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

[SouthFayetteFan]

LOL no, it's the Gerry.

Applied for P2 for the Citibiz, got a 7-10 day message. Is that good/bad?

With Citi that just means you went pending. It doesn’t give any indication like the Chase auto-status line does. If you’re an optimist though you can believe it means you’ll be approved soon

There is a way to check status online with Citi. Typically I’ve seen people get approved within 12-48 hours.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

something silly probably... like walmart...

Hoping it’s got Walmart as we have been spending for small things here and there lately. Plus the toys count from Walmart on the cash back sites. Target doesn’t allow toys. Although amazon would be good as we have been getting more from there.
Wish they would announce it more than 15 days in advance. Don’t they realize some of us plan 1 year in advance

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

What is the latest on AMEX rules? How many AMEX cards can I hold? What is the timing? What is the reporting on the AMEX business cards these days? I currently have the spg and the spg biz being transferred to Marriotts and an old delta. I’ve never had any of the Amex branded cards and want to jump in to get MR in the portfolio. Any good deals out there? Are support links a thing right now? I’ve got a few big purchases coming up.

You can hold up to 5 CREDIT cards from Amex. Many of their MR earning cards are charge cards though (like Plat and Gold) so they don’t count. I don’t claim to be an expert in the offers out there right now so I won’t render an opinion on that.

I assume you are aware of the Amex RAT, pop up messages and how to keep Amex happy? If not, I’d read up on some of that - there’s likely some links to commentary on these issues in the News thread on DISchurners.

There are support links out there for many of these cards if you ultimately move forward with applying. Just to make sure, you don’t have a spouse or other player 2 who currently holds an Amex card, do you?

 

[3 DD love princesses]

I was able to book a couple of Southwest flights yesterday $69/3968 points from MCO to DCA (Reagan). Flights are Nov 7, but that price/nonstop was available all week. Just a day or two earlier there was nothing decently priced into DCA - most wanna getaways were over $200. It is a fare sale for a couple of days that I got an email about and I had just made plans with a couple of friends to drive to Disney with me and fly back. Flight time was 8:55 to 10:55 which works well for getting picked up or catching the Metro from DCA. I did not see anything good/cheap for BWI. This is the best I've seen since the $35 flights from 2 years ago, where we flew my daughter and 2 babies home for $105 total (in points).

Lately Bwi has been a lit higher than dca. I do miss the $39 fares they had a year ago. Caused me to change our plans the the girls missed 6 extra days that year than what I had already planned on them missing.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

My staples credit on the freedoms just posted. Took over a week but glad they credited.

Does anyone know how it works if you cancel your CSR but have trips booked on those points? Thinking of changing DH CSP to a CSR. Which then means I don’t need the CSR.

 

[wanderlust7]

I just realized I never thanked either of you for sharing these thoughts with me a few weeks ago.

Thank you all for being patient with me as I continue to mull this over.

I am reasonably certain I don't want to deal with AMEX but I am still mulling it over, so I have some more AMEX questions and some specifics about the Hilton Honors program that I am hoping someone can answer. Right now I am still looking ONLY at accumulating enough points to stay for free at the Hilton Tokyo Bay; no other Hilton plans.

I know I can book that hotel through Chase UR also but I am trying to see what the best use of my MSRs (and subsequent spending) will be.

1. I know that once you get an AMEX you have to keep spending on it (more than $20 a month for example) or risk the RAT. I see I cannot pay my mortgage with them thru Plastiq (that is a total bummer, BTW), but I can pay my HOA fee. That's about $104 a month. Anyone think that is or is not sufficient? Maybe throw in a fast food meal here or there? I can't divert too much of my spending to it while I am still meeting MSRs elsewhere... just don't have the income to do so.
2. Specific to the HHonors program: Of course there are different tiers/levels, and I see the various cards give you different status depending on which you get. How much, if anything, is Diamond Status (that comes with the HHonors Aspire) worth for just this one trip? I see there is an annual free weekend night reward, which would be nice to have in Japan, and a $250 resort credit. But if I am paying for the hotel stay on points... will I have any need of a resort credit? I do know that we got food from the little bakery and convenience stores on site several times during our last stay, but we always paid cash. I don't even know if those charges could have been billed to the room. If they can be billed to the room, would that be a handy way to make use of that resort credit? Even so, the AF of the card is $450 so even if I could use the resort credit that way I'd still be paying $200 for that particular card.
3. Redemptions of MRs for hotel stays... I can click on the box that says "use points," but then it shows me the rates in dollars (or yen) only. Maybe it's because I don't HAVE any points right now? I would like to be able to say "oh, I expect to need xxxxx number of MRs to get my stay at the Hilton Tokyo Bay for free."

I think that's all the questions I have... for now. I'm sorry to be indecisive about this.

We haven't applied my husband for a CIP (the timing won't be right for another month or so) yet but he is not optimistic about his chances (he actually does have a bankruptcy from before I met him... not really sure how those work) so worst case scenario I am working in 1P mode. I have to assume that bonuses from support links (see, @SouthFayetteFan , I can be taught... eventually!) are not going to be an option for me.

If you can use the resort credit, a weekend night at the Hilton Tokyo Bay should be worth at least $200. Then you break even. If you can find a way to use the $250 airline incidentals credit, then you come out ahead. If you can double dip on any of it before downgrading, then you really come out ahead.

The redemption rate for MRs to hotels is 0.7 cent per point. A $200/night hotel will cost you about 28600 MRs.

2. There are a number of reasons you might want the resort credit even if you are paying with points. When we go for our third visit to TDS/TDL the Hilton Tokyo Bay will be a key strategy for us and so will the Aspire. DH and I each have the card and plan to use our combined free weekend nights. We will use points for other nights. The two $250 resort credits will be used for either paying for another night and/or charging Park tickets to the room so I don’t pay OOP for the park admission. Hope that helps.

I know a manager let @Andysol charge park tickets because he's Diamond. Have you see any other DPs? Wondering how YMMV it is.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Ok, I give, I have to give them a try. Kind of embarrassed to admit but I currently use jumbo ziplocks. Is there a set or size that I should start out with? I'm on the road every other week, it's a grind. I welcome anything that can bring amazing into my life. Thanks

I/we use the eBags ultralight cubes. I tend to use the 13x13" for pants/shorts/dresses/sweaters, the narrow 6.5x13" ones for shirts/workout clothes, and the 6.5" squares for undies and socks. I've done weeklong trips with one 13x13, two 6.5x13, and one 6.5" square.

I use the eBags ultralight cubes in my away bag. They still fit.

But I love my away bag. It fits so much even without packing cubes. I swear that thing is like a black hole.

I love my away bags! Our wedding registry was basically all Away things. We got some of the luggage as Christmas gifts so we have been using them for awhile. at our shower we got the packing cubes, garment bag, and Dopp kits. I don’t like the Dopp kit though it’s too small for all my toiletries lol I also got the light blue luggage and it shows so much dirt and scuff marks but I really liked the color lol Before packing cubes I never really folded my clothes just threw things in from the dryer lol Now I just put it in the bag and zip it up and I have so much room lol

I am so close to ordering the smaller carryon Away bag. So close. And then I look at the Amex ebags 20 off 100 and rethink the Away bag. This may have been going on for weeks

I have the pink color which I love. The scuffs and dirt basically come off with a magic eraser of you’re anal like me and magic eraser your suitcase lol.

I’m getting dh one for his birthday next month- deciding between green and asphalt grey.

I Feel like sooo kits are really for men who have less toiletry stuff. I need more space than that.

What size Away do you have? I would be magic-erasering, too!

Friendly (early) reminder that Southwest Airlines next schedule release is expected to occur on Thursday September 26th.

• Currently SW is offering flights through 3/6/20 and this release will take their schedule out to 4/13/20 (covering popular spring break dates)

In my experience, flights typically go “live” between 7am and 9am Eastern. HOWEVER, The last 2 releases actually did not go live on the main search screen until 10:40 and 9:20am Eastern respectively.

I’ll post additional reminders as that date draws closer.

I had hoped they would push the date back but no such luck. I'm going to be in the Sierras at a cabin with iffy cell service and unknown wifi, and I'll have to get up so early, and I'll be booking for 6 people from 3 different airports returning from WDW on 2 different days

Speaking of travel organization and bags. I use this for my cables and chargers. It holds a lot I have two cheap headphones in it (one for my IPhone and one for the entertainment system on delta lol) phone charger, battey and charger, and a charger for my Bluetooth headphones. I have separate chargers at home so I just throw this in my backpack when we travel and it makes everything so easy. I have a pink/purple one that they don’t sell anymore and SOs is all black. We love them.

https://www.amazon.com/Jansport-Pix...+cable+pouch&qid=1568127267&s=gateway&sr=8-10

I really need a cable/charger bag! Thanks for linking the one you use.

I'm hoping it is warehouse stores.

That would be awesome as we now have 2 CFs in the family. This quarter has been a bust because we each buy gas only once a month

 

[jhoannam]

Friendly (early) reminder that Southwest Airlines next schedule release is expected to occur on Thursday September 26th.

• Currently SW is offering flights through 3/6/20 and this release will take their schedule out to 4/13/20 (covering popular spring break dates)

In my experience, flights typically go “live” between 7am and 9am Eastern. HOWEVER, The last 2 releases actually did not go live on the main search screen until 10:40 and 9:20am Eastern respectively.

I’ll post additional reminders as that date draws closer.

Do you think it's easier to have flights booked and then when the schedule opens up change your flight to the new dates?

 

[jhoannam]

.

 

[wanderlust7]

What is the latest on AMEX rules? How many AMEX cards can I hold? What is the timing? What is the reporting on the AMEX business cards these days? I currently have the spg and the spg biz being transferred to Marriotts and an old delta. I’ve never had any of the Amex branded cards and want to jump in to get MR in the portfolio. Any good deals out there? Are support links a thing right now? I’ve got a few big purchases coming up.

The best offer for the personal Plat is 100k MRs, but it's highly targeted. You may be able to pull up the 75k offer incognito or via support link. Same goes for the 50k personal Gold offer. The business Plat, best offer is via call-in, the info is on Dischurners. Amex does not report business cards to your personal credit report.

Big warning about supporting yourself. Amex has been clawing those back.

 

[Andysol]

I know a manager let @Andysol charge park tickets because he's Diamond. Have you see any other DPs? Wondering how YMMV it is.

@calypso726 @ten6mom : Contact their Guest Services & Quality Manager, Deepak Chapay, a week before you go and just let him know that's your preference. He'll make it happen.

Deepak.Chapay@hilton.com

 

[snugglebug]

Well this makes me sick.
We were assigned a Hyatt Regency in Chicago for a hockey tournament at $149/night x3 nights. However, it is only a 5k/night property and I am not allowed to use points.

Does the entire team have to stay at the hotel? We were told that once for a softball tourney, but I had wanted to stay with family in the area. We questioned the rule and learned that only 70% of the team or something like that had to be at the team hotel. I was able to stay with my parents and save money along with another teammate with family in the area.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

It is called "stay to play." You don't stay, you don't play. I used to cancel my room last minute for soccer tourneys, like after the tournament people had verified we had enough rooms booked for our team. But for hockey, I don't want to do anything to cause him problems. If I get the reputation as "that annoying parent that won't cooperate" it could cause him to not make the team. As infuriating as it is, you know that's how it is when you agree to let your kid play at that level. And we are $7k deep into this season already, so what's another few hundred bucks.

Yup, hockey WAY more than soccer it's often about the family and not the kid! UGH. We're AA this year, so I think it's a lot less political. But my son was also a bubble kid. So he kinda showboats. He had a few hat trick games in the spring (after not making a single goal the year prior). So it's a delicate balance of not being too braggy/proud. I much prefer travel soccer politics....there are none, LOL

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Does the entire team have to stay at the hotel? We were told that once for a softball tourney, but I had wanted to stay with family in the area. We questioned the rule and learned that only 70% of the team or something like that had to be at the team hotel. I was able to stay with my parents and save money along with another teammate with family in the area.

I have heard that it is a percentage too, and if we had a reasonable excuse like that I would maybe try it on occasion, but it really comes down to not being that squeaky wheel that causes my kid to get bad news next year at tryouts.

ETA: and the other thing with the % is with hockey you usually have 15-16 families and for the coach to get the free room you need 15 rooms booked, so you are rather stuck having to book it, even around the percentage.

 

[Lain]

Short term, it's to finish the CIP MSR, and the figure out what to do with Amex since my Amex Plat AF comes up in Dec (I think...it was a mid November app...so do I qualify for the triple dip?) So I will probably get another Amex card after the CIP to keep my Amex points...Then, it's off to see what to do with DH. He's at 3/24.

I'm still catching up with anything I missed over the weekend...

As for your Amex Plat, I believe you did open it during triple dip season. So when your second year AF posts sometime in December, you have 30 days to cancel it for a full refund, which means you should have some time in January to use up calendar year 2020’s airline fee credit.

Unfortunately, as you may know, the Amex airline credit no longer works on gift cards. See the discussion here for ideas about which airline you should select next year and how to use up the credit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DISchurners/comments/cfv6iu/_/euh6cpb

Your options for the Plat are to downgrade it to a Gold or Green, but I wouldn't recommend it because if you haven't ever had these cards before downgrading to it will make you ineligible for any signup bonus for those cards under Amex's one bonus per lifetime rule. They both also have AFs.

You could call for a retention offer. There are recent reports that Amex has been offering 50k MR or $500 statement credit with no spending requirement to keep the card another year. You still need to pay the $550 AF, but those retention points or statement credits, combined with the credits and benefits offered by the Platinum, would more than offset the AF. However, more recent DPs are reporting more 30k MR after spending $4k retention offers.

Whatever you do, be sure to have or open up another MR-earning card to hold your MRs before you cancel your Plat. The BBP is a great choice because it’s a biz card that won’t report and count against 5/24, it earns 2x MR on every purchase up to $50k a year, and it has no AF.

 

[snugglebug]

Well the team "agrees" to it when they sign up for an away tournament. For soccer, I do have a list of hotels normally I can chose from for the whole team. I think hockey operates differently. There's no real way they can force you, but I also don't wanna hear my kid nagging and upset we aren't in the same hotel as the rest of their team. Lots of "team bonding" goes on. LOL

I tend to end up at a different hotel than the team lately because I will book on points and sometimes that's non-refundable and they up and choose a different hotel after I've booked. So, my solution is to take my daughter to the team hotel to hang out for a bit in the evenings. It works out just fine. Sure everyone else is heading up to their room and we have to drive to a different place, but it works.

I have this offer, or DH does on his BoA card, but unfortunately I have not pulled it out of the sock drawer yet...

I think you hit the nail on the head. It turns over quickly at our store too. Sometimes there are really great things, and sometimes just nice to not have to think about something and if you can get a better deal somewhere else... for example, DHs jeans are something like that for me. I saw yesterday that they have men's Lucky jeans in again for $30. DH is hard on his jeans, and we got him 3 pairs of these last time. Not only have they held up to the abuse better than the one's we were getting at Kohl's, but I'm not watching/waiting for the Kohl's ones to go on sale from $50 to $20-$30... especially as DH is the type to be like, Oh yes I needed new jeans like yesterday... He's also really hard on belts and last year I got him a Columbia one there for $13. It's lasted so much longer that I wish I had purchased multiple!

Yesterday I bought a coat for $15 For that price I can give it a try with no guilt!

I got a dress there a few years ago and I wish I had bought all of the colors because I love it and I've never seen that brand back, even online.

I tend to buy a lot from Costco clothing. Currently rocking my $6.97 yoga capris. Can not beat that price and they're comfy.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Yup, hockey WAY more than soccer it's often about the family and not the kid! UGH. We're AA this year, so I think it's a lot less political. But my son was also a bubble kid. So he kinda showboats. He had a few hat trick games in the spring (after not making a single goal the year prior). So it's a delicate balance of not being too braggy/proud. I much prefer travel soccer politics....there are none, LOL

Mine is AA this year too, which is the highest level for his age in Nashville, but TPH bought out our club this year and they are trying to make money off of EVERYTHING. I am not thrilled with the change. They are even trying to assign us a hotel for a random weekend of games in Atlanta...not a tournament. I drew the line there and booked the team hotel on points. It is a HGI and the group rate was $30/night more than my DH could book directly and we already get free breakfast, so they can't claim that is what the $30 will cover for us. Plus they had us going thru some travel website so we wouldn't even get points for the stay. I think not. Putting my foot down on that one.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I don’t love my kids enough for this They aren’t worth that much to me.

Try having 2 kids in travel sports and being a single mom and a teacher! I have no free time and no money, LOL! My daughter has been on travel soccer for 8 years now (playing for 12) and my son has been on travel hockey for 2 years now (playing for 7). They are only 14 and 10, LOL! My son literally was sideline at a soccer game the week after he was born (and ever since). He still has to go to her games, but she skips out on his (and it makes him sad).

 

[snugglebug]

Applied for P2 for the Citibiz, got a 7-10 day message. Is that good/bad?

Unlike Chase, it doesn't really mean anything. Just wait it out. Mine took 2-3 days.

 

[amcc]

Speaking of travel organization and bags. I use this for my cables and chargers. It holds a lot I have two cheap headphones in it (one for my IPhone and one for the entertainment system on delta lol) phone charger, battey and charger, and a charger for my Bluetooth headphones. I have separate chargers at home so I just throw this in my backpack when we travel and it makes everything so easy. I have a pink/purple one that they don’t sell anymore and SOs is all black. We love them.

https://www.amazon.com/Jansport-Pix...+cable+pouch&qid=1568127267&s=gateway&sr=8-10

Thanks for putting this out there. This is a GREAT gift for the three big boys. I will get them an electronics travel bag with their own cables, external charger, and travel headphones for Christmas. They travel with my parents often and this will be perfect to grab and go. Great for my nieces and nephews too.