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

[Alexle2007]

But does it make you more employable if you have to hit the job market? Is there the possibility it will increase your salary since you’re “certified”? Is today’s boss willing to pay for it? Don’t mind me, you obviously don’t have to answer! I have a family member who for a couple hundred dollars and some time could be certified in his field but the genius can’t be bothered. (Said genius has never had to pound the pavement during a recession.) No clue about PMP though- if it’s as complicated as taking the CPA I can see why you’re passing! I have a friend who spent months doing the CPA after graduating college, worked as an accountant for 6 months and then quit. CPA was such a waste of time and money as the writing on her “don’t be an accountant” wall was clear as day even years earlier- but not to her. Serious kudos to you for recognizing that!

I’ve been with my current employer for 28 years (basically my entire adult life) and will take early retirement in 5 years when DS graduates unless they’ll let me telework exclusively since we plan to move to a warmer climate at that point.

I’m at the top of pay scale unless I want to be a senior executive (which I have no desire to do). I don’t want to give up my life to work at this point. Unless the Congress and the President give us a COLA, I get no pay increase.

I think they may pay for the test initially but you have to pay to keep up your certification. But then there is also the paperwork to prove you have the skill.

So there is really no incentive unless I wanted to work for a contractor when I retire (which I don’t )

 

[gottalovepluto]

Got our Global Entry cards except for DS's. Sigh. Why is there always one odd man out? It was DH before when only his conditional approval took a long time. I was going to ask through their website, but the option is if the card hasn't arrived in 8 weeks, so I guess I'll just wait. Glad to have mine and DD's since we'll be flying to the DCA Halloween party. DS probably won't be flying until June anyways.

We did Enrollment on Arrival at SJC. CBP agent was very nice. Didn't really ask us anything. But process took awhile with computer and fingerprint machine issues.

The physical cards don’t matter if your flying. Annoying that DS card didn’t come in but if he’s been approved his number is active for PreCheck.

 

[Judique]

I’ve been with my current employer for 28 years (basically my entire adult life) and will take early retirement in 5 years when DS graduates unless they’ll let me telework exclusively since we plan to move to a warmer climate at that point.

I’m at the top of pay scale unless I want to be a senior executive (which I have no desire to do). I don’t want to give up my life to work at this point. Unless the Congress and the President give us a COLA, I get no pay increase.

I think they may pay for the test initially but you have to pay to keep up your certification. But then there is also the paperwork to prove you have the skill.

So there is really no incentive unless I wanted to work for a contractor when I retire (which I don’t )

Having been retired for the last year and a half I can understand this. I had the opportunity to possibly move to a higher position but I had gotten comfortable where I was, didn't particularly need the extra money and was HAPPY with what I was doing and was at the point where I could retire comfortably. There's no guarantee you will love the next step in a career. This is not always a popular thought amongst those that are in the period where moving up is what is necessary and goals are promotions.

Many of my coworkers worked after retirement. I'm really not sure if it was bad planning or just a desire to still be out there. One just recently passed away (in her 80ties). She had worked until she was into her 70ties and it was long since time to go but she kept holding on. Then she got a couple of other smaller jobs and before her death, had a work related fall that probably resulted in her death - head injury. My plan was to be debt free and comfortable with a nice cushion for emergencies. I achieved that and so far retirement has been satisfying, other than the fact that I need to exercise more. And I'm one of the lucky people who retired with a couple of pensions and retirement savings and a health insurance benefit - apparently not the norm anymore. The point is it is different for everyone. In my early forties it would have been foolish not to get any certification I could, but at that point I didn't have the built up time, such as @Alexle2007 has.

 

[magickingdomprincess]

I loaded my serve acct yesterday with MCGC's at FD and DG. No problem at either one. DG had a line of people behind me, so I was more nervous in case something went wrong. I did have to show my ID there, the cashier said something about they were out $500 from someone cancelling the transaction. I didn't really understand, but showing the ID was for the camera so they would know who you are in case something like that happened again. Kind of weird but I don't think it's a big deal. I still have a $100 MCGC to load sometime.

 

[Limes96]

Did you hit cancel with the MCGC when it tried to run as credit? Or did it automatically run as debit?



Are you meeting MSR or trying for a free night? GCM right now is working with Amex I’m using it to MS the BBP. But obviously Amex can claw black. I don’t think they have clawed back Hilton points though? Just MRs?

I didn’t have to hit cancel, it just ran as debit. And for HH I’m just working towards a free night. Decided to go for it this summer after I got the pop up applying for the Aspire. I used my Hilton biz card along with the Plastiq promo to pay some large bills this summer to get me close to the free night. If I use it just once a month at GCM I’ll be able to get the free night if I add a few gas fill ups each month as well.

 

[speedyfishy]

I didn’t have to hit cancel, it just ran as debit. And for HH I’m just working towards a free night. Decided to go for it this summer after I got the pop up applying for the Aspire. I used my Hilton biz card along with the Plastiq promo to pay some large bills this summer to get me close to the free night. If I use it just once a month at GCM I’ll be able to get the free night if I add a few gas fill ups each month as well.

Oh that’s interesting it worked at Walmart. I haven’t tried MCGCs there based on what I was reading on reddit of it not working. Maybe I’ll give it a try. You should be fine with GCM. I’m doing it now and I’ll let you know if it stops working/ I’m getting points.

 

[tink1970]

Piecing together my 2020 Big Birthday Trip...

Today was the day Delta opened for reward flights for Tuesday, July 21. I've been keeping an eye on their awards and it seems that in the summer, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are when they release 80,000 Skymiles awards in Delta One (Business) v. the ridiculous 320,000 skymiles for other days they want (no thank you). When I popped out of bed this am (scheduling tip-Delta starts loading at midnight, Eastern but if your computer says it's 11 pm if you're on Central, 10 pm Mountain, 9 pm Pacific, DL won't show the day-you have to change your computer clock to Eastern) Dublin sadly had no saver levels-it was my first choice because of preclearance. Prague, Budapest, Krakow and Brussels all had DL One (biz) for "only" 80K skymiles but PRG, BUD, KRK all had a layover in AMS and 6:30 or 6:40 am flights. So...I'm flying nonstop from BRU to ATL and the flight time is a lazy 11:20 am. Whoo hoo! Chocolate, frites, waffles here I come!

I now have to find a way to get from ZAG to BRU and there are a couple of choices I'm debating...don't worry, I'll let you know when I decide. I still need to get to and from ATL but that shouldn't be a big deal (knock on wood). Hotels are next, but I might not decide that for a few months-flights, to me, are always key.

I know y'all have been waiting eagerly (not) so thought I'd update you.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Good morning sneaky Amazon fraud charges on my Aspire. Thinking you’re gonna slip that $1.94 Amazon Prime charge on there to test my card eh thief? Not on my watch! Chatted, fraud filed, new card on way.

 

[mmmears]

You guys have been awesome helping me earn rewards but now I need to figure out how to use them. I spent the last 10 years with only the one CF card and would just get a statement credit every few months *puts on cone of shame*

So I’m a clueless traveler/rewards user over here. What should I look for when booking an international flight, and how far in advance should I start looking? We’re still not 100% sure if we want Scotland or another European destination but we need to book something for our 10 year next year or it will never happen (considering our anniversary was 2 months ago ). We only have Chase UR right now to use. I also need to figure out how and when to combine them. I’m thinking put them all on the CSR since that gets the best rate. Can I transfer from CIP to CSR?

Yes, you can transfer the points and use your CSR. Depending on the flight you want, it can still be a better deal to transfer the URs to the airline's points program rather than booking it with URs through the Chase portal. When do you want to travel? Different airlines release seats at different times, but it's "roughly" a bit less than one year in advance. I prefer to book as soon as seats are released, but I've also found seats with much shorter notice. Let us know if you need more help.

 

[afan]

Depositing my random checks today. Jury duty and I got a $15 check from a dr I saw oct 2017. Guessing they found they charged me the wrong copay or something. I'm sure I paid the specialist one since it was an orthopedic office for my leg but that's what they are. So weird but I'll take it.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Cancel them and then apply for a new one. That’s the definition of “churning” back when the word was coined for CCs. Getting the same card over and over, which we used to be able to. Now it’s basically CIPs and AAs only that fall under those terms.

I am fairly new to this. I got the Chase Hyatt card last year (July). Can I cancel and apply for a new one and get the bonus? I'm at 3/24. Never thought of doing this (but I am being very selective with my Chase slots). Not saying I would do this, but it is a thought.

 

[Andysol]

I am fairly new to this. I got the Chase Hyatt card last year (July). Can I cancel and apply for a new one and get the bonus? I'm at 3/24. Never thought of doing this (but I am being very selective with my Chase slots). Not saying I would do this, but it is a thought.

24 months for all chase cards with the exception being the Sapphire and SW which are 48 months and UR earning biz cards which are no time frame.

 

[Hoosier John]

... For second semester that girl moved in with her boyfriend across the street from our apartment complex. . I always worried they would show up unexpectedly and she told us to tell her family she was at the library if that happened! I was like, no, I'm not getting involved in this!

Reminds me of Three's Company (an old TV sitcom)

Realizing now that coming back to my dorm room one night as a soph to find my junior transfer student roommate jumping up and down on her bed and not on anything to not be quite so bad. Or the same year that the freshman thought I wasn't nice enough because I didn't say hi every time she walked in the room, umm just cause we live together doesn't mean we have to be friends or acknowledge you especially if I'm busy.

Sooo, jumping on the bed while on something was a normal

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

24 months for all chase cards with the exception being the Sapphire and SW which are 48 months and UR earning biz cards which are no time frame.

Thank you! Should I cancel now, then re-apply next July? I think that makes the most sense.

 

[Albort]

huh. Emirates is a new partner as Chase's transfer partner...

 

[Limes96]

Oh that’s interesting it worked at Walmart. I haven’t tried MCGCs there based on what I was reading on reddit of it not working. Maybe I’ll give it a try. You should be fine with GCM. I’m doing it now and I’ll let you know if it stops working/ I’m getting points.

It wasn't Wal-Mart that time it was family dollar. Sorry, I must not have been very clear.

 

[speedyfishy]

It wasn't Wal-Mart that time it was family dollar. Sorry, I must not have been very clear.

Oh, my bad.

 

[Alexle2007]

24 months for all chase cards with the exception being the Sapphire and SW which are 48 months and UR earning biz cards which are no time frame.

Wait, did I miss that SW change to 48 months? I thought it was just that you couldn’t hold the 2 personal at the same time.

 

[Lain]

Wait, did I miss that SW change to 48 months? I thought it was just that you couldn’t hold the 2 personal at the same time.

SW cards are still 24 months after you earned the last bonus on a SW personal card, and Chase won't approve a new SW personal if you have another SW personal open.

 

[Judique]

Thank you! Should I cancel now, then re-apply next July? I think that makes the most sense.

Along with your Hyatt card comes status. Do you stay at Hyatt hotels? If you've already paid this year's annual fee, there's no harm in keeping it until closer to your 24 month churning point. Some people have been able to do M Life matches and get to Globalist status. My little Discoverist status got me an ocean view and a couple bottles of water, plus the staff were super friendly to me and very accommodating. If you are one and done and don't want to pay a fee until you get a new sub and don't have any plans for any Hyatt stay, then let it go. Also, did you get and redeem your free night award yet for your first year?