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

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Yeah, I will also say the gyms where I am are very busy. I had to join the Y when my stairmaster died and there is a large crowd every day. No mask on cardio equipment but otherwise you have to wear a mask. Every other machine is unplugged. My brother works in a Y in New Jersey and since they reopened in July they have been busy too.

I still think the Equinox credit is unbelievable lame. My dad has had a Platinum Card since the 80s. He uses none of the benefits. Honestly the annual fee won't make a difference to him and this may be his only card with an annual fee. But I'll try to talk him into downgrading to gold. Then again, he still pays for AOL so maybe I shouldn't bother.

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.

Alrighty people I'm feeling attacked here! I have an AOL email I still use. And I'm 44!!!! Even better, it's from 95 when I was HUGE into collecting Elmos. So it's real fun to give out my email, LOL. I have a comcast I was trying to switch over to...but some other Amy Porter has been giving out MY email as hers, so it's FLOODED with spam! I've also gotten emails for scout troops, school issues, wedding planning, etc. Like STOP GIVING MY EMAIL! I need to start giving hers everywhere. I figured out what hers was a few times, but I don't remember.

I have a gmail, and I probably should transition to that one. But I fear it'll be like comcast all over again. What I get for having a "common" name, LOL.

On the vaca front.....I THINK I've finally decided on what to do for Spring Break. I only have about 10 hotels on hold, LOL. I hate my indecision! But the 16yo wants to go to Daytona, so Daytona here we come!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

That looks yummy! What kind of cake is it?

Chocolate cake, turtle filling (fudge frosting, caramel and pecans) with vanilla buttercream and mirror glaze outside.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Alrighty people I'm feeling attacked here! I have an AOL email I still use. And I'm 44!!!! Even better, it's from 95 when I was HUGE into collecting Elmos. So it's real fun to give out my email, LOL. I have a comcast I was trying to switch over to...but some other Amy Porter has been giving out MY email as hers, so it's FLOODED with spam! I've also gotten emails for scout troops, school issues, wedding planning, etc. Like STOP GIVING MY EMAIL! I need to start giving hers everywhere. I figured out what hers was a few times, but I don't remember.

I have a gmail, and I probably should transition to that one. But I fear it'll be like comcast all over again. What I get for having a "common" name, LOL.

On the vaca front.....I THINK I've finally decided on what to do for Spring Break. I only have about 10 hotels on hold, LOL. I hate my indecision! But the 16yo wants to go to Daytona, so Daytona here we come!

It's PAYING for AOL we're making fun of, not necessarily the account. (You don't pay, do you ). BTW, from experience, stick with Gmail or yahoo or something not tied to your internet provider. I had Comcast as my major email account, all bills, etc. When we moved a mile away, I couldn't keep my phone number or email even though I have Comcast at this house as well. Giant PIA to move and change all emails, bills, etc. I use my name as well, but you don't have to. My secondary email is my first name and professional credentials. If someone else has a similar name, use initials, a middle name or something. I mean my name is super common, but I added numbers to the end.

 

[afan]

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.

Doesn't matter now, I thought it switched to calendar year this year, my anniversary was on the 17th. And even if it wasn't until the 27th. I also don't see them extending all these certs another year.

My fault for not paying attention, but all the changes to it got me confused and I thought I had all year from the start of it. Oh well, now I do'nt have to worry about what I'm going to do with it.

 

[atxbound]

Doesn't matter now, I thought it switched to calendar year this year, my anniversary was on the 17th. And even if it wasn't until the 27th. I also don't see them extending all these certs another year.

My fault for not paying attention, but all the changes to it got me confused and I thought I had all year from the start of it. Oh well, now I do'nt have to worry about what I'm going to do with it.

There is sooo much other stuff that is more important for tracking. It was a combination of both this calendar year. My hyatt card has an card member anniversary of 4/15. So I had from 4/15/20-4/15/21 to spend 15k for one FNC and then 15k 4/15/21-12/31/21 for another FNC. Next year will be straight up calendar year.
I am in Oregon so I have a similar situation with using the FNC for decent properties. Hoping to be able to use them in Las Vegas this fall with some football games. Fingers crossed otherwise some of my family members will have some free travel nights thrown there way.

 

[Judique]

It's PAYING for AOL we're making fun of, not necessarily the account. (You don't pay, do you ). BTW, from experience, stick with Gmail or yahoo or something not tied to your internet provider. I had Comcast as my major email account, all bills, etc. When we moved a mile away, I couldn't keep my phone number or email even though I have Comcast at this house as well. Giant PIA to move and change all emails, bills, etc. I use my name as well, but you don't have to. My secondary email is my first name and professional credentials. If someone else has a similar name, use initials, a middle name or something. I mean my name is super common, but I added numbers to the end.

Great advice! My slow transition to Gmail is somewhat because I felt AOL was going to completely disappear at some point. Why it's still around I really don't know. There was a time when it was a bigger entity.

My Gmail is my first and last name. I have a 'not common' last name. My AOL is a combo of initials and numbers and very short and has been spoofed a few times.

I also had a Comcast email but never let it take off and don't even remember what it was.

 

[Mopedmom1]

I had Comcast as my major email account, all bills, etc. When we moved a mile away, I couldn't keep my phone number or email even though I have Comcast at this house as well.

I wonder why this was? When we moved nearly six years ago there was no problem keeping our Comcast emails. I am, however, planning on transitioning to Gmail, in case my next move involves living somewhere without Comcast.

 

[havaneselover]

Two days to decide what to book next summer on DCL. There's a 9-day Greek Isles cruise with a stop in Croatia that has caught my eye. But it leaves Rome the day after school ends. I'm thinking the last half day of school should be okay to miss but knowing DS he'll still have half his stuff not turned in. And it doesn't seem to be easy to get a non-stop to Rome from the DC area. Maybe next year there will be more flights with things hopefully being better.

 

[pinkxray]

Two days to decide what to book next summer on DCL. There's a 9-day Greek Isles cruise with a stop in Croatia that has caught my eye. But it leaves Rome the day after school ends. I'm thinking the last half day of school should be okay to miss but knowing DS he'll still have half his stuff not turned in. And it doesn't seem to be easy to get a non-stop to Rome from the DC area. Maybe next year there will be more flights with things hopefully being better.

Usually the last half day is pointless. Grades should already been done at that point. I’d be more worried about snows days and that half day not being the last day if we got added days. (I don’t know where you live and if snow days exist for you)

I would love to do the Aug. trip that goes to Iceland and Norway. I’m sure it will be way too much $$$ by the time it opens to lowly silver bookings.

I wish they would give dates of the Wish sailings. I am so stressed about when to do our Hawaii trip with Dd graduating that I feel like I should just do a cruise and push Hawaii back a year.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

Anyone else waiting for Chase to update their public SUB offer for the CSP today? Going to try to see if they will match it since I signed up for the 60,000 SUB back in January.

 

[havaneselover]

Usually the last half day is pointless. Grades should already been done at that point. I’d be more worried about snows days and that half day not being the last day if we got added days. (I don’t know where you live and if snow days exist for you)

I would love to do the Aug. trip that goes to Iceland and Norway. I’m sure it will be way too much $$$ by the time it opens to lowly silver bookings.

I wish they would give dates of the Wish sailings. I am so stressed about when to do our Hawaii trip with Dd graduating that I feel like I should just do a cruise and push Hawaii back a year.

We have a lot of built in snow days (because our school day is longer than required) so we never go past our scheduled last day (which seems so late-6/17.22).

That's the trip we had booked this year. I so wanted to rebook it but DD would miss the first week of classes which clearly won't work!

And me too on the Wish.

 

[pinkxray]

I know this sounds silly but trying to decide what to do about my Hawaii trip next year is stressing me out. Like too much stress for a vacation, to where I just think forget it!

I think I figured out how to get everything I want.
We go to Hawaii April break 2022. This way DD won’t miss graduation.
I book a long weekend at Poly for my 40th bday. I can book 2 weekends and pick the dates once we get DDs graduation date. I’ll get my Disney cake for my bday in a fake Hawaii setting, DD gets her graduation, and we get to go to Hawaii for DDs 5th bday so we can get a Disney bday cake at Aulani!

Now, I just need to figure out how to pay for all of this.

 

[chattadisser]

Alrighty people I'm feeling attacked here! I have an AOL email I still use. And I'm 44!!!! Even better, it's from 95 when I was HUGE into collecting Elmos. So it's real fun to give out my email, LOL. I have a comcast I was trying to switch over to...but some other Amy Porter has been giving out MY email as hers, so it's FLOODED with spam! I've also gotten emails for scout troops, school issues, wedding planning, etc. Like STOP GIVING MY EMAIL! I need to start giving hers everywhere. I figured out what hers was a few times, but I don't remember.

I have a gmail, and I probably should transition to that one. But I fear it'll be like comcast all over again. What I get for having a "common" name, LOL.

On the vaca front.....I THINK I've finally decided on what to do for Spring Break. I only have about 10 hotels on hold, LOL. I hate my indecision! But the 16yo wants to go to Daytona, so Daytona here we come!

I'm a few years older than you and I still have an AOL email address. When I created it back in the 90's it never occurred to me that I would be using this to communicate with people for decades. It does amuse me when I give it out and when you add the "@AOL" the look on peoples faces!! I'm like yeah it's old. But, as @CyndiLouWho pointed out, its the paying for it that we were making fun of. Luckily I haven't paid for it for decades. I do have a gmail account that I should give more of an effort to try and transition everything to, it just seems like a pain. But in the back of my head I know the day will come when AOL will cease to exist.

Chocolate cake, turtle filling (fudge frosting, caramel and pecans) with vanilla buttercream and mirror glaze outside.

That sounds as delicious on the inside as the outside looks!

 

[disfanforlife]

We would like to rent a condo on Sanibel island for a week next February when our daughters have a break from school. Any advice or ideas?

 

[hsmamato2]

If you've closed the card a number of years ago, maybe Amex has already "forgotten". Conventional wisdom is 7 years after you close, but I've seen DP as low as 4. Seems worth a try if it's been a few years, you'll just get a pop-up if they haven't forgotten.

you're right.... I can try for it soon, as long as the popup prevents app from actually proceeding if I don't qualify.....

 

[hsmamato2]

Anyone else waiting for Chase to update their public SUB offer for the CSP today? Going to try to see if they will match it since I signed up for the 60,000 SUB back in January.

me! me! except I'm doing a straight up app..... c'monnnnn

 

[calypso726]

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

Congrats on vaccinations all around! I am hoping to visit NY again once things get normal-ish.

We have been going to WDW fairly often since the pass holder preview last July. Through November to January we were there every weekend. Under the circumstances, the cavalcades are a decent substitute to the parades. The distanced characters placed in strategic areas are better than no characters. I do miss the night time fire works. Before being fully vaccinated, WDW was about the riskiest thing I was comfortable doing because of the safety measures they have implemented. I have not been on a plane since the winter of 2019. For me, that's insane, but here we are LOL Planning to break that no plane streak in May with a trip to Hawaii.

Dining has not been an issue. I have tended to stick to outdoor dining at Wine Bar George, Jaleo, STK, The Boathouse, Three Bridges, Paddlefish, Art Smith, Paradiso 37, Terralina, and Geyser Point for the most part. Of course there are many more quick service options for outdoor dining too.

WDW is close and we go often so no big deal for us and we are able to enjoy it as things stand. I expect that when DLR opens up, the experience will be similar to WDW. With that in mind, I would still have no problem hopping on a plane to do a DLR trip which is something we have planned for late summer this year.

We still find it to be fun. If we didn't, we wouldn't go. It's been a whole two weeks since we were last there and I'm already itching to return

 

[Shannon G]

Looking for input for what I should do next. Goal is to maximize points that can be used for travel.

Opened in last two years, only 2:
05/19 - Chase Sapphire Preferred
01/21 - AmEx Platinum - finished MSR this week

I currently hold a Chase SW Plus and Chase SW Preferred, but am leaning toward cancelling one or both. I also have a Chase Slate that I want to cancel - I only used it for a 0% balance transfer about 5 years ago. I have a Delta AmEx Gold that I use when there are good offers on the card, otherwise I don't use it much. I have a BOA card that was my first ever card, and has been open for about 20 years. I'm thinking I should keep that one as it helps raise the average age of my accounts. Then there are a variety of store cards in the mix, which I use only for discounts at those stores.

I try to run whatever I can through my cards

Due to the CSP, I'm not eligible for the CSR until late 2022, if I understand that correctly (40 months, right?). I try to run whatever I can through my cards, but am currently using AmEx Plat for groceries for the 10x points. I could probably manage at least $1,000 / mo on another card, but I am also looking to book a vacation soon, and could meet at least a few thousand of minimum spend on a new card with that. Oh, and my 2 DDs are both AUs on my BOA card and my CSP (Usually using the CSP, but the BOA is a backup for them for situations like occurred earlier this week, when my CSP got hacked & cards had to be cancelled.)

Does it make sense to cancel my 2 Chase SW cards, wait 30 days & then apply for a new one for a new bonus? Apply for another AmEx? I am not wed to any particular hotel chain. For domestic flights I tend to use SW, because I've had the points and because I like the lack of baggage fees, but I am also planning more international travel in the next few years, so will be using other airlines.

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Follow up to my prior post: I’m contemplating applying for the AmEx Gold, with a 75K SUB. I have finished my MSR on the platinum, and have a couple of sizeable purchases coming up that I’d like to be able to put toward a MSR. Again, primary goal is future travel, with a couple of international trips in the next few years. Does this seem like a good approach?

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

me! me! except I'm doing a straight up app..... c'monnnnn

I hope they are feeling more generous this time around and will match SUBs. Fingers crossed!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I wonder why this was? When we moved nearly six years ago there was no problem keeping our Comcast emails. I am, however, planning on transitioning to Gmail, in case my next move involves living somewhere without Comcast.

First, for what ever reason, even though a mile apart, our old and new houses are different phone exchanges and even though you can use your cell number anywhere apparently land lines have different rules. So the account and number wouldn't carryover. Second, we had six weeks we lived with my sister between houses and Comcast wouldn't let me keep an account, I had to cancel and open a new one. In many cases moving that close wouldn't cause much disruption.