70,000 and received points on both. Crossing fingers this one works too. Closed #2 in June.

 

[PolyRob]

I do two swipes at each register. I load my P2s card. I just ask if it’s ok to load my card and my husbands and no one has a problem.

Ahh maximizing visits. Now that you say that, I seem to remember you mentioning it. I always read the posts and think I could never accomplish this. Maybe I can?

I seem to also remember you buy gift cards at grocery stores too for MRs and maximize the Amex gold, right?

 

[platamama]

I may have to take the plunge and order a green card! I can try and start small with one GC to see how it goes.

I think I honestly already have a Serve account. I got a blue card with cash years ago (when it first started?) from selling textbooks back to... maybe Chegg? It had no fees and I think I close it somehow? I should probably figure that out.

Serve has gone through a lot of changes over the years, and the platform is run by InComm these days and not Amex (sold it to InComm late last year). I would think you could just get a new green Serve and start over.

I do two swipes at each register. I load my P2s card. I just ask if it’s ok to load my card and my husbands and no one has a problem.

I've started the two swipes too. The funny thing is that it was the WM cashier who brought it to my attention that I could do that. She asked, "Is it all going on one card, or are you going to split it?" Apparently there's another MSer who uses the same store! lol

Just applied for Citi Biz AA #3 public link for 65,000. Other 2 were public links for 70,000 and received points on both. Crossing fingers this one works too. Closed #2 in June.

Did you get instant approval? Hope it works for you!

 

[speedyfishy]

Ahh maximizing visits. Now that you say that, I seem to remember you mentioning it. I always read the posts and think I could never accomplish this. Maybe I can?

I seem to also remember you buy gift cards at grocery stores too for MRs and maximize the Amex gold, right?

Yeah I maxed my Gold and I’m about half way done maxing my P2s. I planned on doing that this month but with the staples deal that will be on hold. I’ll wait until there is a GC deal at the grocery store.

 

[Judique]

I'm impressed you got a refund from Uber. Anytime I have an issue and contact them, they tell me "Too bad, we're not doing anything for you since you have so many credits and adjustments on your account." I assume this is in reference to the Amex Plat credits, but the implication is I'm always getting adjustments due to complaining - which is of course not true.

I continue to be impressed by just how awful Uber and their customer service are, but I use it and UberEats because of the Plat credits, so I'm part of the problem. We don't use it once the credits are gone for the month, though. Don't even price compare to Lyft.

And we are done with Grubhub - too many missing items.

 

[wendow]

This is a dumb question but what do you you all do with vgc,s. Do you save them for later to spend or are you able to deposit them as cash some how.

Hopefully someone else got you an answer. I don't do any of the MS'ing with vgc...yet...Considering it though!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

WOOOOAH! 40,000 LIKES (or reaction score I guess now). Thank you - Thank you all for making this the best thread on the DIS!
@bernina is my 40,000th Like - congrats! I'm sure it is quite an honor!

 

[snugglebug]

I may have to take the plunge and order a green card! I can try and start small with one GC to see how it goes.

I think I honestly already have a Serve account. I got a blue card with cash years ago (when it first started?) from selling textbooks back to... maybe Chegg? It had no fees and I think I close it somehow? I should probably figure that out.

I have one of those old accts. I think they gave $ for signing way back when. It's just been sitting there. I went ahead and signed up for a green card about a week and a half ago. I should probably cancel the old one, I think the original card was white? Obviously I never used it lol

 

[wendow]

More traveling. He's off to Chicago again next week (me: book expensive SW flight! only 10k RRs to A list preferred!) He just ended up with this customer that is opening warehouses all over. 1 in Denver is not quite done, 3rd job in Reno is just starting/2nd is just finishing, 1st in Chicago is going/2nd just sold, I believe KC is 90% done, and Cleveland is in quoting stage so he will probably make a trip there soon-ish. Atlanta is possibly early 2020, they want to start working on an early budget with him. This has been very crazy

Oh my! My dh just started the traveling with his new job. FL last week and then New Orleans later this month. Dallas in Sept. I *think* it's only going to be once a month unless something changes. My dh really has to watch what flights he books. He has to book through Concur, which is the Amex travel agency (I think??), and the system will only give you certain options that are the best flights but also the best priced. So, he's looking at NO flights now and I don't think SW is going to work on the way there but it's good for the way home. It was the same for FL - SW there but a different carrier home. I feel like it's gonna take forever to build SW points at this rate!

 

[thevalley]

Please don’t shun me lol but am I able to close my 1st CitiAA via chat? Both of mine have been every 95 days so far. Should I close my CiP before getting #2? The CiP has been open for over a 1.5 years.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Please don’t shun me lol but am I able to close my 1st CitiAA via chat? Both of mine have been every 95 days so far. Should I close my CiP before getting #2? The CiP has been open for over a 1.5 years.

Should you close the CIP? You don't have to - you can if you want to. You can also PC it to a CIC or CIU. But you really don't have to do anything.

Regarding the AA question - I assume that's an AA Biz? IMO You should read this comment on the DISchurners News Thread and look at each link back to the discussion here. There's a lot of detail today in the thread about this that you might want to familiarize yourself with

• https://www.reddit.com/r/DISchurners/comments/cfv6iu/_/evpgexq

(and to simply answer the question - yes you can cancel AA cards via chat. Sometimes you might have to try a couple times though. But make sure to read all of the linked stuff too!)

 

[tink1970]

@miztressuz -thanks so much for the head's up on the Amex big box offer! Of all my cards/DH/DD/DM, one had it but that one was used immediately for some of DD's off to school personal items. I was easily able to max it out and $10 is $10. Whoo hooo!

 

[Haley R]

Are there not support links for the CIC? I couldn’t find any on reddit

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Are there not support links for the CIC? I couldn’t find any on reddit

No - just for CIP and CIU unfortunately.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

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[Judique]

this brings back memories of our camping trip 10 years ago... my reason why I didn't want to actually touch them (other than the laws) was the ticks and bugs,I've never seen a place so overrun with bugs as that island and campground....we would lie in the tent and look up to see it covered with thousands of crawling ticks...... when we got home we rinsed our gear off thoroughly before packing it away... still it was a great trip and I'd love to go back sometime (this time in a hotel thank you very much)

Wow! What an experience! We've done fall camping - September and October and only in the State park - hot showers and flushing toilets! I've gone there in summer to the beach only as I find the trails too hot in July. I used to get swarmed by flies and mosquitos on the entrance to the South beach, but not this time as they've changed the parking and the drainage doesn't allow for mosquito breeding in that area as it did in the past. Once on the beach it was okay. In past years when I was there in the late evening just for the South beach area we got eaten by mosquitos. Haven't had to deal with a tick but I'm sure they are there as it seems if there is grass there are ticks.

The state park more than likely sprays, but not sure if the National park does or not. The properties are right next to one another and the ponies wander into the state side all the time. I have the $10 lifetime senior pass to both parks (not $10 anymore) so I wander in and out on all my trips.