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

[mmmears]

I have some things I would like to buy at Costco, like gift cards and a TV. But I also have some AMEX SUB spend I need to do on an AMEX Business Platinum. Any advice? Buy Visa gift cards somewhere else with AMEX and then use those at Costco?

AMEX frowns on GC purchases to hit your MSR (plus it may just not count at all). Does Costco take Amex online? Otherwise, maybe someone else here has a good idea.

 

[afan]

AMEX frowns on GC purchases to hit your MSR (plus it may just not count at all). Does Costco take Amex online? Otherwise, maybe someone else here has a good idea.

I've always bought gc at the grocery store, including visa/mc, when working on amex spend.

If it's a small part of the spend and somewhere they don't see level 3 data I don't see an issue with it.

 

[punkin]

Can you apply for a Barclay's AA card if you have a Citibank AA card?

 

[StephPlum]

Can you apply for a Barclay's AA card if you have a Citibank AA card?

Yes you can. I have a personal Citi AA, business Citi AA and a Barclays AA open right now.

 

[magickingdomprincess]

If you go online. Click on this account. There are a few boxes that show up. Click on the one that says "More" and go to Card Benefits. It should show the $300 Travel Credit there. Mine says " Redeemed" as I just used it last month. Should be more info there.

Thank you! I went into DH's account and it does not say "Redeemed", it just has a link to Explore Travel. I also checked the app and I noticed that there are two tabs under Benefits - Used and Unused. Under the Unused, it shows the $300 TC and $120 Trusted traveler credit, so I think that means it has reset and the TSA credit is available.

Another question - we have a hotel booked on DH's CSR points through the UR portal. Will this be affected if we cancel the card? I would assume not but want to make sure. Is there anything else I need to consider or do before we cancel/PC? I need to either cash out or transfer his points. I'm leaning toward closing the card because he has 3 other personal cards and already has a Freedom that he could upgrade if we decide we want a CSR again.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Thank you! I went into DH's account and it does not say "Redeemed", it just has a link to Explore Travel. I also checked the app and I noticed that there are two tabs under Benefits - Used and Unused. Under the Unused, it shows the $300 TC and $120 Trusted traveler credit, so I think that means it has reset and the TSA credit is available.

Another question - we have a hotel booked on DH's CSR points through the UR portal. Will this be affected if we cancel the card? I would assume not but want to make sure. Is there anything else I need to consider or do before we cancel/PC? I need to either cash out or transfer his points. I'm leaning toward closing the card because he has 3 other personal cards and already has a Freedom that he could upgrade if we decide we want a CSR again.

Yes that means it has reset. The reservation booked with URs will not be affected, but I’m not sure if you could access it online if you needed to cancel, may have to call Chase travel. Definitely transfer the points off the card if you are closing it.

 

[hsmamato2]

Yes that means it has reset. The reservation booked with URs will not be affected, but I’m not sure if you could access it online if you needed to cancel, may have to call Chase travel. Definitely transfer the points off the card if you are closing it.

Ok can you please help me out? I did what @magickingdomprincess did thru the app, look at benefits activity under the 'unused' tab and see $300 TC- when I click thru it then says 'redeemed'..... so how is that under the unused tab? I just want to PC this card without another AF but this wasn't so confusing last time I did it....

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Ok can you please help me out? I did what @magickingdomprincess did thru the app, look at benefits activity under the 'unused' tab and see $300 TC- when I click thru it then says 'redeemed'..... so how is that under the unused tab? I just want to PC this card without another AF but this wasn't so confusing last time I did it....

On mine app I clicked on benefit and rewards, then ultimate rewards and scrolled down and it showed I used 300 of the 300 under annual travel credit

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Question for the hive mind: large co-pay coming up for a CT scan and other medical tests, will be about $1K. Use HSA or put toward current MSR?

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Question for the hive mind: large co-pay coming up for a CT scan and other medical tests, will be about $1K. Use HSA or put toward current MSR?

Have you used your benefits admin before for an HSA reimbursement? We did this once and just found it to be a total headache because the benefits admin stunk. They could neither process nor cancel a reimbursement request for weeks because it got hung up in their system. Took multiple phone calls before they acknowledged that the initial request wasn't going to go through, cancelled it, and issued a new request. It was all because of an IT issue, not any sort of poor documentation or communication on our part.

But, it *should* be a relatively easy process, especially if you're talking about one bill for $1k versus a bunch of little bills that end up totaling 1k. If it's going to be several different charges that you have to request and track individually, then obviously there's that much more annoyance involved.

Don't forget to keep original bills and payment receipts in your tax folder for the year that you are processing the reimbursement for, as you'd have to show that documentation in the case of an audit.

 

[afan]

Question for the hive mind: large co-pay coming up for a CT scan and other medical tests, will be about $1K. Use HSA or put toward current MSR?

I always use my cc and then have my hsa deposit the money to my bank. It's easier this way and I get points or it helps meet spend.

 

[StephPlum]

Question for the hive mind: large co-pay coming up for a CT scan and other medical tests, will be about $1K. Use HSA or put toward current MSR?

MSR. My strategy is to let HSA funds grow tax free as long as possible. Save your receipts and get reimbursed later once you're retired. As long as you are using for medical reimbursement, all future reimbursements are tax free. After 65, you can use as an IRA - ie only pay regular income tax on w/ds but no penalties if needed.

This strategy is good if you can afford to pay for the medical bill out of savings. I would not go into debt to use this strategy.

 

[StephPlum]

WWYD - I am in PUJ with AMEX. I have a Plat Biz mail upgrade offer. Upgrade from Gold Biz 120K MRs for 10K spend in 3 months. I think the upgrade offer is guaranteed (maybe?).

Any downside to taking the offer?

 

[happ]

WWYD - I am in PUJ with AMEX. I have a Plat Biz mail upgrade offer. Upgrade from Gold Biz 120K MRs for 10K spend in 3 months. I think the upgrade offer is guaranteed (maybe?).

Any downside to taking the offer?

Same situation here. I've been in PUJ for ages and just got that same offer on my biz gold. I decided to go for it yesterday. It processed without a hitch. I didn't use my gold biz much, so the only downside for me is the added fee, but there's still a little time to take advantage of the 2025 credits to help offset it.

 

[punkin]

Yes you can. I have a personal Citi AA, business Citi AA and a Barclays AA open right now.

DH just got immediate approval! Thank you.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

(although we're using them this weekend to fly to Chicago)

Bears game was terrible…unless you’re a Lions fan.

 

[IFlossU]

WWYD - I am in PUJ with AMEX. I have a Plat Biz mail upgrade offer. Upgrade from Gold Biz 120K MRs for 10K spend in 3 months. I think the upgrade offer is guaranteed (maybe?).

Any downside to taking the offer?

Same situation here. I've been in PUJ for ages and just got that same offer on my biz gold. I decided to go for it yesterday. It processed without a hitch. I didn't use my gold biz much, so the only downside for me is the added fee, but there's still a little time to take advantage of the 2025 credits to help offset it.

We’ve also been in PUJ over here so I take every opportunity to earn points. I recently took this offer for DH. Points are already in his account. He was also approved for the Schwab Platinum after taking this offer. I say definitely jump on it.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Have you used your benefits admin before for an HSA reimbursement? We did this once and just found it to be a total headache because the benefits admin stunk. They could neither process nor cancel a reimbursement request for weeks because it got hung up in their system. Took multiple phone calls before they acknowledged that the initial request wasn't going to go through, cancelled it, and issued a new request. It was all because of an IT issue, not any sort of poor documentation or communication on our part.

But, it *should* be a relatively easy process, especially if you're talking about one bill for $1k versus a bunch of little bills that end up totaling 1k. If it's going to be several different charges that you have to request and track individually, then obviously there's that much more annoyance involved.

Don't forget to keep original bills and payment receipts in your tax folder for the year that you are processing the reimbursement for, as you'd have to show that documentation in the case of an audit.

I haven't done an HSA reimbursement before. I've luckily only had small amounts to pay for medical bills. It's grown a lot from both employer and my contributions and coming up I will have bills of $650 for CT scan and $400 for another test, so not a lot of little bills. Thanks for sharing your experience, hopefully it won't be so dramatic for me!

 

[havaneselover]

Bears game was terrible…unless you’re a Lions fan.

Holy heck I didn’t actually care about the game—I was just trying to stay warm! But yeah. And I’ve never been to an nfl game before but the prolific use of the f word was interesting.

We’re at club mdw now. It was an okay trip. He got Lou Malnati’s. Weather was fine for late December. We did flyover Chicago which he was underwhelmed by although I enjoyed it. Hilton Chicago was decent and the location worked. But he said he doesn’t want to travel again for a while—glad I haven’t bought my Tokyo tickets! I do have two Hilton FNCs which will expire in June which I need a plan for.

 

[tink1970]

Thanks for the tips. We are staying at the Thompson for this trip. I may have to bite the bullet and get a hard side carryon. I wound up having to gate check my trusty Travel Pro for the Air Canada flight last week even though it was the right size before I packed and overstuffed it I usually bring an ABD duffle as well in case I want to bring back stuff.




Awesome! I am hoping we can squeeze in a visit. We are flying in on a Friday night and then out Sunday morning. I used FIND credits to get tickets to see & Juliet and Suffs on Saturday.

I know capsule wardrobe does seem like Garanimals for adults. I'm mostly ok with that idea for most trips. Some trips, I want a specific outfit(s) or look for different days and places. My issue is also liquids and hair care. For a short trip, the curls can do whatever they want without much protest from me. For a longer trip, they require attention which means specific shampoo, conditioner etc. as well as the right blow dryer and diffuser.

Super late to the conversation but am I the only one who has lotions and potions that sorry, just cannot be trusted to foreign 1 bag, 100ml rules? I once had (of COURSE) a security guy at LHR throw away my gas perm contact solution bottle that was (thankfully) almost empty --the full one was in my checked bag but had I just done carry on only it would've meant glasses for the entire trip (the horror!!). Not to mention my La Mer moisturizer, sun screen, etc. Once a lady is at a certain age...well, I just cannot limit my hydration y'all.

And then, of course, there are shoes