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

[MsOnceUponATime]

Question - cruises and paying with CSP AND gift cards - as long as I pay a portion of the cruise with my CSP I have those trip cancellation/etc., bennies, correct?

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Daily Getaways are coming back starting next week, June 12th. You can preview the first two weeks of offers right now. There's nothing particularly exciting, but I've used these in the past to get good deals on Sea World/Busch Gardens tickets, and to top off a small amount of hotel points I needed for a redemption.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Thanks to Tik Tok I've gotten on HYSA Tik Tok. I have my $90k just sitting in discover, my daughter has about $15k to worry about now, and my mom has about $27k she wants to put somewhere. Wealthfront was mentioned a few times and w/ referring (which we would do between us) the rate would be 5.05% I think. Anyone use them? I think the fine print says you can only extend the 5.05% for 6 mos total. So I think if we sign up w/ a link we get 3 mos, then 1 referral would get another 3 mos.

Okay back to reading 28754 pages!

 

[SkampyOne]

If you're not going to pay it off, I wouldn't recommend any top tier card for the sign up bonus. The interest rates are also top tier so you don't want to accidentally leave a balance subject to interest on them. The Chase payment plan doesn't charge interest but price out the fees vs a lower interest card. Sometimes the fixed fees are higher than the interest rates. I haven't looked too hard into it so I can't speak specifically for how Chase structures their fees currently. I also don't think you can know in advance what plan terms they'll offer you, so you may not get the length of time you'd want. Then if you couldn't pay it completely you'd be at the mercy of the normal interest rate.

Since you're considering your Disney Visa which only has a 6 month 0% (maybe? Quicky look on a new application doesn't mention the DVC purchase as a Vacation financing benefit like it used to. But maybe I missed it.) I'd assume you have a plan for short term payment. Using the Disney card would only net you 2% back whereas a new card with a sign up bonus and 0% purchase interest intro period should get you a higher return. If it were me, I research 0% purchase cards that have a sign up bonus. (And make sure I could pay it off within the intro term) There's definitely options for 12 months on some business cards but if you're not comfortable with having a business or "business", then there may be some personal cards that fit the bill. If biz is ok consider the Chase CIU but depending on the purchase price the credit limits might not work out. (Some get the minimum CL of 3k, so some research is in order)

Thanks - I hadn't (obviously) looked too closely to realize there might be a fee to the plan - I saw someone else post about it which is what gave me the idea. I would use the no interest period to carry the balance, letting my savings grow in a high interest account a little longer and then pay it all off before interest clicks in. Funnily enough, I just got a link this morning for the Discover It cash back card which has no AF and no interest for 15 months plus if I play my cards right, I could surpass the 2% from the Disney card. I don't know Discover that well - is it widely accepted?

 

[QueenofPrideRock]

Thanks to Tik Tok I've gotten on HYSA Tik Tok. I have my $90k just sitting in discover, my daughter has about $15k to worry about now, and my mom has about $27k she wants to put somewhere. Wealthfront was mentioned a few times and w/ referring (which we would do between us) the rate would be 5.05% I think. Anyone use them? I think the fine print says you can only extend the 5.05% for 6 mos total. So I think if we sign up w/ a link we get 3 mos, then 1 referral would get another 3 mos.

Okay back to reading 28754 pages!

I use (and like) Marcus by Goldman Sachs. I believe you can get a similar promotional temporary rate increase with referrals but I think that would violate the rules of this board? Like if I shared my link I mean...

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Has anyone else received the below offer from AmEx? I'm wondering if it would be worth applying (with no intention of using the LoC) to get the $250.00? Is there a catch I'm missing?

Earn $2501 — here’s how:​

Apply and get approved for an American Express® Business Line of Credit between 6/1/2023 and 8/31/2023 at 11:59pm ET. Then, simply add and verify your Funding primary account on or before 8/31/2023 and we’ll deposit $250 into it.​

 

[WaltsMartini]

Hello to the brain trust! Have a “WWYD” situation:

Heading to CA in May 2024: 3 nights of hotel stays (1 in LA, 2 in Fairfield) and 4 nights at either Air BnB or VRBO in Anaheim for DLR portion of trip. Have enough URs/SW to cover all flights and booking hotels through Portal, but will deplete me somewhat. Also would be nice to defray the DL tickets and rental house costs somehow.

Currently have the following:
Disney - forever
Amazon - forever
CSR: 4/2021
CFU: 5/2022
Chase SW: 5/2022
Chase Bonvoy: 9/2022
CIU: 5/2023 (meant to apply for Cash Unlimited and screwed up)

IHG has hotels I’d like to stay at in both locations, and great signup bonus right now. However, I just applied for Chase Ink on 5/1/23. I know a general rule is to keep apps 90 days apart. Should I forego the IHG offer now and try to catch the next good one? Also any ideas on defraying Disneyland ticket/ house rental costs? Thanks as always!!!

 

[georgina]

Has anyone else received the below offer from AmEx? I'm wondering if it would be worth applying (with no intention of using the LoC) to get the $250.00? Is there a catch I'm missing?

Earn $2501 — here’s how:​

Apply and get approved for an American Express® Business Line of Credit between 6/1/2023 and 8/31/2023 at 11:59pm ET. Then, simply add and verify your Funding primary account on or before 8/31/2023 and we’ll deposit $250 into it.​

Got it today. Deleted it, I don't want to mess with a business line of credit at all.

 

[IFlossU]

Hello to the brain trust! Have a “WWYD” situation:

Heading to CA in May 2024: 3 nights of hotel stays (1 in LA, 2 in Fairfield) and 4 nights at either Air BnB or VRBO in Anaheim for DLR portion of trip. Have enough URs/SW to cover all flights and booking hotels through Portal, but will deplete me somewhat. Also would be nice to defray the DL tickets and rental house costs somehow.

Currently have the following:
Disney - forever
Amazon - forever
CSR: 4/2021
CFU: 5/2022
Chase SW: 5/2022
Chase Bonvoy: 9/2022
CIU: 5/2023 (meant to apply for Cash Unlimited and screwed up)

IHG has hotels I’d like to stay at in both locations, and great signup bonus right now. However, I just applied for Chase Ink on 5/1/23. I know a general rule is to keep apps 90 days apart. Should I forego the IHG offer now and try to catch the next good one? Also any ideas on defraying Disneyland ticket/ house rental costs? Thanks as always!!!

In regard to offsetting the Disney ticket cost I just read that the CSR has groceries as a PYB category. You could buy DGC at the grocery store and use your points at 1.25cpp to “erase” the purchase. Not sure how many URs you have, but could be an option if you have no other use for the points. Other than that I like cash back cards for these things. I recently delved into US Bank business cards for the cash back bonuses. I value my URs too highly right now for PYB, and so cash back bonuses are my personal preference for offsetting Disney costs. But I did use PYB in the past when I was flush with URs.

 

[Judique]

Hello to the brain trust! Have a “WWYD” situation:

Heading to CA in May 2024: 3 nights of hotel stays (1 in LA, 2 in Fairfield) and 4 nights at either Air BnB or VRBO in Anaheim for DLR portion of trip. Have enough URs/SW to cover all flights and booking hotels through Portal, but will deplete me somewhat. Also would be nice to defray the DL tickets and rental house costs somehow.

Currently have the following:
Disney - forever
Amazon - forever
CSR: 4/2021
CFU: 5/2022
Chase SW: 5/2022
Chase Bonvoy: 9/2022
CIU: 5/2023 (meant to apply for Cash Unlimited and screwed up)

IHG has hotels I’d like to stay at in both locations, and great signup bonus right now. However, I just applied for Chase Ink on 5/1/23. I know a general rule is to keep apps 90 days apart. Should I forego the IHG offer now and try to catch the next good one? Also any ideas on defraying Disneyland ticket/ house rental costs? Thanks as always!!!

90 days from bonus is the suggested time period. It's not written in stone. In your situation, 2 cards last year, 1 card this year so far is fairly light churning. Also, I'm assuming you are talking about the IHG Biz card for 165K. I'd go for it, if you can swing the spend for both cards. You'll still be 3/24 since it's a business card.

I got a CIU in mid March and have been waiting to apply for this IHG card. It's a limited time offer so I'll do it soon.

 

[wanderlust7]

Hello to the brain trust! Have a “WWYD” situation:

Heading to CA in May 2024: 3 nights of hotel stays (1 in LA, 2 in Fairfield) and 4 nights at either Air BnB or VRBO in Anaheim for DLR portion of trip. Have enough URs/SW to cover all flights and booking hotels through Portal, but will deplete me somewhat. Also would be nice to defray the DL tickets and rental house costs somehow.

Currently have the following:
Disney - forever
Amazon - forever
CSR: 4/2021
CFU: 5/2022
Chase SW: 5/2022
Chase Bonvoy: 9/2022
CIU: 5/2023 (meant to apply for Cash Unlimited and screwed up)

IHG has hotels I’d like to stay at in both locations, and great signup bonus right now. However, I just applied for Chase Ink on 5/1/23. I know a general rule is to keep apps 90 days apart. Should I forego the IHG offer now and try to catch the next good one? Also any ideas on defraying Disneyland ticket/ house rental costs? Thanks as always!!!

Chase to Hyatt transfer can often be a great value. For example, the Hyatt House in Anaheim is 12k, 15k, or 18k depending on the date. So one CIU SUB can be about 5 nights.

You are probably okay to get another Chase card since your other cards were last year, but you would need to wait longer to get the CIC so that you're averaging out to about 90 days apart. Take a look at how many nights the IHG card would get you at the places you're interested in to help you decide.

 

[djmeredith]

I got bumped out of Polaris by United on May 15 (I posted previously in detail about this debacle). I was told we would each get $500, but the gate agent could not get the vouchers to print. He told me I should have an email by the time I got to London, but told me to contact customer care if I didn't hear anything. Of course, no email so I reached out to them on May 16. I got the auto reply confirming receipt of my inquiry that day. It is now June 5 and I have heard nothing. The auto email does say it can take up to 8 weeks to research complex issues, but this is not a complicated case. Gate agent said he put the notes into our account about exactly what happened and what he promised. Anybody deal with United and have suggestions about ways to get a response?

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Hello to the brain trust! Have a “WWYD” situation:

Heading to CA in May 2024: 3 nights of hotel stays (1 in LA, 2 in Fairfield) and 4 nights at either Air BnB or VRBO in Anaheim for DLR portion of trip. Have enough URs/SW to cover all flights and booking hotels through Portal, but will deplete me somewhat. Also would be nice to defray the DL tickets and rental house costs somehow.

Currently have the following:
Disney - forever
Amazon - forever
CSR: 4/2021
CFU: 5/2022
Chase SW: 5/2022
Chase Bonvoy: 9/2022
CIU: 5/2023 (meant to apply for Cash Unlimited and screwed up)

IHG has hotels I’d like to stay at in both locations, and great signup bonus right now. However, I just applied for Chase Ink on 5/1/23. I know a general rule is to keep apps 90 days apart. Should I forego the IHG offer now and try to catch the next good one? Also any ideas on defraying Disneyland ticket/ house rental costs? Thanks as always!!!

If you are looking to lessen costs (not eliminate completely), IHG often sells points for as lows as .005cpp. So you can compare that versus paying for the room. For example, perhaps the points cost is 35k per night and the cash price is $225w/taxes. During a sale you could buy those same points for $175.

As someone else mentioned, you can PYB by purchasing gift cards at a grocery store. I am a fan of Kroger fuel points, so will buy an AirBNB gc during a 4x fuel points promotion and "save/earn" 14% of the gc cost that way and also PYB. Using this method we'll be staying in a 5 bedroom, 5 bath Tuscany villa w/private pool next year for 35kUR per night. Love Hyatt and some IHG, but no way I could get that value through them.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Thank you! Everyone here is so friendly and knowledgeable.

I know it's subjective, and everyone will have differing advice, but I'm seeking opinions about what to do next. The goal is to accrue travel rewards mostly for LONG TERM use (i.e. not anything sooner than 9 months from now). No specific destinations in mind as we travel all over. Travelling party will be two adults and two young children. Preferred airline is American (lots of accrued miles, elite status, and AA has hub in local market) and we also have access to Southwest flights. No hotel preference (rewards members of Hyatt, Bonvoy, Hilton). Monthly spend around $5k and no balances. Main spending is on groceries, online shopping, to-go dining, and gas. Main stores we frequent are Walmart and grocery store chains. We both have Pre-Check, but not Clear. We do occasionally go to pharmacies and could get GC's, but we don't use pharmacies much currently. CS's are well north of 800 for P1 and P2.

P1:
11/22 - BOFA Unlimited Cash Rewards
06/23 - CSP

P2: AU on both of P1's accounts.

Edited to Add - We have several other store branded cards, one AA credit card, and a DV, but all these accounts are much older and way beyond 24 months ago since opening. The current thinking is to have P2 get CSP later this year and then downgrade one of us next year before the AF to CFU or CFF. I also want one of us to have the CFF or CFU, whichever one we don't get/have from the downgrade. What to do otherwise is the main advice being sought. We are interested potentially in Amex Platinum (we would be heavy W+ users and Exxon gas discount), and I know there are obviously many other great cards out there.

Make sure to keep any card open for one full year. Banks can and will claw bonuses back if you cancel before the one year points, so just be careful with timing.

If you are open to business cards (if you occassionally sell something on marketplace, ebay, etc, you have a business), the Chase Ink cards are awesome. Select the CIU or CIC no annual fee card and get a 75kUR sub for $6k spend. Support P2 and get an additional 40k points. You can have multiple of these cards, so a lot of people in two player mode will get an Ink and then support the other player to get an Ink and continue this cycle, staying within the Chase recommended 90 day spacing between cards.

Check DoC for the best Amex Plat offers right now. Both P2 and I have Amex Plat, but there's work that goes along with recouping those AFs. Ink is a great offer with no AF.

Please consider using a support link from over at https://www.reddit.com/r/DISchurners/. You can message the mods over there with your DISBOARDS username, and they'll get you joined to the group.

 

[calypso726]

Popping back in with some updates on our travel hacked trip to Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora. The first night we ate at Toatea Creperie at the resort which was good but expensive. I’ve been told and have read how expensive and bad the food is at the resort so I was surprised that it was actually pretty good. Tried our luck last night at the other restaurant at the resort, Rotui. Wow! The most spectacular thing was how incredibly tasteless one could prepare what was supposed to be coconut Mahi Mahi. It came with sweet potatoes that looked and tasted like they were straight out of a can. The absolute lack of any flavor was a work of art to be honest. I was impressed The best part of dinner was the sweet stray dog that went by to each table and would sit pretty and visit.

The lagoon has some reefs in very shallow water so I was able to enjoy some snorkeling. There were lots of pretty fish of different varieties.

We decided to rent a car today which we initially had not planned on doing. The hotel was able to find us a local place that rents bikes, scooters and apparently a few cars. $75 for the day. The agent picked us up from the hotel in a battered pick up and we shared a ride with 2 other guests to his outfit. While unconventional, it was practical.

We drove to Belvedere lookout and did a little unexpected hiking. I hadn’t planned on hiking or I’d have bought appropriate gear. It was slippery and muddy but absolutely worth it! The area is just gorgeous!

We decided to go have pizza at a place recommended by a friend and it was the most amazing pizza ever! We ordered a couple more of them to go and will happily have cold pizza for dinner tonight!

To cap off our day, I decided to finally to buy some Tahitian pearls. Perfect souvenir!

 

[afan]

I got bumped out of Polaris by United on May 15 (I posted previously in detail about this debacle). I was told we would each get $500, but the gate agent could not get the vouchers to print. He told me I should have an email by the time I got to London, but told me to contact customer care if I didn't hear anything. Of course, no email so I reached out to them on May 16. I got the auto reply confirming receipt of my inquiry that day. It is now June 5 and I have heard nothing. The auto email does say it can take up to 8 weeks to research complex issues, but this is not a complicated case. Gate agent said he put the notes into our account about exactly what happened and what he promised. Anybody deal with United and have suggestions about ways to get a response?

Honestly I'd wait the 8 weeks before doing anything. They may actually be taking longer than what the email says. Delta takes months for stuff that is way easier than yours.

Plus if he didn't put the notes in that would change it. But they need to refund the difference between Polaris and the cabin you ended up on based on when you got the ticket, not close in.

 

[IFlossU]

I got bumped out of Polaris by United on May 15 (I posted previously in detail about this debacle). I was told we would each get $500, but the gate agent could not get the vouchers to print. He told me I should have an email by the time I got to London, but told me to contact customer care if I didn't hear anything. Of course, no email so I reached out to them on May 16. I got the auto reply confirming receipt of my inquiry that day. It is now June 5 and I have heard nothing. The auto email does say it can take up to 8 weeks to research complex issues, but this is not a complicated case. Gate agent said he put the notes into our account about exactly what happened and what he promised. Anybody deal with United and have suggestions about ways to get a response?

I was actually remembering your story when I came across this headline. I almost didn’t read the article because the title is obnoxious, but as I continued to read on it sounds quite similar to your situation.

https://www.newsweek.com/united-pas...ttendant-rest-area-viral-tiktok-1802660?amp=1

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

If you were tax savvy and had an actual redemption value for that year that you could claim the actual fair market value realized, but Chase will still have reported based on their value. Not tax advice, just putting out some food for thought.

Good to know. We will likely redeem this year but, since SW RRs go for better than a penny a point, I'll go with the 1099 rather than a higher, fair market.

 

[becauseimnew]

I got bumped out of Polaris by United on May 15 (I posted previously in detail about this debacle). I was told we would each get $500, but the gate agent could not get the vouchers to print. He told me I should have an email by the time I got to London, but told me to contact customer care if I didn't hear anything. Of course, no email so I reached out to them on May 16. I got the auto reply confirming receipt of my inquiry that day. It is now June 5 and I have heard nothing. The auto email does say it can take up to 8 weeks to research complex issues, but this is not a complicated case. Gate agent said he put the notes into our account about exactly what happened and what he promised. Anybody deal with United and have suggestions about ways to get a response?

I this situation I would try calling. I've never had a good experience with United, like ever.

 

[Haley R]

We’re getting really close to being able to book our Japan flights with AA and all of the sudden they’re starting to get booked on BA. Hopefully we’re able to get something that works for us. Thankfully we’re pretty flexible on travel dates