I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 & 2024 (see first page for add'l details)

[punkin]

I booked the flights for ds and I to and from Japan using a combo of AC and BA. We are flying there on a combo of AC (to Copenhagen) to Singapore (3 nights) on Singapore Air, then on to Tokyo (used a stopover with AC for 5k points), each leg in biz class. Coming home I used AC to book ANA first class (me) and BA (ds) to book ds on Japan Air first class.

I booked the HH Shibuya for 3 nights for 66k (total) Hyatt points, which seems like a steal for the location and rooms (with washer/dryer combo). In Osaka we are staying at the Conrad for 4 nights (1 room HH points, 1 night cash using a stay 4, pay for 3 rate). You are spoiled with choices for hotels on points in Japan!

That sounds extremely complicated! I have to try and figure that out!

 

[Alexle2007]

For those with 529s, can you load VGCs into the account? Trying to figure out the best way to pay Ole Miss tuition in a few weeks.

 

[havaneselover]

For those with 529s, can you load VGCs into the account? Trying to figure out the best way to pay Ole Miss tuition in a few weeks.

I use VA 529 and have also used Vanguard. I think for VA 529 you cannot. You can, however, put money in the 529, pay the tuition with Visa gift cards, and have the 529 reimburse you. Then use the reimbursement to pay the CIC bill from buying the Visa gift cards. I'm contemplating doing this to pay for DD's final semester of tuition (how did that happen?). But it also sounds like a big hassle!

 

[reliev]

That sounds extremely complicated! I have to try and figure that out!

you could always plugin dates for saver fares on Seat Aero or use the free tools from Amex to search during dates for saver fares. It sounds like you have flexibility I was about to do it for 150k avos and I want to try ANA next. I did Japan Airlines. It's still the best I've flown IMO. I think you should have no issues getting it for 120-200k a person. the real question is availability this close out most of my great redemptions have been sub 3 weeks or 10-11 months out.

 

[havaneselover]

For the Youtube TV users out there, I stumbled onto a little savings. I've been a customer for a long time and I'm having issues with my account (can't change the payment method). So I went to cancel and figured I'd open another account and they offered me $9 off the next five months.

 

[wanderlust7]

I need some help. I'm thinking of doing a Japan trip next year sometime October-November time frame. Just me and DH. I would like to do at least business class. I have over 1M amex points. What are my options for flights?

You can probably find 2 in biz on JAL near calendar end. Book through Cathay, BA, or AA. Cathay calendar opens the earliest. It costs more miles than BA from west coast, but I think it's less from east coast. Taxes about the same around $300. Redeposit fee $120. BA releases next and is my preferred method (since we fly from west coast). Reposit fee is $55. AA releases last, but is the cheapest, 60k and $11.20 taxes. Free to cancel. You'd need AA miles since you can't transfer. Risk is the seats are gone by then.

 

[Alexle2007]

I use VA 529 and have also used Vanguard. I think for VA 529 you cannot. You can, however, put money in the 529, pay the tuition with Visa gift cards, and have the 529 reimburse you. Then use the reimbursement to pay the CIC bill from buying the Visa gift cards. I'm contemplating doing this to pay for DD's final semester of tuition (how did that happen?). But it also sounds like a big hassle!

Thanks. Will the 529 reimburse you the CC fees? That’s crazy that your DD is almost finished! That went fast.

 

[havaneselover]

Thanks. Will the 529 reimburse you the CC fees? That’s crazy that your DD is almost finished! That went fast.

No. Say tuition is $10k. I'd pay the $10k in tuition using Visa gift cards (at GT, that would cost me $10,295). Then I'd go into my 529 and request a reimbursement matching the tuition bill of $10k. But I'm still ahead since I earned 50,000 URs purchasing the Visa gift cards. I may be missing something though.

 

[DogCat]

I am looking for a new HYSA and wondering if anyone here can recommend one they are happy with. I just read a long list of negative comments on DOC's site (regarding many different HYSA options) and it sounds like a lot of them are more trouble than they are worth. I would take a few less dollars of interest for a solid, hassle-free experience.

 

[havaneselover]

I am looking for a new HYSA and wondering if anyone here can recommend one they are happy with. I just read a long list of negative comments on DOC's site (regarding many different HYSA options) and it sounds like a lot of them are more trouble than they are worth. I would take a few less dollars of interest for a solid, hassle-free experience.

My money is in cap one and cit bank. But really I keep most of my savings in t-bills which I buy at auction through vanguard.

 

[afan]

I am looking for a new HYSA and wondering if anyone here can recommend one they are happy with. I just read a long list of negative comments on DOC's site (regarding many different HYSA options) and it sounds like a lot of them are more trouble than they are worth. I would take a few less dollars of interest for a solid, hassle-free experience.

I have cap1, discover and amex. They are all fine for what I need which is mostly pushing money to them from my cu. Cap1 is my emergency savings so it's just there earning interest. Discover is savings that gets added to weekly but rarely pull out of, someday I'll figure out what to do with it . Amex is my car acct which is the one that I access the most. I push money there a couple times a month and when ins and my tabs are do I push from amex to my cu.

Not sure what issues you read about, I always push money where it needs to go except for when I have Edward Jones pull money from a sep cap1 savings or my cu. To me it's easier this way.

There's no advantage to having the acts, they don't help with approvals. Cap1 consistently offers me a quicksilver and denies the pre-approval for venture x. I need to decide if I want to try for the reg venture since it's the same sub but with $250 travel credit so 50 less than x and lower af. I don't need the lounge access but another system I can transfer to partners is appealing.

 

[georgina]

I am looking for a new HYSA and wondering if anyone here can recommend one they are happy with. I just read a long list of negative comments on DOC's site (regarding many different HYSA options) and it sounds like a lot of them are more trouble than they are worth. I would take a few less dollars of interest for a solid, hassle-free experience.

I have never had an issue with my onlinesavings acct at Marcus by Goldman Sachs. Very quick transfers when I need to send money to my other accounts. I don’t keep a whole lot in there because my Vanguard brokerage money market is paying over 5%, but I do like the ease of transfers and website navigation.

 

[punkin]

you could always plugin dates for saver fares on Seat Aero or use the free tools from Amex to search during dates for saver fares. It sounds like you have flexibility I was about to do it for 150k avos and I want to try ANA next. I did Japan Airlines. It's still the best I've flown IMO. I think you should have no issues getting it for 120-200k a person. the real question is availability this close out most of my great redemptions have been sub 3 weeks or 10-11 months out.

It's not close... I'm thinking next year October. Those dates aren't even out yet

 

[Aela]

Okay so, maybe someone here can answer a question. I currently have 5 credit cards and their approximate credit lines as follows:

AmEx Business $20k ( FEB 2024)
AmEx $7.5k (May 2024)
Visa Bank $12k (old)
Visa Marriott $28k (old)
Visa Disney $21k (old)

I opened the Amex business, then realized it was better to use a different card line and now I want to close the Business AmEx. It’s only been open since Feb 2024, so less than 6 months. If I close it, will it affect my credit severely? We pay off our cards entirely each month, and have excellent (>820) credit and am worried I screwed up majorly.

(I ended up opening the second AmEx because my husband wanted it specifically because of the program benefits for his work. We use it as our main card now.)

 

[georgina]

Okay so, maybe someone here can answer a question. I currently have 5 credit cards and their approximate credit lines as follows:

AmEx Business $20k ( FEB 2024)
AmEx $7.5k (May 2024)
Visa Bank $12k (old)
Visa Marriott $28k (old)
Visa Disney $21k (old)

I opened the Amex business, then realized it was better to use a different card line and now I want to close the Business AmEx. It’s only been open since Feb 2024, so less than 6 months. If I close it, will it affect my credit severely? We pay off our cards entirely each month, and have excellent (>820) credit and am worried I screwed up majorly.

(I ended up opening the second AmEx because my husband wanted it specifically because of the program benefits for his work. We use it as our main card now.)

Not sure if it will affect your credit, but it will tick off Amex, the accepted rule is never close it before a year.

" If the bank suspects you're trying to take advantage of it (perhaps by opening a card just for the welcome offer), it may take action against you. As an example, let's look at the terms and conditions of Delta Air Lines' cobranded cards with American Express. Nearly every Amex card contains similar language in its terms (emphasis mine):

If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this offer in any way or that you intend to do so (for example, if you applied for one or more cards to obtain an offer(s) that we did not intend for you; if you cancel or downgrade your account within 12 months after acquiring it; or if you cancel or return purchases you made to meet the Threshold Amount), we may not credit, we may freeze, or we may take away the bonus miles from your account. We may also cancel this Card account and other Card accounts you may have with us.

There's plenty of legalese in the terms and conditions of a credit card application, but if you're wondering whether Amex is serious about this bit, I can tell you that it is. Over the last few years, we've seen countless crackdowns and points clawbacks for people trying to skirt the rules in various ways, including self-referring to Amex cards and abusing limited-time bonus categories, to name a few."

https://thepointsguy.com/credit-cards/close-credit-card-one-year/

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Okay so, maybe someone here can answer a question. I currently have 5 credit cards and their approximate credit lines as follows:

AmEx Business $20k ( FEB 2024)
AmEx $7.5k (May 2024)
Visa Bank $12k (old)
Visa Marriott $28k (old)
Visa Disney $21k (old)

I opened the Amex business, then realized it was better to use a different card line and now I want to close the Business AmEx. It’s only been open since Feb 2024, so less than 6 months. If I close it, will it affect my credit severely? We pay off our cards entirely each month, and have excellent (>820) credit and am worried I screwed up majorly.

(I ended up opening the second AmEx because my husband wanted it specifically because of the program benefits for his work. We use it as our main card now.)

Why close it? You don't have to use it if you have something better in mind. Then after a year one the AF hits (assuming it's not an Amex Biz Blue kind, which has no AF) you can cancel without angering Amex as much

 

[miztressuz]

Okay so, maybe someone here can answer a question. I currently have 5 credit cards and their approximate credit lines as follows:

AmEx Business $20k ( FEB 2024)
AmEx $7.5k (May 2024)
Visa Bank $12k (old)
Visa Marriott $28k (old)
Visa Disney $21k (old)

I opened the Amex business, then realized it was better to use a different card line and now I want to close the Business AmEx. It’s only been open since Feb 2024, so less than 6 months. If I close it, will it affect my credit severely? We pay off our cards entirely each month, and have excellent (>820) credit and am worried I screwed up majorly.

(I ended up opening the second AmEx because my husband wanted it specifically because of the program benefits for his work. We use it as our main card now.)

The AmEx Business shouldn't be reporting to your personal credit report so there should be no change to your personal credit. As for any business report it may be on, as long as you close it on good terms - paid on time, etc - it shouldn't have much affect.

I'm more concerned with your standing with AmEx. Did you earn a bonus on that card? If so, then AmEx has in the terms they will take the bonus back if it is closed within a year. If you didn't get a bonus, did you pay an AF? Unless you have a state that requires it, you won't get any refund of the AF so you will have paid it for only 6 months of benefits. If you didn't get a bonus and didn't pay an AF, then it should be ok but is there a reason to close it over just not charging to it ( outside of using up any benefits) for the rest of the year? There can be AmEx offers targeted just for business cards that might be useful, or just having an extra opportunity to be targeted.

 

[AndreaDM]

back from lisbon - Barcelona trip. Booked United using URs and TAP cash between LIS-BCN.
Highly recommend trip to Caiscais and Obidos in Portugal. Poor experience thru get your guide to Fatima.

Uber and Bolt were very inexpensive in Portugal.

New Ink was here when I got home. My csr travel credit will pay for transportation in Portugal/Spain!

got an amex biz offer too, but 15k spend in 3 months. not sure that's possible right now since I have Ink spend to meet

also got an email re amex offer being used. forgot about it, 5x points for AMA. Just did final payment for river cruise. the extras alone helped justify the af. this next statement my new af hits, hope for retention otherwise I'll downgrade to something just to keep mrs alive.

Hello! If you had to choose between Lisbon and Barcelona, which one would you choose? This is a trip we are considering for next April, but not sure if we want to go to both of those, or just one and maybe somewhere else.

 

[wanderlust7]

Please report back if you're able to prepay! This is another property I'd love to check out next and have several credits to use as well.

Are you able to have 4 in one room? The occupancy listed is 3, but not sure if they are strict about it?

I asked WA Pedregal about putting 4 in a room, but didn't have as much luck as others have in the past. They offered to upgrade in advance to the queen room for $600/night. Also said it would cost $100/night for the third person if we stayed in the king room. I put 3 on the reservation, so I could probably argue against this.

I did book a holiday, maybe that's why. Plus it's more in advance than their usual award releases. Think I'm going to cancel and plan for a couples trip in the future.

 

[Aela]

Okay thanks for all the info. I did get a sign on bonus from the business card, but I didn’t get the one from the individual card because I had just gotten the business one. They are both Marriott cards. And I wanted to cancel one due to the added AF.

I’ll wait until after the AF pays then look into canceling it.

I picked up the business one knowing we’d hit platinum this year with it. But then I ended up picking up the higher AF Marriott card because my husband wanted the platinum rewards for a work trip sooner (he had an upcoming trip and wanted the club level, it was cheaper then adding the club onto his trip to just pay their AF). I shouldn’t have done the business one, but since I did I’ll cancel it next year.