I love credit cards so much! v4.0 - 2021 (see first page for add'l details)

[havaneselover]

You guys weren't kidding about the B of A credit card website. I can see my balance but can't find the actual activity to save my life. What the heck?

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Unfortunately this is entirely dependent on the governor and his COVID policies, updates to which are completely unpredictable.

Personally I don’t think I will go to DLR this summer. I expect heavy handed state mandated Covid policies to still be in place (did you see the very real discussions about limiting screaming in CA theme parks?). As of now indoor dining is not allowed inside theme parks regardless of the county tier. Avengers will not be open. Time indoors will be limited by the state so very limited AC breaks.

Frankly I would throw in the towel and go 2022 now. Plan something not CA for 2021.

Thanks for the input. I did see the policies you mentioned but seems it might be mitigated by having only 15-20% of capacity which is kind of like an empty park. I wasn't sure if I was missing a published guideline. Our governor has changed things up recently as well, but the upside is vaccines open to all April 12. As for indoor dining, haven't done that anywhere and not sure when we will. I don't like to eat in my office with coworkers (common pre-covid, none of us eat in cafeteria) and most of us are vaccinated. Maybe we will shoot for Spring Break 2022. Hope they don't decide our tickets will expire.

 

[striker1064]

It's tricky because they never seem to list the statement closing date for the first month! I can tell you our business card experience, not sure if it works exactly the same for personal. DH opened a CIC on 1/27, it says to make the MSR by 5/1, and the first statement closed on 2/28. Again, this is a biz card so no guarantees I'm afraid.

Yep, that's the problem! It's the first statement so it's not under the account yet. I'll figure a day or two before the UR date to be safe.

 

[georgina]

Yep, that's the problem! It's the first statement so it's not under the account yet. I'll figure a day or two before the UR date to be safe.

They might be able to tell you if you call...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I just want to double-check: on the UR home page, it says "Spend $4,000 by 5/30/21 to earn your 60,000 bonus points." Counting backwards, does that mean the first statement will close on 3/30? I want to ensure we reach MSR before the first statement closes so I can use PYB on groceries next month.

It's tricky because they never seem to list the statement closing date for the first month! I can tell you our business card experience, not sure if it works exactly the same for personal. DH opened a CIC on 1/27, it says to make the MSR by 5/1, and the first statement closed on 2/28. Again, this is a biz card so no guarantees I'm afraid.

Finding your first statement closing date is easy via the app - you can actually see it immediately after approval even.

Login to the app and select the card you want to see - scroll down and click here:


Then on the next page you'll see your closing date:

 

[afan]

My 2nd home depot order had 2 items, when the first item posted to my plat I got the one $50 credit back. The 2nd charge finally posted which put me over $100 total to make up for the lost item on the 1st and the 2nd $50 credit has posted. So while they did claw it back, it all worked out as it should have.

Also of note, Saks is having their friends and family sale right now in case you want to use your credit. I ordered a pair of jeans that are on sale, hopefully they fit.

You guys weren't kidding about the B of A credit card website. I can see my balance but can't find the actual activity to save my life. What the heck?

Has your statement cut? That's what makes it worse. I can't remember where it goes, and I haven't made any charges on my card yet since I'm waiting to make estimated tax payments for next year once the house closes on the 30th. I think it all gets moved to the "main" account after close, before that it stays with the card. It made it really hard to track spending to make sure I spent the $2k, will be glad to do it all with one payment this time, plus a $200 dis gc purchase since the alaska biz includes a statement credit.

If you can't find it under the main account, then it's buried deeper than I remember. But I'm fairly certain the balance and activity doesn't move until the statement cuts.

 

[havaneselover]

My 2nd home depot order had 2 items, when the first item posted to my plat I got the one $50 credit back. The 2nd charge finally posted which put me over $100 total to make up for the lost item on the 1st and the 2nd $50 credit has posted. So while they did claw it back, it all worked out as it should have.

Also of note, Saks is having their friends and family sale right now in case you want to use your credit. I ordered a pair of jeans that are on sale, hopefully they fit.



Has your statement cut? That's what makes it worse. I can't remember where it goes, and I haven't made any charges on my card yet since I'm waiting to make estimated tax payments for next year once the house closes on the 30th. I think it all gets moved to the "main" account after close, before that it stays with the card. It made it really hard to track spending to make sure I spent the $2k, will be glad to do it all with one payment this time, plus a $200 dis gc purchase since the alaska biz includes a statement credit.

If you can't find it under the main account, then it's buried deeper than I remember. But I'm fairly certain the balance and activity doesn't move until the statement cuts.

I don't think so but I'm so confused I'm not sure. I am also waiting for my statement to close to knock out a tax payment.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

There's a comment on a DoC post regarding new Amex Plat AF and benefits. Username is "Work4Amex" - who knows if this is truly reputable or not though:

Can confirm through my Intel that the Personal Platinum AF is planned to increase to $695 for new card holders starting July, existing card holders fee increase will come into effect Jan 2022 . There are other planned changes, keep in mind that it is all subject to change. Many of these changes should start July 2021

The 2 free Priority Guest passes will now be free only if you have $75,000 spend in a calendar year with the platinum.

$300 equinox credit
$240 entertainment credit
$200 credit for prepaid hotel bookings
$100 temp Resy credit

Everything else should stay the same

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumo...personal-platinum-annual-fee/#comment-1162835

 

[georgina]

Finding your first statement closing date is easy via the app - you can actually see it immediately after approval even.

Login to the app and select the card you want to see - scroll down and click here:
View attachment 563609

Then on the next page you'll see your closing date:
View attachment 563608

Interesting. I am old and avoid apps as much as possible.

 

[havaneselover]

There's a comment on a DoC post regarding new Amex Plat AF and benefits. Username is "Work4Amex" - who knows if this is truly reputable or not though:

Can confirm through my Intel that the Personal Platinum AF is planned to increase to $695 for new card holders starting July, existing card holders fee increase will come into effect Jan 2022 . There are other planned changes, keep in mind that it is all subject to change. Many of these changes should start July 2021

The 2 free Priority Guest passes will now be free only if you have $75,000 spend in a calendar year with the platinum.

$300 equinox credit
$240 entertainment credit
$200 credit for prepaid hotel bookings
$100 temp Resy credit

Everything else should stay the same

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumo...personal-platinum-annual-fee/#comment-1162835

I'd think the entertainment credit and prepaid hotel would be easy to use so the $145 increase (is it $550 now?) might be worth it. I'm canceling my Vanilla platinum in July regardless and hoping for a retention offer on my CS Platinum.

 

[afan]

I don't think so but I'm so confused I'm not sure. I am also waiting for my statement to close to knock out a tax payment.

If it hasn't cut, I'm pretty sure it should still all be under the one card. But I'm also convinced it doesn't all show up. Their system makes no sense and I was just glad it had a small spend to meet. Almost have to use payments instead of charges, but I also always felt like I was paying more than I was supposed to, which also didn't make sense. I do wonder if there was a 2nd employee card if it'd make it make more sense or not. I'm a sole prop, I don't need other cards, so why can't it just be normal unless you get an employee card. Their personal card spot makes total sense. But it's also BofA, so screw our customers!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Interesting. I am old and avoid apps as much as possible.

I'm reading this in a Carl Fredricksen voice...

"I'm Elderly and Infirm... I avoid Apps... you can have my house WHEN I'M DEAD!"

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I'd think the entertainment credit and prepaid hotel would be easy to use so the $145 increase (is it $550 now?) might be worth it. I'm canceling my Vanilla platinum in July regardless and hoping for a retention offer on my CS Platinum.

Factor in the lost airline credit though, which is sort of offset by the hotel... I dunno, to me the whole thing is just dumb. Stupid benefits, that I didn't really ask for in exchange for a higher AF. And then will any of them end up being monthly credits - so you have to track and make sure you use them?

Personally I'm not a fan...

 

[georgina]

I'm reading this in a Carl Fredricksen voice...

"I'm Elderly and Infirm... I avoid Apps... you can have my house WHEN I'M DEAD!"

Yup, I'm only 58 but seem much older at times. I stick to my iPhone SE because i like a small phone, headphone jack, and don't want face ID. DH says if I had a biger phone screen I could more easily read it, which is one of my compaints about apps. I have to be dragged kicking and screaming into anything new!

 

[havaneselover]

Factor in the lost airline credit though, which is sort of offset by the hotel... I dunno, to me the whole thing is just dumb. Stupid benefits, that I didn't really ask for in exchange for a higher AF. And then will any of them end up being monthly credits - so you have to track and make sure you use them?

Personally I'm not a fan...

Sorry, I missed that the airline credits were vanishing. Definitely makes it less appealing. And these niche credits like Equinox which are worthless to so many of us are irritating.

 

[georgina]

That's weird - I did Motley Fool for the Amex credit on DH's card back in Jan, never got the Chase 7500 UR though because the purchase never tracked. He was charged tax on the purchase so it was $106.xx. I did it recently through Swagbucks on my Amex card for the $60 rebate, but was NOT charged tax, so just $99. Wonder why.

Thinking more about it, I may have used our new Virginia address on the MF subscription. Maybe that cut the tax.

 

[stitchfan18]

How soon before April 30th do we think Chase will announce new PYB categories (assuming it continues in some fashion...)

 

[striker1064]

There's a comment on a DoC post regarding new Amex Plat AF and benefits. Username is "Work4Amex" - who knows if this is truly reputable or not though:

Can confirm through my Intel that the Personal Platinum AF is planned to increase to $695 for new card holders starting July, existing card holders fee increase will come into effect Jan 2022 . There are other planned changes, keep in mind that it is all subject to change. Many of these changes should start July 2021

The 2 free Priority Guest passes will now be free only if you have $75,000 spend in a calendar year with the platinum.

$300 equinox credit
$240 entertainment credit
$200 credit for prepaid hotel bookings
$100 temp Resy credit

Everything else should stay the same

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumo...personal-platinum-annual-fee/#comment-1162835

This is somehow worse than the Platinum as it stands right now while also being more expensive every year.

How small is the subset that has an Equinox membership? I'm not sure how widespread they are, but if it's like boutique gyms here $300 won't go very far.

 

[Alexle2007]

Looks like RCCL will be requiring vaccinations to sail...

 

[wanderlust7]

There's a comment on a DoC post regarding new Amex Plat AF and benefits. Username is "Work4Amex" - who knows if this is truly reputable or not though:

Can confirm through my Intel that the Personal Platinum AF is planned to increase to $695 for new card holders starting July, existing card holders fee increase will come into effect Jan 2022 . There are other planned changes, keep in mind that it is all subject to change. Many of these changes should start July 2021

The 2 free Priority Guest passes will now be free only if you have $75,000 spend in a calendar year with the platinum.

$300 equinox credit
$240 entertainment credit
$200 credit for prepaid hotel bookings
$100 temp Resy credit

Everything else should stay the same

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumo...personal-platinum-annual-fee/#comment-1162835

Not a good change in the long term, but there might be value to be had in the short term. Anybody who gets the card or renews before July should have the old AF for at least a year. I would guess they get the new benefits too. Hopefully the airline credit stays for at least part of 2022 so that doesn't affect double/triple dipping plans. Equinox has an online store (clothes, accessories, toiletries), hopefully that works so the credit wouldn't go to waste for me.

Glass half full.