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

[brownhaired_girl]

It's been a rough couple weeks for me. We had a family reunion and my Mom passed away suddenly surrounded by her family. We were sitting around the campfire listening/singing one minute, she started making a coughing sound, I went over to her, watched her take a few breaths, told her I loved her, and that was it. No pulse, eyes were fixed and dilated, and I had to tell everyone she was gone. It wasn't a total shock, my Mom has had over 10 heart attacks and strokes starting at the age of 47. Her last stroke was almost 5 years ago, and it has been a struggle. Deep down I knew the next one was only a matter of time. Although she tried to keep a good attitude she has been praying for God to take her to heaven for a long time. Even though she never officially became a DNR, she said she would never have the strength to go through another stroke. So even though I knew it was best for her it was not easy to look at my step dad and say just let her go.

But I have much to be thankful for. She is now at peace and is reunited with my brother who passed away at 17. I counted up 8 Disney trips we've been able to take with her, including the first one 6 weeks after a ruptured aneurysm, a condition that many don't survive. I'm thankful for this community, it's been nice to read here and take my mind off things. The weird thing is we planned this family reunion so that the next time we got together it wouldn't be for a funeral. We were more thinking of my 95 year old grandma, but God had other plans. Here's one of my favorite pictures. Our first Disney trip after that ruptured aneurysm.

@alryan what an amazing picture and what a reminder to cherish our loved ones. I’m so sorry for your loss .

 

[Judique]

Just got an email from Credit Karma offering the Amex Blue Cash Preferred $250 statement credit, 1000 in spend, etc, so I check Amex website and they are offering $300 statement credit. 1000 spend.

Amex site says special offer for me, leave this page and you may not get it back.

Well, I'm leaving the page as I'm trying to get back under 5/24, but the card has some pretty nice benefits - 6% groceries, 6% streaming, 3% transit - buses, tolls, taxis, trains, rideshare, 3% gas and a 95$ annual fee.

 

[1st*toright]

Just thought I'd share regarding Hagrid's Motorbike ride: a friend went yesterday and reported consistently with what's been said here. Insane lines in the morning, lines are delayed sometimes because the ride goes down, but it seems to quiet down more later at night. She said they got in line last night and it was showing 150 minutes, which was the lowest they'd seen it, but they actually only ended up waiting 55 minutes!

Thanks for the update - it is definitely on my list for December. Not sure my little one will have the patience to wait in line for it (even for only an hour) so it may wind up being something my teen and I do later at night (send the LO back to the hotel with DH first). That's what we did so that we could ride FOP the week after it opened - stayed late and waited for about an hour to ride. We were so tired and loopy on the way back to the bus - actually a really fun memory of that trip. Would have been much less fun with a cranky 4 year old to lug around!

 

[Alexle2007]

If you happen to see dell increased on the portal, will you please try to post here? I have the 10% plus extra point on my BBP and I'd love to grab a switch.

Dell is on SW portal for 3x currently plus the 2k bonus if you spend $550 through the portal. I am using it to get DS’s laptop since I have the $100 Dell credit for my new Plat Biz plus 10% off offer plus $100 Visa GC from Dell.

 

[Tikitoi]

Amex is telling me I'm pre-approved for the BBP again

I got the same thing too. 20k points...Not sure if I'm going to take it though..

 

[striker1064]

Here is what she has. I looked for a box but didn't see one in the ...clutter. The right piece is red not orange as my cell phone camera is saying. It sits in front of a 55 inch tv. She has her own little virtual empire up there. Oh and they play that Smash Bros Mario game.

View attachment 423703

This is for sure the original model - the updated battery models haven't started hitting shelves yet, I don't think.

We haven't had any games at our house in years - older kid isn't interested, DH and I have no time, but DH was mentioning that at the afterschool program our little one goes to they occasionally pull out some kind of Nintendo system on rainy afternoons and our kid is the only one that has no clue how to play. So he thought it might be fun to get one we could play as a family sometimes instead of watching a movie or playing a board game. I'm not convinced that its essential for her to know how to play video games, but I suppose it could be fun.

I heartily endorse this idea and/or suggestion.

 

[amalone1013]

That's awesome! Did you just call and request to update it or did you have a points booking you said you wanted to use it for?

Just said I had to cancel a trip and was hoping to extend the expiration

 

[disfanforlife]

She's going full time and about to start her third and final year. English schools are three years for most subjects. She absolutely loves it and will probably stay over there to get her masters. I highly recommend it--such a phenomenal experience. Plus there's the excuse for travel

Interesting, I’ll let him know. He is going to be sophomore this year, so hopefully it can work out for him next year. Glad your daughter is enjoying it!

 

[disfanforlife]

Thank you for the nice compliments on my fam. They were on their best behavior for you lol. Threatened them with no Mickey bars later

Loved meeting you too!

So nice you got to meet up!

 

[WVMomof3]

@alryan Group hug to you. So very sorry for your loss. Heartbreaking, yet a very loving environment from which to go. Wouldn't everyone want their last moments be surrounded by family and no suffering, yet I know it can't be easy on those left behind. My prayers are with you.

 

[amalone1013]

Glad it worked out in your favor, but this stuff is so confusing to me. I had a friend recently get married and she did not change her last name. Her and her husband got checks written to either her, him, her AND him, or Mr and Mrs X. She explained to me that the individual checks were fine, but if you put AND (instead of OR) the banks want it to go to a joint account with both names. Ok, fair. I asked what happens with the Mr. and Mrs. checks since that isn't your name? She said the banks took that into the joint account as well. Oh really? It is ok for someone that doesn't exist, but you can't deposit a check with your name + another because it has AND instead of OR? Really makes sense to me

We ran into that too. I hadn't changed my name yet, so I thought it would be easier if anything that was written to both of us as Mr and Mrs B or Mr B and Mrs M went to DHs bank, especially as he's a long time customer of the same branch. But man, some of the tellers were kinda mean about it! We had one more to deposit when we added me to DHs account for moving money around (ya know, so I could open him Chase accounts for the bonus ) and he deposited a few things with a teller while we waited for someone who could help add me, and we saved the dual name check for then... and she actually was worried/upset that they had told us no at the counter! I mean, that time they didn't, but they acted like they should tell us no every other time we had been.

 

[disfanforlife]

Curious - how did you enjoy Dear Evan Hansen? I've been looking at tickets but haven't pulled the trigger.

I saw it a couple of years ago in NYC and it was fantastic. One of the best shows I have seen. I would highly recommend it.

 

[amalone1013]

@Lain really, I'm probably even better off overall... I'm not sure the card is a longterm keeper card for us, but if I would PC or close it next year... I got $300 credit in April, $300 credit in June, and could possibly use $300 credit again next year... get a 50k cert this year, for prorated AF of $30, full $450 AF this year, and no/prorated AF next year.

I am planning to try and PC DHs when the anniversary comes up in August (opened Aug 27) to see if his old personal will get an upgrade offer, similar to your plan.

 

[amalone1013]

So when I get home I get to call Chase Travel, because I was trying to book a flight late on the app last night and I BOOKED THE WRONG DAY What was I doing????

 

[miztressuz]

I got the same thing too. 20k points...Not sure if I'm going to take it though..

Is that the 20k sign up bonus? There's two targeted versions, one with 5k of spend and one for 3k. Outside of a targeted offer the best you can do is 10k/3k from a support link. So if you see the 20k/3k and are interested in the card, I'd probably try for it.
If it's the 5k then I'd weigh if I could cross support from P2 for at least 10k as that could be more lucrative with the lower spend requirement. And if you had a 15 or 20k card more points for less spend. (But only helpful if you have a P2 with the right card)

Something to think about (like there's not enough already )

 

[Alexle2007]

Thanks for the update - it is definitely on my list for December. Not sure my little one will have the patience to wait in line for it (even for only an hour) so it may wind up being something my teen and I do later at night (send the LO back to the hotel with DH first). That's what we did so that we could ride FOP the week after it opened - stayed late and waited for about an hour to ride. We were so tired and loopy on the way back to the bus - actually a really fun memory of that trip. Would have been much less fun with a cranky 4 year old to lug around!

I have ridden it twice now and it is totally worth the wait! We’ll be back to Universal again next week so I can ride it some more. I need to see it in the daylight since both times have been in the dark.

 

[LynnTH]

Thank you all!! I know I missed some, still can't figure out the multi quote from different pages. @LuckyMamaInDE you hit the nail on the head. So many conflicting emotions! I'm sorry for your loss. Even though 72 seems way too young, working as an RN in a long term care facility did help me prepare. Every day I see people who are just praying for God to take them home, or stoke survivors who live for years with little quality of life. Families who are in tears that they ever put a feeding tube in a stroke survivor. Even at 72 my Mom had a good life, not always easy, but a good life...and that I can thank God for.

So sorry to hear about your Mom. Mine was 72 when she passed 8 years ago from Cancer. Miss her so much - growing up we fought like cats and dogs (as a teen anyway) but as an adult we were best of friends. I have her sentiments exactly on money/traveling and am so glad I found this hobby. Been able to take so many more trips with my DH and kids. Only wish I had found this hobby when Mom was alive. She was always up for a vacation!!

 

[Alexle2007]

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[Tikitoi]

Is that the 20k sign up bonus? There's two targeted versions, one with 5k of spend and one for 3k. Outside of a targeted offer the best you can do is 10k/3k from a support link. So if you see the 20k/3k and are interested in the card, I'd probably try for it.
If it's the 5k then I'd weigh if I could cross support from P2 for at least 10k as that could be more lucrative with the lower spend requirement. And if you had a 15 or 20k card more points for less spend. (But only helpful if you have a P2 with the right card)

Something to think about (like there's not enough already )

It is the one for the 20k with $3000 spend. Though I'm P1 mode. But I definitely will think about it as I have no MSR at this moment....Been burying myself in VGC's from Staples

 

[platamama]

Picked up another VGC at Staples just now. I was going to try for more than one but they had the one per customer sign up this time. I’m glad I didn’t grab more than one because the cashier wanted to see my card and ID. I was using DH’s CIP and told him it was my husband’s card. He said he could see that the last name’s matched so it was ok. Yay for the patriarchy...?

Yay lol, I had the same thing happen to me when I was buying Marriott gift cards with both my Amex and DH's Amex. The last name matched so I got to use his card. Now, if only the WM customer service rep would be as nonchalant about it when I'm loading Serve/Bluebird with his Discover debit card. I will avoid her in the future.

So I am about to go for 2nd card on GrAAvy train. I know that things are hit or miss these days but pretty sure I saw that as least a slightly better chance of being approved if doing a different offer/link. Round 1 was 75k/5k spend so I was going to do the 70k/4K spend link. Worst case scenario basically just earn 4k miles and no bonus correct?

Current recommendations are to close any open AA CitiBiz cards before applying since people have reported denials for already having a CitiBizAA card. Yes, worst case scenario is to just earn the 1x miles with no SUB. That happened to my DH with his 2nd CitiBiz, he used a public link with a different offer, got approved, met MSR and denied the bonus due to already having the card (#1). I would've rather him been denied than waste the spend.

I got the same thing too. 20k points...Not sure if I'm going to take it though..

20K points is the highest I've ever seen for the BBP, and I think @miztressuz outlined it well for you.