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

[NewbieMom]

Does anyone know if the Amex airline credit can be used on the fees to reinstate miles from an award ticket? I have an AA award ticket booked a year ago that I can't travel now. The fee to reinstate the miles is $150, and I'd like to use the airline credit instead of "real" money.

Does anyone know if a redeposit fee for changing an award flight will trigger the Amex Plat airline credit? I need to change a trip, and I have 2 Plats with credits sitting around, but I don't want to be stuck with United as my airline of choice for the year unless I know that I've got a good use for the first $200 at least!

I asked this same question last week for AA but didn't get any response. I don't think anyone here has tried it. I just called in and paid today, so I can let you know if it works in a few days (at least for AA).

 

[NewbieMom]

You're missing out!

DTF=Din Tai Fung. It's a Taiwanese chain of restaurants known for making some of the best xiao long bao in the world. Xiao long bao is a kind of steamed dumpling, popularized in Shanghai, with a delicately folded pouch holding, usually, a pork filling. The steaming process heats up the pork and melts its fat, resulting in a soupy filling as well. The dumplings are traditionally dipped in rice vineger and some ginger, but carefully as to not puncture the pouch, and eaten so all the flavors of the soup and meat melt in your mouth.

DTF serves a lot of other types of dumplings, noodles, and rice dishes on their menu, but the original xiao long bao is what put them on the map. They have locations all over the world, but here in the US, they're found all over SoCal, with only one location in NorCal (Santa Clara), and in the Seattle and Portland areas up in the PNW.

You give the best descriptions! I am peeved that every other location (except NoCal) gives more dumplings per order. It's 6 in Santa Clara and 10 in Taipei (I got to experience the original!) and I believe 8 in the other US locations (haven't been)?

 

[wanderlust7]

You give the best descriptions! I am peeved that every other location (except NoCal) gives more dumplings per order. It's 6 in Santa Clara and 10 in Taipei (I got to experience the original!) and I believe 8 in the other US locations (haven't been)?

It's 10 dumplings in Arcadia (SoCal). Part of the reason why I haven't made a point to go to the one in Santa Clara. Guess they have to pay for the expensive mall location somehow.

 

[elgerber]

I have it! I have it! Are you gonna be my first DIS AR buddy?!!! It’s been so lonely here lol

On the DisneyWorld Tips page of DISChurners I have a write up on the AR. It’s a must read for the card in general and for how not to ruin your relationship with USBank because they don’t do second chances after you’re shutdown no matter who you are.

Fwiw I applied via their check your pre-approvals page. I went pending and called a few days later and the person on the phone specifically mentioned “I see you were pre-approved” so that might help if you’re borderline for some reason. It’s not a guarantee of approval as there are numerous DPs of pre-approvals not being approved.

In the long run...
Do not double dip the travel credit before you close the card, they will charge you for it. No churning of the card either. I’ve settled into a happy place of 3x mobile payments with 1.5x point value via RTR. Is it worth $75? Not right now as much as I like it (you don’t happen to have a StateFarm bill to pay? They take Apple Pay in the app FYI)- but I very well might change my tune with the CSR changes... I got a retention offer of 10k points last year and will try again this year. Retention offers are nothing, 5k or 10k.

Thank you, after I read your write up, I may message you to pick your brain

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I know ALL of the words...and it strikes me that I'm unnaturally really attached to a bunch of puppets...

Um, I collect Elmos. I have like 400! I can't even explain my attachment to a bunch of puppets, LOL. Jim Henson was to me what Walt Disney is to probably everyone on this board, LOL.

 

[Haley R]

This was shared on the gc thread: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/staples-no-purchase-fee-on-200-visa-gift-cards-1-12-1-18/

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Note to self: don’t look up what DTF is on google...

Well I read that sentence using the DTF definition you found.....I'm like....hmmmmm? LOL

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Ummmm... I have a spreadsheet where I can auto-randomize the substitution patterns for my daughter's 4th grade recreational basketball team to guaranty even playing time.

You haven't done your clothes? The ex (who's a CPA) made a spreadsheet of all his work clothes and then generated a chart so that he never wore the same thing for 2 months. UGH. Nerd!

 

[jenmsmith]

Long time, slow churning lurker here. Y’all have the best advice and the best board on the Dis. I try to keep up daily... u guys move quick. Just couldn’t keep quiet anymore once the muppets talk started. Tell me someone remembers that other Jim Henson show called Fraggle Rock? Loved that show but none of my peers remember it!

We were Fraggle Rock fans! It was a bit trippy....

 

[AmyAnne]

You're missing out!

DTF=Din Tai Fung. It's a Taiwanese chain of restaurants known for making some of the best xiao long bao in the world. Xiao long bao is a kind of steamed dumpling, popularized in Shanghai, with a delicately folded pouch holding, usually, a pork filling. The steaming process heats up the pork and melts its fat, resulting in a soupy filling as well. The dumplings are traditionally dipped in rice vineger and some ginger, but carefully as to not puncture the pouch, and eaten so all the flavors of the soup and meat melt in your mouth.

DTF serves a lot of other types of dumplings, noodles, and rice dishes on their menu, but the original xiao long bao is what put them on the map. They have locations all over the world, but here in the US, they're found all over SoCal, with only one location in NorCal (Santa Clara), and in the Seattle and Portland areas up in the PNW.

We discovered dumplings when we went to visit my son who was living in Taiwan for a year. We're not on the west coast but have found a few local places where we can get them (and Costco carries frozen ones that are in the "acceptable" range). My son has been perfecting his dumpling cooking when he has time--they actually are not difficult to make if you have a steamer and the right dough (he gets the dough from an Asian food market).

Um, I collect Elmos. I have like 400! I can't even explain my attachment to a bunch of puppets, LOL. Jim Henson was to me what is to probably everyone on this board, LOL.

We still have a talking Elmo that one of the kids got for Christmas many years ago. It's one of a handful of sentimental toys that DH can't get rid of.

And regarding the CSR, I can get a new one in September. It was my "gateway card"--so I've been in the credit card game for 3+ years now. (I had some credit cards before, of course, but the CSR was the one I got because of the SUB/bonus categories/travel possibilities.) I definitely get enough value from the 1.5 redemption to keep it even with the higher AF but getting another SUB will make it a less painful decision to keep.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Lol, we must be in the same time frame. I was an '83 baby. I had a Rainbow Bright bike, got my first skip it, and watched A LOT of TV.....those you mentioned plus punky Brewster, Jem and the Holograms, etc. Then I got a tad older (like 6 or 7) and it was all New Kids on the Block, MTV, and TGIF with Family Matters, Full House, Step by Step.

NKOTB are legit my 5 boyfriends, LOL. Joe and Donnie follow me on twitter. I've had a few messages w/ Jon as well. Met them a bunch (since they've come back, not when I was 12, LOL). They are all so short, LOL!

 

[orangecuse]

Lol, we must be in the same time frame. I was an '83 baby. I had a Rainbow Bright bike, got my first skip it, and watched A LOT of TV.....those you mentioned plus punky Brewster, Jem and the Holograms, etc. Then I got a tad older (like 6 or 7) and it was all New Kids on the Block, MTV, and TGIF with Family Matters, Full House, Step by Step.

Dang it now that song is in my head. Step by step, day by day! (Although I watched it as reruns in the late 90s/early aughts along with Cosby and Roseanne and Growing Pains etc)

 

[wendow]

I agree, I will admit that in my door dash browsing yesterday I did see a few places we could pick up from to use the CSR credit, but all of the delivery services seem really limited for Denver metro Really for Grubhub and Uber Eats our main choices that we would eat at are a little pizza place, Smashburger, and the Philly place we like comes and goes. We tried another pizza/pasta place that we used to go to some before a few months back, because they were on both for pickup, and it was not as good as it'd been before. There's a new-ish BBQ place that did show up on UE, I wish they did pick up because I'd like to use the credit just getting meats and sides to take home for everyone to make their own plate..

It's weird. I get emails from both GrubHub and Uber Eats and it will say something like "panera bread is now on GrubHub" or "Uber Eats is now delivering Starbucks". I go check and these never show up in my area. So, been thinking my area is just really lame. The pick-up options are so bad it's laughable. Only Subway??? What!?

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

This was shared on the gc thread: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/staples-no-purchase-fee-on-200-visa-gift-cards-1-12-1-18/

OOOOOOH please let my CIP get here during this promo! PLEASE!!!! LOL.

 

[mmmears]

@Lain - thanks for your write up about the inexpensive spring flights to OGG yesterday. I sent part of it to DH who is now asking me if I want to go!!!! I don't know if it will work out, but just thinking about it is making me really happy today.

We discovered dumplings when we went to visit my son who was living in Taiwan for a year. We're not on the west coast but have found a few local places where we can get them (and Costco carries frozen ones that are in the "acceptable" range). My son has been perfecting his dumpling cooking when he has time--they actually are not difficult to make if you have a steamer and the right dough (he gets the dough from an Asian food market).

Trader Joe's sells a frozen Chicken Soup Dumpling package that's pretty good.

 

[StephPlum]

I see your paranoia and raise you one more level... I stick a desk chair in front of the door so it’ll wake me up if anyone tries to get in. I stayed in a new hotel once where the flip things were flipping themselves when the door closed so my door was “locked” when I checked in. Maintenance came up and I saw how easy those flip things are to just push open with his piece of wire. A lot of things could substitute for that...

I'll have to borrow this tip. I shivered a little when reading this. I travel by myself and I have to go through the room, closets and look under the bed when I first come in the room to make sure it is totally empty.

 

[StephPlum]

I think that depends on which miles they are using. If they are using VS miles then they will have to book RT but it doesn't have to be the same airports. I can book JFK-NRT-HND-ORD. That would count as a RT. If they book using UA miles they should be able to book one ways but it winds up costing more miles than booking with VS.

Thanks. Looking at URs transferred to Virgin.

 

[MKTokyo]

OOOOOOH please let my CIP get here during this promo! PLEASE!!!! LOL.

CIP doesn't get 5x at office stores Only CIC does. You can downgrade after a year.

 

[MKTokyo]

CIP doesn't get 5x at office stores Only CIC does. You can downgrade after a year.

I said "downgrade" but I should have said PC because CIC is arguably more valuable than CIP if you can leverage the 5x on GCs, and it has no AF.

 

[StephPlum]

CIP doesn't get 5x at office stores Only CIC does. You can downgrade after a year.

Yeah, but it makes an easy way to meet MSR. I did this last Staples promo to hit MSR