I love credit cards so much!

[SouthFayetteFan]

Boy, they are really making it difficult, aren't they?

This really isn’t a churning thing. It’s more related to risk - somebody exhibiting a repetitive credit seeking behavior appears very risky. One person has hypothesized that people with mortgages are safe (this is unproven) - probably because they can’t just “drop off the grid” and stick the card issuer.

At any rate as long as you space things out by a couple months most folks will be 100% fine. It’s even easier to do this in 2 player mode because you can alternate apps.

 

[calypso726]

Hummm maybe I should change my goals to get our Disney vacations as cheap as possible using the rewards points and just plan on paying cash for our trips to Brazil.

You mention Disney vacations (plural). If you are like us, and doing a whole lotta Disney vacations then you might want to earn as many UR points as possible on your Disney vacations so you can fly on points and miles and mitigate the OOP cost of other vacations. That's what we do. We use the CF and max it out, sometimes rather creatively on the quarterly bonuses. We use the Chase Ink+ (no longer available but you could use CIC) to purchase Disney Gift cards at 5x. We also purchase other gift cards at 5x with the Ink+ at office supply stores. We use the MPX app to purchase gift cards not found at office supply stores to get the additional UA bonus. We utilize airline shopping portals to beef up the airline points as well and stack by using the gift cards to purchase through the airline portals. We are part of our preferred airline's dining rewards program too. It all adds up.

We spend way too much on Disney vacations to try and do them so that they are cheap or nearly free so we try to earn as many points as possible with our credit card bonus categories, Amex offers etc. This way, we don't pay for airfare beyond taxes and fees. We have 1300 DVC points and the annual dues as well as our WDW APs are paid with Disney gift cards earned at 5x or better. We do at least one Adventures by Disney trip per year and one or two Disney cruises per year. So we average about 100,000 UR points earned each year just by getting our Disney vacations paid with gift cards at 5x.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

@disneymagicgirl - love the avatar change! Your DD is so cute and happy!

As for Disneyland, there's always next time. Lots of big attractions and entertainment always seem to be coming soon. And maybe you can plan a stopover on your way to Hawaii, which seems to be a very popular thing to do.

Thank you!! She is always excited about everything. Oh to be 2! We do plan to stop in Cali on the way to Hawaii so doing DL at that time is a definite possibility.

 

[calypso726]

BA is British Airways???
So I can do this for domestic AA flights too? I have been booking AA through the UR portal, which is fine because I am EARNING points that way. But booking direct with points would be less points used up.

Yes, BA = British Airways.

Sometimes. That would depend on the cost of the flight which would determine how many UR. For BA it would also depend on the distance of the flight. The best use of Avios miles is really domestic short haul flights. BA Avios is a distance based program. It would cost less Avios miles to from California to Hawaii than it would to fly from Miami to Hawaii. If you are considering a points transfer to an airline, always check how many UR it will cost you to pay for the flight with UR over what it would cost to transfer to an airline.

 

[mom2elal]

What do you think is the best strategy/most likely to be approved for both SW cards? Try to double dip at 4/24, or apply for one at 4/24, then wait for another card to drop off?

Apps in the last two years: 4/16 Barclay Choice Hotels, 7/16 Amex Hilton, 2/17 BofA Merrill, 4/17 Amex SPG. Last Chase card was 3/16.

 

[Albort]

The last time the spg biz was 35k, was the spend higher? I feel like it was 10k spend maybe??

And speaking of the spg cards going away, my other thought is to get the personal for myself. With dh's referral, that would be 32.5k points for only 3k spend. Then there is no stress at all over meeting the spend. It increases me to 6/24 but I have a couple cards falling off later this year and my plan was to focus on my dh's card more this year anyway since he'll be 2/24 by June. So, would it make sense to get the personal for me, since the personal may go away first?

The more and more time going by, i still get the feeling SPG Personal is going away.
1) theres not increased bonus on it. the last few times, BOTH were going up at the same time. its quite weird this one didnt go up this time.
2) For some reason, they hid the referral for it. Many people were thinking it was gone but its not... :\
3) hard to pull on 30k in incognito mode, it used to be super simple.

SPECULATIONS...

For whats its worth, i SM'd chase about the CIP and had them "rush delivery" of my new card. I am hoping it is in my mail box when i get off work today. Thanks again for all of the help. I hope to explore the plastiq side of the card. How would i go about finding what apps work with gift cards and sort; i saw gyft. i will be looking into this more.

heres an old list, its for the Ink+/Ink Cash, but i would assume InkP would be the same as a well.

Yes, All issuers. Many of the Chase Shutdown reports are people who have gotten a dozen cards from other issuers then tried for a Chase card. The two issues are applying too fast with Chase OR applying for too many cards and then putting Chase’s eyes on your account by applying for a non-5/24 Card (ie Disney, Hyatt, etc)

hmm, my impression of the fast app is for chase cards only.

 

[gottalovepluto]

...WooHoo!!! Congrats! We will be at BC and F&W this year every weekend from the last weekend of September until the second weekend in November. Would love to say in real life if your time and plans permit. Same goes for any of the DISchurners that are in WDW while we are there.

Sounds fun, would love to say hi! We'll be there 2nd weekend of Nov, will give you a shout out closer in for sure

 

[gottalovepluto]

Debating this same thing. Dh and I are headed to Orlando (no WDW) in April and we land late-11pm- and then we fly out early on our return. Really considering staying the two nights at the mco Hyatt but it’s 12k each night vs 8k at the Hyatt place. Never stayed at either!

ETA: I already booked one of our nights at 12k so I now have 12K in Hyatt. It would cost us more to pick up the car early since I booked it for the next day, when we were originally flying in. But we decided to go in the night before so I think for that night, staying at the airport makes sense and is worth the extra 4k points. Just not sure on the last night.

Decided on HP for us (no car though and 2 rooms) booked it so I have that off my plate. Happy surprise was seeing 3K Hyatt points in the Hyatt account that had been totally forgotten about so 2 rooms at hyatt place for 13,000 UR. w00t! (FWIW I confirmed via the HyattConceirge twitter team this specific hotel will have breakfast for "the remainder of the year and the forseable future". I asked and they contacted the hotel's management team for the answer. The twitter team also confirmed some Hyatt Places are changing to the paid breakfast but it's at the decision of each hotel so reach out to them if you're wondering about a specific hotel's breakfast policy.)
*Reminder: @SouthFayetteFan is wise all, put those spreadsheets together to track those rewards points!*

 

[linzjane88]

What is happening to me? I remember when I timed getting the $50 Discover card bonus to when I had my college books to purchase. Now I’m trying to MS 19k in 3 months.

Funny--before this SPG thing I was definitely in the 'organic spend only' camp but trying to meet 14k MSR can force you to do some things you said you'd never do. Haha. I don't plan on doing it much beyond getting my MSR met on these cards though. I *may* keep it up a bit for my mortgage/student loan which I can't use Plastiq for.
It is remarkably easier than I thought though! I tried 2 Safeways and 2 Fred Meyer's and was able to get 2k in GC's(over the course of the last week). Tried my hand at a MO at Fred Meyer--worked fine, and then headed over to WM--tried 2 different ones just for a recon mission of sorts. Both went well except for my own mess up. I tried the 2 cards to 1 MO thing and initially didn't give her correct amount--my MO fee put me over--so she had to cancel it. When she did it put my funds in limbo for a few minutes while everything processed. I didn't know that though and as far as I was concerned the MO was declined due to NSF and there was a 0 balance on my first card. I may have panicked a bit. Wandered around the store and checked the balance, got back in line, and did it with the correct amount and it worked perfect. I was expecting someone somewhere to question buying the GC's with a CC but no issues. I got into one line at Safeway and the checkers name tag said "PIC" and I though 'ABORT! ABORT!' but all he said was "this might not work because of how much your buying on a cc" but it went through fine.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

hmm, my impression of the fast app is for chase cards only.

I don't believe we have any relevant data on that because nobody under 5/24 is really going for non-chase cards. IF somebody hit 2 Chase in Jan, an Amex in Feb, a Citi in Apr and then came back to a Chase in May - they could have an issue IMO.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

*Reminder: @SouthFayetteFan is wise all, put those spreadsheets together to track those rewards points!*

Thanks for recognizing my wisdom

 

[MrPTato]

Is there a list of grocery stores that you can buy these VGC's at with a credit card?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

...I was expecting someone somewhere to question buying the GC's with a CC but no issues. I got into one line at Safeway and the checkers name tag said "PIC" and I though 'ABORT! ABORT!' but all he said was "this might not work because of how much your buying on a cc" but it went through fine.

Did anybody else read this as ALBORT! ALBORT! ?? HAHA

 

[MrPTato]

Did anybody else read this as ALBORT! ALBORT! ?? HAHA

Yup

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

What do you think is the best strategy/most likely to be approved for both SW cards? Try to double dip at 4/24, or apply for one at 4/24, then wait for another card to drop off?

Apps in the last two years: 4/16 Barclay Choice Hotels, 7/16 Amex Hilton, 2/17 BofA Merrill, 4/17 Amex SPG. Last Chase card was 3/16.

With items falling off in April and July I'd probably go one at a time and space them out...Are you concerned with getting the CP near the beginning of 2019 or are you looking to get it now?

 

[Albort]

I funded PNC with the CIP. You can do 2k checking 2k savings. I would lower the cash advance limit just incase, but mine posted as a purchase, but you can’t be too cautious.

I just started buying Money Orders with Visa Gift Cards. I buy Metabank Visa Giftcards at Giant. On the back of the giftcard packaging it says which bank the card is issued by. Then I go to Harris Teeter and buy a Money order. The cards sometimes come with a pin. For the type I’m buying it’s the last four digits of the card number. I started buying a money order with a legit debit card to see how different stores worked. If they see it’s a giftcard a lot won’t allow it so you have to say it’s debit and hope they don’t check. I used a real debit card at one store and they didn’t ask to see my card, but the second time that same store checked. It’s very YMMV. You have to try what works in your area and be prepared to get denied. It took me three stores before I got it to work.

If you aren’t using Amex you can buy visa giftcards through GiftCardMall and they can even have your name on them. You shouldn’t have problems using those anywhere it’s hard to tell they are giftcards. But be aware of fraud and them getting stolen in the mail.

Make sure you deposit your MOs to a bank you dont care about that takes MO... Also...

you will have this one day...

 

[Lain]

Thanks for recognizing my wisdom

This afternoon’s been a blur for me,* but I can see that @SouthFayetteFan’s dispensing wisdom like a boss.

*Friday before spring break!

 

[speedyfishy]

Funny--before this SPG thing I was definitely in the 'organic spend only' camp but trying to meet 14k MSR can force you to do some things you said you'd never do. Haha. I don't plan on doing it much beyond getting my MSR met on these cards though. I *may* keep it up a bit for my mortgage/student loan which I can't use Plastiq for.
It is remarkably easier than I thought though! I tried 2 Safeways and 2 Fred Meyer's and was able to get 2k in GC's(over the course of the last week). Tried my hand at a MO at Fred Meyer--worked fine, and then headed over to WM--tried 2 different ones just for a recon mission of sorts. Both went well except for my own mess up. I tried the 2 cards to 1 MO thing and initially didn't give her correct amount--my MO fee put me over--so she had to cancel it. When she did it put my funds in limbo for a few minutes while everything processed. I didn't know that though and as far as I was concerned the MO was declined due to NSF and there was a 0 balance on my first card. I may have panicked a bit. Wandered around the store and checked the balance, got back in line, and did it with the correct amount and it worked perfect. I was expecting someone somewhere to question buying the GC's with a CC but no issues. I got into one line at Safeway and the checkers name tag said "PIC" and I though 'ABORT! ABORT!' but all he said was "this might not work because of how much your buying on a cc" but it went through fine.

I was so nervous to MS and when I started this hobby I never planned on doing it. The SPG offer goes away soon so I felt like I had to jump on it. I applied my SO for the CIP awhile ago, but he finally just got approved so it leads us to having a lot of spend in three months. It was so easy with BMO, sadly that had to end with Amex. I read your post here of you getting an MO successfully and the next day I felt like it was time for me to try it out. The MSing gets easier every time I do it, but I did get turned down for buying an MO a couple of times. It has been easy buying the VGC.

 

[mom2elal]

With items falling off in April and July I'd probably go one at a time and space them out...Are you concerned with getting the CP near the beginning of 2019 or are you looking to get it now?

Going to try and get it now for my dh (these are his cards) and then I'll go for it beginning of 2019. Do you think it's be okay to do one in April and one in May? Or June?

 

[speedyfishy]

Is there a list of grocery stores that you can buy these VGC's at with a credit card?

Giant allows it with a manager override. You can get them online at GiftCardMall with your name on them if you aren’t worried about mail fraud.

Make sure you deposit your MOs to a bank you dont care about that takes MO... Also...

you will have this one day...

OMG are those all yours?? Good point in the dummy bank account for MOs. I have PNC and WellsFargo that I got for a bonus that I have been using and trying to spread it out. Wellsfargo allows 3k a month in mobile deposits.