I love credit cards so much! v7.0 - 2025 (see first page for add'l details)

[FreeDiningFanatic]

@afan Just wanted to send you hugs and acknowledge that the situation you are in is really tough. My SIL blew up her marriage and drained their life savings over multiple romance scams. To this date, she's convinced she is in a romantic relationship with an incredibly handsome, cut military man she's never met or facetimed with, but really they're using her to likely launder money. There is no amount of evidence or proof that will convince her to end this thing. So I know it can be really tough.

The approach I have been trying to take with my mom is to talk about how sophisticated scammers are now and that they can swindle anyone, which I think helps with making her feel less like it's because of her age. I focus a lot on "sophistication." Then we work together to take steps that safeguard her. If you come from that angle, perhaps she'll feel less judgement.

Hugs and good luck.

 

[mmmears]

Ugh, we checked out Wednesday, so we were totally there at the same time! Would have been nice to get a drink and chat. Next time! I cannot wait to go back.

Wow. We may have dined or sat next to one another and just didn't realize it. It would have been nice to meet up for a chat.

 

[afan]

The approach I have been trying to take with my mom is to talk about how sophisticated scammers are now and that they can swindle anyone, which I think helps with making her feel less like it's because of her age. I focus a lot on "sophistication." Then we work together to take steps that safeguard her. If you come from that angle, perhaps she'll feel less judgement.

That sucks. Thankfully it's not that bad and I know her financial guy wouldn't just transfer her money if she didn't have a good reason but I'll talk with him in a couple of weeks when I meet with him about my stuff.

I think I'm going to take the angle that if they have the POA that they'll contact me if something weird is going on in an effort to help you. That seems to be what discover focuses on for the POA in our situation.

ETA thank you to everyone that has offered experience and advice. My mom had me when she was 31 so most of my friends have younger parents and I don't know anyone that I can find out stuff from. I went through some stuff with my grandpa, dad and stepdad but it was all after they passed and none of used/barely used computers.

 

[reliev]

For anyone who's been to New Zealand, how many cities is too much for 8 nights?

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

For anyone who's been to New Zealand, how many cities is too much for 8 nights?

I think NZ is about breathtaking nature, so I'd spend not a lot of time in cities!

 

[AmyAnne]

Do they need it to be a biz card? Biz and Personal all pool to the same account. Maybe something personal would work better with their spending. Also the Biz Checking account earns MR so that will keep the points alive until they get an offer they like. There's some bonus offers out there for opening that to look into.

Biz Green kinda sucks, I'm sure there's an argument somewhere for it , but really I'd take the BBP. There are some targeted offers for the BBP for 25-75k bonuses.
As for the upgrade offers, it still happens but I haven't heard a green to plat in a while. Could be not many people have the green anymore and that's why we're not hearing it? For me, that's not worth the AF on a chance though. Unless they really need a no preset spending limit on a charge card, or have reached the 5 credit card limit, a BBP will usually win.

Thanks for the reply. It didn't need to be a biz card but neither the personal plat nor gold are really appealing, given the AFs and mediocre benefits. Went for the BBP and got instant approval, so that's one thing taken care of. Kind of aggravated that the Hilton quarterly benefit on the biz plat will go unused, but the Hilton GC site is still on hiatus (or whatever they're calling it).

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I have almost hit my spend on my Cap 1 Venture X. I'm like $400 away. I got my IHG card in the mail today. I need to do $4k in 3 mos. I was planning on doing my entire property tax bill, that'll be $60 in fees. But I know I'll hit that $4k without even trying (I have like $3k in medical bills to pay). So I'm debating paying $1000 I have in my "escrow" account towards my property taxes. It'll only be $30 fee for that. I don't have enough in "escrow" to cover all my taxes as Jan is my insurance payment and taxes now, LOL. So that back to back hit hurts, LOL.

Would you charge the full $2k and just hit the spend faster? Should I split it?

 

[reliev]

I think NZ is about breathtaking nature, so I'd spend not a lot of time in cities!

yeah thats what im thinking too,
but for 8 nights how many flights is too much ha
I figure Aukland for the shoulder nights so that I can rest maybe I do 1/3/3/1

 

[speedyfishy]

As I am planning my 2026 mega trip, I'm trying to figure out my points reward strategy.

I got the WOHBiz in 3/2024 in the hopes of trying for Globalist but it didn't go anywhere but I still have the card and will keep it.

I got the Hilton Surpass in 7/2022 and never really used the benefits. Honestly, I didn't even know what they were (my bad). I downgraded the card to the Hilton no fee card on 10/18/2024. I have about 198k points left with my last stay at a Hampton in 11/2024 on points.

I completed and received my CSP SUB on 8/22/2021 and PP2 completed his CSR SUB on 11/17/2021. I think I need to prepare to try to get new SUB for the Sapphires again later this year.

This time I want to switch and be the one to get the CSR and have PP2 get the CSP. I assume that the MDD is no longer possible? I didn't keep track of the latest news. I was always sad I didn't attempt the MDD in 2021.

I am 2/24 with those 2 new cards in Nov and Dec of 2024. PP2 is 1/24 with the 1 from 3/2023. Apparently, we were on a business card bandwagon for the last 2 years.

I am in AMEX pop up jail and PP2 just got the AmexGoldBiz this month and we are currently more than half way through on the MSR.

Now that I need to think about hotels in Anaheim, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris and other parts of Asia and Europe such as Barcelona, I need to decide what hotel loyalty program to concentrate on.

I was thinking Hilton? I am not sure that I would have the time to travel in 2025 to achieve a higher status to use while on my Fall 2026 trip. I can get the Hilton Aspire and get instant Diamond status and Hilton seems to have more hotels in many places in Asia and Europe than let's say Hyatt?

Is there lifetime language on the Amex Hilton cards? I had the Surpass but downgraded to the no fee card. Can I apply for a new Surpass card and get a new SUB? And then get the Aspire later? I am afraid of increasing my 2/24 before I get the CSR.

I think I am waiting for an elevated Hilton Aspire SUB before pulling the trigger since I have over a year. I know I JUST missed it. I think I should have PP2 apply for the Hilton cards also since we can pool points, right? Should PP2 apply for the no AF first or jump straight into the Hilton Surpass card?

Any advice? Hotels kind of scare me. We always just stay at DVC at Disney and only really needed hotels during the I-95 drive to and from FL.

Also, in terms of possible airfare down the road, PP2 is starting to accumulate Amex MRs with his new GoldBiz. Amex is confusing for this Chase UR girl...

Just saw this write up posted on Reddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/chubbytravel/s/MrlH8H4RVw


Your trip is going to be amazing. Last year some friends and I did all 6 domestic parks in one day. I love crazy fun Disney adventures. I’m trying to convince them to do this same trip lol

Hilton frequently has NLL offers. They are very easy to get. And yes you can pool Hilton points. Up to 500k a year. No fee.

If you have dvc I would try to book DLH in Anaheim. Availability isn’t bad right now at 7 months especially if you are ok grabbing a handicap accessible room.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Okay so it looks like we've narrowed down our trip (leaving Sunday) to Secrets Cap Cana, or Hilton AI in Tulum or WA in Cabo. I know there are people who have been to some of these. What would you suggest? My BF prefers AI for the free food and drinks, LOL. But he can carry on alcohol for us. It would be 3 nights no matter where we go. Where would you go?

@FreeDiningFanatic and @mmmears what are the food prices like in Cabo? How easy is it to get around? We've only done AI's in Cancun, so we're not used to being out and about in Mexico, LOL. And the whales, tell more? Part of the reason we're looking at PC is its whale season there. That tour is $400, so if I can see them from my room, we save that cost, LOL.

 

[mmmears]

Okay so it looks like we've narrowed down our trip (leaving Sunday) to Secrets Cap Cana, or Hilton AI in Tulum or WA in Cabo. I know there are people who have been to some of these. What would you suggest? My BF prefers AI for the free food and drinks, LOL. But he can carry on alcohol for us. It would be 3 nights no matter where we go. Where would you go?

@FreeDiningFanatic and @mmmears what are the food prices like in Cabo? How easy is it to get around? We've only done AI's in Cancun, so we're not used to being out and about in Mexico, LOL. And the whales, tell more? Part of the reason we're looking at PC is its whale season there. That tour is $400, so if I can see them from my room, we save that cost, LOL.

The food at the WA is very expensive. It didn't matter much to us because we had a bunch of credits we needed to use. It's not far to walk to the marina/town where I assume food is more reasonable but we didn't bother. Drinks are expensive. It's very quiet and uncrowded (so not great if you prefer a more lively atmosphere but it's perfect for me), the beach has a strong rip tide so it's not good for swimming, and the whales are plentiful right now. I'm not sure what more I can say about them other than they were out there and visible all day. I hope this helps.

 

[AndreaDM]

Just have to share a cringe moment with friends who will understand lol. The other day I met my sister for lunch, her treat. When the check came she pulled out her debit card and joked "I hope it goes through, I just used it to pay for my $3000 hearing aids". I could have cried, there was an MSR right there - she could have booked an international business class flight with the rewards from that one purchase. But, she is hardcore Dave Ramsey and I'm sure assumes that DH and I are in a mountain of debt. Sigh...

 

[ten6mom]

I wonder if I messed something up...


I recently obtained both the Barclay's AA and the Citi Business AA cards. The Citi card was a 75K miles bonus. I already had an AA miles account.

My Barclays app and Citi apps both show I've earned the bonuses.

My American Airlines account shows the 60K Barclays miles in my regular AA account, but the 75K Citi miles are in an "AA Business Miles" account.

Did I screw something up? I wanted all the miles in one "pot" and I'm not really sure what the AA Business Miles thing is....

 

[afan]

I wonder if I messed something up...


I recently obtained both the Barclay's AA and the Citi Business AA cards. The Citi card was a 75K miles bonus. I already had an AA miles account.

My Barclays app and Citi apps both show I've earned the bonuses.

My American Airlines account shows the 60K Barclays miles in my regular AA account, but the 75K Citi miles are in an "AA Business Miles" account.

Did I screw something up? I wanted all the miles in one "pot" and I'm not really sure what the AA Business Miles thing is....

You'll need to link the two and transfer them from the biz acct to your personal. It wasn't hard but I don't remember how to do it. I had googled it at the time. You have to start on the business page to do it.

 

[elgerber]

You'll need to link the two and transfer them from the biz acct to your personal. It wasn't hard but I don't remember how to do it. I had googled it at the time. You have to start on the business page to do it.

I am going to need to do this too.

 

[ahself]

Just have to share a cringe moment with friends who will understand lol. The other day I met my sister for lunch, her treat. When the check came she pulled out her debit card and joked "I hope it goes through, I just used it to pay for my $3000 hearing aids". I could have cried, there was an MSR right there - she could have booked an international business class flight with the rewards from that one purchase. But, she is hardcore Dave Ramsey and I'm sure assumes that DH and I are in a mountain of debt. Sigh...

For years, my in-laws didn't understand why I always used credit cards, as they always used cash...to the point that I would pay their bill at restaurants, and they would pay me in cash so that I could get the points. They couldn't believe that we "paid all that money" to go to Hawaii the first time. They finally saw the light after I told them how that trip and others were all on points.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Just have to share a cringe moment with friends who will understand lol. The other day I met my sister for lunch, her treat. When the check came she pulled out her debit card and joked "I hope it goes through, I just used it to pay for my $3000 hearing aids". I could have cried, there was an MSR right there - she could have booked an international business class flight with the rewards from that one purchase. But, she is hardcore Dave Ramsey and I'm sure assumes that DH and I are in a mountain of debt. Sigh...

That's funny, my sister is the same. Every time we go out to eat or for drinks, I'll use my card to pay and then have her Venmo me her portion, so I can reap the rewards. Her and my BIL only use debit cards as well, and they are part of a Dave Ramsey debt pay down plan. I think of all the years of missed opportunities... And then they hassle us and say "we don't have money like you guys to travel", even after knowing we use points on every single trip and that's the only way it's possible for us to travel this much. SIGH.

I've realized that some people don't "get it", nor do they WANT to get it. They are happy in ignorance. We let them be, lol.

 

[becauseimnew]

My siblings and parents are bad with money, they gladly give me their cash so that I can earn miles and points, they both have benefited from my churning hobby.

Another question, can DH give me his Hilton FNC? Failing to plan a trip in the next couple of months, but DD and I can go to NYC on a weekend he can’t go.

 

[wanderlust7]

My siblings and parents are bad with money, they gladly give me their cash so that I can earn miles and points, they both have benefited from my churning hobby.

Another question, can DH give me his Hilton FNC? Failing to plan a trip in the next couple of months, but DD and I can go to NYC on a weekend he can’t go.

It can't be transferred, but you can get added as an additional guest. We did this at the Conrad Orlando. No issues checking in without DH and got his Diamond benefits as well (maybe YMMV).

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I'm kicking myself for 2 reasons. I could have snagged 3 FNC at the WA in Cabo last night. I forgot my BF has 2 FNC and I have one. He was asleep (was up early w/ flights and we don't live together). I figured we'd coordinate it this morning. Well the Sunday night is gone. UGH! I could have booked that w/ my FNC and then had him book his this morning. I also forgot, I have gold, but he only has silver. Does anyone think if we message WA they might honor my gold status, to get us the "free" breakfast? I did think we could maybe use one of his certs, one of mine, and ask to merge the reservations to get the status. But I wanted him to get his room booked. Plus I didn't want to have to harass him down the road when we want to use the other FNC I have, LOL.