I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[SouthFayetteFan]

My thoughts about most expiration dates:

 

[snugglebug]

For any of you who has a bottle of hand sanitizer, can you look and see if it has an expiration date? When I end up buying some, I’m wondering f I should get an extra to put in the linen closet for next time. Does it expire??

My Bath & Body Works does not have an exp that I can see.
My Honest brand does, and it's expired, but I'm still going to use it. I'd say a year or so past the date should be fine, but that is strictly my opinion and this is not my area of expertise.
I have an EO brand one around here somewhere.

This sucks for someone like me. I'm highly sensitive to lavender which seems to be in every public restroom soap so I rely on hand sanitizer outside the house. I'm trying to gather all of my little bottles up that I have scattered in various bags to see what my stock looks like. I'm hoping my daughter has a few BBW ones that I can tolerate just in case.

 

[wendow]

I think there were a few others that were targeted for a 50k/2.5k upgrade offer to the AmEx Brilliant card along with me recently. Just got an email today with a 100k/5k offer now. Subject line is "you deserve 100,000 points and elevated travel." Says it's available until 4/29 but I think AmEx has pulled offers early before. If you get the email hang on to it, there's a link with your invite code within.

If you haven't had the Brilliant card before, taking the upgrade will prevent you from getting the sign up bonus on the card too.

I got the same email. I’m thinking no but I’m really tempted!

 

[wendow]

My dd19 got approved for a CIP!! Sat at 2 weeks for 6 long days


I noticed her new card doesn’t show the bonus tracker yet. Is that normal??
ETA: showing now

 

[havaneselover]

i dont quite think the US government would bail them out esp when their ships dont follow US regulations since most of their ships are registered elsewhere. Labor laws are thrown out, other provisions are thrown out. to me, it feels like they are just a company with some domestic business but is mostly international. If they fail, it isnt gonna hurt the US economy like if the banks or airline fails.

Thats just me though.

I disagree that if one of the big cruise lines went under it wouldn't hurt the U.S. economy. They have oodles of headquarters employees. They also have HUGE ripple impacts (port operations, suppliers, etc.). I heard on Friday something was in the works. I guess we will see.

 

[havaneselover]

My SW Business Performance was approved. I applied Friday and it sat at 30 days until I checked this morning.

 

[GlamMistress]

1. Dow futures off 1,300
2. Treasury yield at a historic low
3. Oil off 30%

Get ready for a bonkers day everyone.

 

[fsjking]

I disagree that if one of the big cruise lines went under it wouldn't hurt the U.S. economy. They have oodles of headquarters employees. They also have HUGE ripple impacts (port operations, suppliers, etc.). I heard on Friday something was in the works. I guess we will see.

All of which are based pretty much in Miami. There's some port stuff in maybe a dozen other cities, but it is definitely not a nationwide thing and would not be a blip in the US economy. It's a recreation industry. It's non-essential, and would not even greatly affect the cities they are located. If the US gov does a bail out for them, it's a bad bad precedent. Auto manufacturers, banks, and airlines I can see as those are nationwide and, on some level, are tied to most facets of the economy.

 

[havaneselover]

All of which are based pretty much in Miami. There's some port stuff in maybe a dozen other cities, but it is definitely not a nationwide thing and would not be a blip in the US economy. It's a recreation industry. It's non-essential, and would not even greatly affect the cities they are located. If the US gov does a bail out for them, it's a bad bad precedent. Auto manufacturers, banks, and airlines I can see as those are nationwide and, on some level, are tied to most facets of the economy.

The economic impact of the cruise industry in the U.S. is estimated to be $53 billion. GDP is $19 trillion. So yeah, it's not huge but it's certainly not insignificant.

And when has Congress ever cared about setting a bad precedent

 

[disfanforlife]

1. Dow futures off 1,300
2. Treasury yield at a historic low
3. Oil off 30%

Get ready for a bonkers day everyone.

I can’t stand looking but I can’t help myself either. Holding, not selling.

 

[havaneselover]

1. Dow futures off 1,300
2. Treasury yield at a historic low
3. Oil off 30%

Get ready for a bonkers day everyone.

Yeah, it will be messy. 10-year rate is insane. Sub 3% 30-year mortgage rates are likely on their way. And oil < $30/barrell is nuts.

 

[Judique]

Yeah, it will be messy. 10-year rate is insane. Sub 3% 30-year mortgage rates are likely on their way. And oil < $30/barrell is nuts.

Here are Navy Federal's conventional rates as of this morning: Almost makes me want to go shopping. A 30year VA loan is at 2.5% with 1/2 discount point. They've got a couple of no down payment options that are non VA for 4%.

Term	Interest Rates As Low As	Discount Points	APR As Low As
15 Year	2.375%	0.250	2.553%
15 Year Jumbo	2.375%	0.250	2.553%
30 Year Jumbo	2.750%	0.250	2.847%
30 Year	2.875%	0.250	2.973%

 

[magickingdomprincess]

Here are Navy Federal's conventional rates as of this morning: Almost makes me want to go shopping. A 30year VA loan is at 2.5% with 1/2 discount point. They've got a couple of no down payment options that are non VA for 4%.

Term	Interest Rates As Low As	Discount Points	APR As Low As
15 Year	2.375%	0.250	2.553%
15 Year Jumbo	2.375%	0.250	2.553%
30 Year Jumbo	2.750%	0.250	2.847%
30 Year	2.875%	0.250	2.973%

Probably a stupid question but I'll ask anyways - do mortgage rates apply to refinancing or just new purchases? I've had 3 mortgages but never refinanced. Also, do you know the requirements to use a Navy Federal? My dad was active duty and reserved but retired and passed away in 2000.

 

[Judique]

And, Moonlight Magic for the 2 April dates is now filled. I didn't get myself a space because I couldn't find the night on property that would have pleased me.

I may still go but it is less likely as the weather improves here. We have a high today of 72 and sunny. Makes me less anxious to run away to better weather in Florida.

I'll be outside soon as it gets to 60ties, probably 11am ish. I've got a lot of yard clean up waiting for me as in blown leaves from my neighbor's trees out front and limbs and blown in debris in the far back part of my property. Plus I have a couple of green leaved bushes that need to be trimmed. I don't remember what they are called but they live through winter but frost will turn the outer leaves black but doesn't kill these plants. In retrospect maybe I should just wait until April as frost may still occur.

My front yard is also full of yellow jonquils right now as they started blooming end of February, plus I have a weird bush that is full of pink flowers. It was here when I arrived and has somehow survived my efforts to kill it off all these years. I also want to transplant some stuff that is now growing where I want to put other plants.

In credit card news, under 5/24 is rapidly approaching and I desperately want a CIP!!! For 2 reasons, so I can get the points and so I can transfer existing points to my Hyatt account for next year's summer trip. It's been tempting to just cash out my little bit of UR's for actual cash and use it for 'little' trips, but 100K of UR's is 5 nights at a Hyatt that would cost me $2500 plus tax in July, versus a $1000 in everyday cash. Gotta keep focused here!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Probably a stupid question but I'll ask anyways - do mortgage rates apply to refinancing or just new purchases? I've had 3 mortgages but never refinanced. Also, do you know the requirements to use a Navy Federal? My dad was active duty and reserved but retired and passed away in 2000.

You can refinance to a lower rate....My DD just did, not sure if the rates are different for a refi vs new purchase

 

[Judique]

Probably a stupid question but I'll ask anyways - do mortgage rates apply to refinancing or just new purchases? I've had 3 mortgages but never refinanced. Also, do you know the requirements to use a Navy Federal? My dad was active duty and reserved but retired and passed away in 2000.

Are you a Navy Fed member right now? I am not sure about joining after the Service Member passes on, but if you go to the NFCU website, and search 'membership' (it's a drop down menu on the front page) it may tell you. I do know that if he was a member and was alive, you could definitely join. The 'join' rules are very lenient over all. If the service member was not a NFCU member and you have access to his DD214, I'm pretty sure you can join. If any of your immediate relatives did join, they can sponsor you.

Refi - you can go to the Navy Fed site and read all the info without a sign in. It is pretty thorough.

Anyone who is eligible should join. It's $5 and otherwise fee free unless you screw up.

 

[Judique]

You can refinance to a lower rate....My DD just did, not sure if the rates are different for a refi vs new purchase

I think the rates are the same but the rate offered is dependent on credit score like everything else, such as car loans. And with a refi you may not need a down payment if you have enough equity.

 

[MKTokyo]

For any of you who has a bottle of hand sanitizer, can you look and see if it has an expiration date? When I end up buying some, I’m wondering f I should get an extra to put in the linen closet for next time. Does it expire??

Once opened, they can probably last at 100% efficacy for a few years. They need to be at least 60% alcohol to be effective, and some of the alcohol will start to evaporate if the bottle is being constantly opened and closed.

Unopened, no. I don't think they expire, whether they have a printed date or not. Where would the alcohol go?

 

[afan]

All of which are based pretty much in Miami. There's some port stuff in maybe a dozen other cities, but it is definitely not a nationwide thing and would not be a blip in the US economy. It's a recreation industry. It's non-essential, and would not even greatly affect the cities they are located. If the US gov does a bail out for them, it's a bad bad precedent. Auto manufacturers, banks, and airlines I can see as those are nationwide and, on some level, are tied to most facets of the economy.

Not just Miami though. Holland America is based in Seattle plus there's all the pirts in Alaska that I'm sure are reliant on that summer money. Not to mention that cruise line resort up there that I'm sure has a lot of emp.

I don't think it was related to all this but expedia also had a reduction a few weeks ago, not all at their hq here but some. And we already have issues with Boeing though they have kept everyone employed so far.

 

[hsmamato2]

Here are Navy Federal's conventional rates as of this morning: Almost makes me want to go shopping. A 30year VA loan is at 2.5% with 1/2 discount point. They've got a couple of no down payment options that are non VA for 4%.

Term	Interest Rates As Low As	Discount Points	APR As Low As
15 Year	2.375%	0.250	2.553%
15 Year Jumbo	2.375%	0.250	2.553%
30 Year Jumbo	2.750%	0.250	2.847%
30 Year	2.875%	0.250	2.973%

wow I need to run some numbers to see if it makes sense to refi..... (prob not for us but I'm checking anyway)