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

[Judique]

My dad pays for AOL and my mom pays for Juno in spite of having broadband for over a decade.

Lucky for me I don't have to pay for AOL. I have a free email account since the 90ties.

I have a gmail account and used to have a yahoo and a hotmail account.

Been trying slowly to get everything transferred over to gmail. It's really slow going and I will probably never achieve it, for instance I got an email from someone from home today on the aol account. Haven't seen them in more than 15 years. But was glad I got it.

So I'll be checking both accounts on my laptop each day. Easier on my phone as both run together, but I like to read on my laptop.

 

[havaneselover]

My dad pays for AOL and my mom pays for Juno in spite of having broadband for over a decade.

I feel slightly better. I'm going to allow it to continue in case I need to use it against them in a competency hearing.

 

[Judique]

Agreed! We were SPG Loyalists, and then only kept cards bc I had a couple conferences at Swolphin. We were going to completely ditch our Marriott cards until DH became so close to achieving Platinum. Now they’re getting another year out of us. But every time I have to call I cringe so hard, then immediately regret calling.

That's me, old SPG girl.

I've only called once that I can remember and that was to get the hotel I was staying at to honor my gift card. The CSR was actually awesome and told me if the desk didn't know how to credit to my account, call her back at such and such number. So, I go back to the desk and eventually the desk clerk made the call and I was good to go.

But, I've stopped collecting their gift cards. Too much hassle.

 

[Judique]

I feel slightly better. I'm going to allow it to continue in case I need to use it against them in a competency hearing.

This may backfire if you get in front of old fa** judge who also uses aol!!!

 

[havaneselover]

Busy working on travel plans. Trying to figure out our trip to Northern Michigan for late June--we can take SW from DCA to Grand Rapids, but it adds on a lot of travel time and I'd need to rent a car eating up most of the savings. Probably just going to use URs to book Delta.

Then I have to figure out our cruise for next summer. None of DCL's European itineraries appealed to me so I'm looking at the 8/8 Alaska cruise. Just need to figure out which staterooms I want to go for. Don't really want to spring for a balcony (yes, I'm cheap).

And then I realized yesterday DD may be moving into her dorm as early as 8/7 which seems crazy so I need to work with my ex (who I'm sure thinks I'm crazy that I'm worrying about this now) to figure out how this is going to work. I am hoping he will drive down with her stuff. His in-laws are in Atlanta so he would stay with them. I guess we have to bring DS (who still doesn't think DD should go to college in a city and will pack all of his UVa tees for the trip). I want to fly down and I'm sort of hoping he'll take DS and I'll take DD.

 

[havaneselover]

This may backfire if you get in front of old fa** judge who also uses aol!!!

Lol!!! I didn't even think of that.

 

[GreyTami]

If you just received your AmEx Gold, you need to be putting spend on that card anyway to get the SUB, right? After you've met your MSR, then for groceries it will depend on what you value an MR at. Pure cash out as statement credit 1MR=$.006. If you have a Schwab Plat then 1MR=$.0125. Or if you have certain stores that you wouldn't mind a gift card to, then some of those gift cards are redeemable at 1MR=$.01, you'll have to do the legwork to figure out which ones. For example, Home Depot gc are 1MR=$.01 (with a min 2500MR redemption) but Apple gc is 1MR=$.0085 (min 1176MRs). If you're in this for travel, some people like to transfer out MRs to AmEx's travel partners to get airfare for higher value out of their MRs. As you can see, MRs are very flexible but also quite nuanced.

1) It may take a few days (2-4) for his status to be updated to Platinum. It will last until end of Feb 2023. The 5 suite night awards earned this year expire Dec 31, 2022. In order to get another 5 suite night awards, he would have to reach Platinum again (50 nights) in 2022, and those would expire Dec 31, 2023.

2) That promotion requires one paid night and at least two consecutive nights (as @Judique was kind to share) to count as a stay. You should get the double nights promotion on the one reservation that is two nights long (as long as one of those nights is paid). I did a dummy booking locally, and was able to apply free nights to 2 out of the 3 nights by picking "Customize Payments." Are you sure that there is availability for free nights on the dates at the place you're planning on staying? The times I've not been able to do "Customize Payments" has been when there is no free night availability due to capacity controls.

Thanks the MS is covered, had a larger purchase thus the reason for the new card.

 

[Hoosier John]

I feel slightly better. I'm going to allow it to continue in case I need to use it against them in a competency hearing.

Good plan ... unless they explain what Judique just explained about old friends

And then what she said about old judges

Edited as I read further down the page

 

[platamama]

So I spent another 45 minutes on the phone with Marriott. It’s because they only have availability for the “upgraded” view with cash. The free nights are the “standard” view. Even when I told them I’d pay the premium for the standard view as long as I didn’t have to move, they said there was no way to override this in the system.

Oh I see. Well, that's lame. I guess you can keep checking back on the website to see if standard rooms become available as inventory changes over time. Good luck!

 

[EACarlson]

Hi! public opinion poll: i have AmEx Blue Cash Preferred that I normally use for groceries. Just received AmEx Gold, should I switch to that? Having a hard time comparing since one is cash back and one is MR. Thanks

I would switch if you have an idea of what you want to use MR for. I use mine to transfer to travel partners to get flights for my wife and I to go places we wouldn't be able to justify if we had to pay cash for airfare too. Generally people value MR at 1.8 - 2.0 cents per point, which if that is how you value it would be 7.2-8.0% for a net reduction in annual fee if you use the credits. Gold is my number one card and the one you will have to pry from my cold dead hand.

For those who have gone in the current situation... would you go again?

My wife went just before Valentine's day and had this conversation with some friends the next week. Her view was that it was a great time, and she absolutely enjoyed it, but she wouldn't want that to be anyone's first visit. If it was going to be a once in a lifetime trip, wait until everything is open and as close to pre-pandemic as it's ever going to get.

 

[havaneselover]

Good plan ... unless they explain what Judique just explained about old friends

And then what she said about old judges

Edited as I read further down the page

I think keeping the email address is fine. Paying for AOL is what I'm confused about!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

We just got my FIL to stop paying for AOL!!! We're like, you know this has been free for years????

I just canceled my moms last week. She insisted it would "cancel" her email address and she would have to get a new one. The paid AOL includes internet security and some stuff my dad used on desktop. My mom has never used the desktop, she only knows how to use an iPad and even that's not good.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Look away if you must. Gratuitous cake picture.
DS's 'golden birthday' cake.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I could probably ask elsewhere but the boards are scary outside this thread

DH and I will probably be in New York another month or so, visiting my now-fully-vaccinated parents (yay!). We were planning to go home next week but we got excess vaccine doses yesterday so we’re going to stay for the second ones. We have been working (too much ) while here but we are considering taking a week off after our second doses are fully effective and going down to WDW before going home.

For those who have gone in the current situation... would you go again? We booked a resort but nothing else, and we would need to make park reservations soon. I’m mostly wondering how you found the current crowd levels, your ability to find nice places to eat, and the availability of things to do. We don’t care about the mask requirement; I’m mostly wondering if it still feels like WDW without parades, fireworks, and characters.

I won’t be heartbroken if you say it’s no fun because we will go to Super Nintendo World when we complete our return quarantine, so would really like honest opinions

We’ve been twice during the pandemic and are holding a ressie for Thanksgiving again. We enjoyed the extra spacing and the calvacades were a good substitute for the parades. A lot of dining was closed, so if you are going specifically for certain dining locations, you should check online first. We would certainly go back. My only complaint on the last trip is that not every group respected the six feet distancing. But, if I were vaccinated, that issue is resolved.
Where are you thinking of staying? We stayed at the Riviera, Poly and AKL Kidani. If you are paying a premium to stay somewhere like the Poly, with the monorail closed, no fireworks and no water show, I could see being disappointed.

 

[Alexle2007]

Look away if you must. Gratuitous cake picture.
DS's 'golden birthday' cake. View attachment 563851

That looks yummy! What kind of cake is it?

 

[afan]

I'm so confused about what my plan should be. I'm $105 away from the 15k FNC on my hyatt, a cert I won't have a use for if I don't go to Japan this year. A cert that I would imagine may not get extended. Plus I still have last years good through Dec and no use and then I'll get one for May. So I think with this I should just stop using my Hyatt and finish that last big in December unless it looks like in July I'll be able to go.

I had planned to put most of my estimated tax payments on the surpass to get a Hilton FNC, but I really won't have a use for that. I've got a bit over $4,200 left to go for the extra 10k in points, so I could at least spend enough for that between gc at Safeway and some of the tax payment. That at least still makes sense to me for the $5k.

So if I'm not going to use my Hilton for most of the tax payment, I think I'll just do the rest of it on my Alaska Biz. I have to meet the $2k in spend and it has a $10k limit so it'll be easier. And I ALWAYS want more of their miles. And calculating what I'll pay plus the 1.96% fee it is still less than buying the amount of miles I'll get to use them for the entire thing rather than just the sub. Almost a $100 savings to pay the fee vs buying them outright, so I'm good with that plus I'll get the 40k miles for meeting the spend.

 

[atxbound]

I'm so confused about what my plan should be. I'm $105 away from the 15k FNC on my hyatt, a cert I won't have a use for if I don't go to Japan this year. A cert that I would imagine may not get extended. Plus I still have last years good through Dec and no use and then I'll get one for May. So I think with this I should just stop using my Hyatt and finish that last big in December unless it looks like in July I'll be able to go.

I had planned to put most of my estimated tax payments on the surpass to get a Hilton FNC, but I really won't have a use for that. I've got a bit over $4,200 left to go for the extra 10k in points, so I could at least spend enough for that between gc at Safeway and some of the tax payment. That at least still makes sense to me for the $5k.

So if I'm not going to use my Hilton for most of the tax payment, I think I'll just do the rest of it on my Alaska Biz. I have to meet the $2k in spend and it has a $10k limit so it'll be easier. And I ALWAYS want more of their miles. And calculating what I'll pay plus the 1.96% fee it is still less than buying the amount of miles I'll get to use them for the entire thing rather than just the sub. Almost a $100 savings to pay the fee vs buying them outright, so I'm good with that plus I'll get the 40k miles for meeting the spend.

I would spend the extra $105 for the Hyatt FNC. 3 FNC would work great for an holiday weekend trip. AS miles are great but I am waiting to see what happens with the american airlines partnership.

 

[afan]

I would spend the extra $105 for the Hyatt FNC. 3 FNC would work great for an holiday weekend trip. AS miles are great but I am waiting to see what happens with the american airlines partnership.

I agree that they do, but not if my alternative plans don't involve needing a hyatt. I'd have to invent something to use the one that I currently have that expires at the end of the year. Being in Seattle, there's not a ton of cat 4 options, and I'd rather sleep in my own bed if I take the 15 mile drive downtown. Maybe if the border opens I could use it in Vancouver, but that'd be it. I have no desire to go to Oregon as I've done that, though I've done Van too.

My vacation days are already accounted for so I can't just toss in another plane ride, and if I'm going somewhere via plane just to use a fnc that doesn't seem very effective. Where I'd totally use it next March, assuming MLB actually has an on time season and I can go to spring training for a few days. That's why waiting until Dec would make more sense if I don't have use for it before next year, unless Japan happens and I really doubt it will.

 

[atxbound]

Has the anniversary already passed for your Chase Hyatt account? If so, I would totally wait until December to meet the final spend. Hyatt has been pretty fantastic about early announcements and extensions of FNC. With the way Chase is restructuring the FNC spend (moving from cardmember anniversary to calendar year spend) there's an opportunity to get 2 FNC with spend this year. I met the first FNC spend but debating about going for the 2nd FNC for myself & P2 (30k between May-December). Just like you, not sure about value of getting the 2nd FNC.
So challenging with COVID, to make more than tentative plans.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Need advice! So we planned to go to Panama City Beach / Destin area in May. Figured crowds would be perfect - after spring break and before schools are out for summer. Found the perfect Airbnb to take our dogs along and everything. Fast forward to last week, and they extended the tax deadline. I work in the industry and am not allowed to take vacation during tax time, and with certain states extended all the way til June I’m basically relegated now to around the second half of June. Is this trip still worth it in late June? I know a lot of you guys raved about the area. Do you think it will be too crowded in June? Any other negatives? I know some may say it’s really hot in summer... I don’t think that will matter for us. We like the heat and we live in SC so it’s frankly not much of a difference IMO. Thanks in advance!