I love credit cards so much!

[miztressuz]

@calypso726 - did you ever find somewhere to buy Etsy GC's? I haven't found elsewhere other than Etsy itself, although I thought I had seen them somewhere before. Of course, I finally find what I was looking for on Etsy AFTER the AmEx offer expires

 

[babyready]

Yes. They may just ask for address verification or something easy like that, but they may also want to grill you about your business (or "business"). The general suggestion is to not make the call unless you feel very comfortable discussing every aspect of the business. Take it from someone who was put through the wringer, it's not fun.

Thanks for the response. That is what I was afraid of. We'll wait it out...

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We cured some of it by buying Visa Gift Cards at our grocery store. We incurred some fees on those cards but luckily they were offset by the fuel perks we get.

That is a great idea. Wish I had read it before paying all that for 1x points. Still learning...

Why couldn't you send the entire $1800 through plastiq?

Only one camp had the option to mail a check for payment. Rest were pay on their site with the credit card...not to include amex. I could seriously cry b/c that $1800 would have put me so much closer to MSR.

ETA: just remembered another camp I needed to pay...guess what no amex...sigh.

 

[Judique]

The AMEX thing is apparently a bigger issue than I realized. We have been almost exclusively with AMEX since Oct 2016. 15 of our 21 cards over the past 18 months have been AMEX... Somehow our expenses must just work better with AMEX, I feel bad for all of you trying to hit high spends with all the "no-amex" merchants out there.

We cured some of it by buying Visa Gift Cards at our grocery store. We incurred some fees on those cards but luckily they were offset by the fuel perks we get.

I've not run into too many Amex problems. But it may be where I live. Amex has been doing its best to build up its local presence with its small business promos. My biggest Amex fail was when they switched to Citi at Costco because that's where I got many of my SPG points. That said, Citi has given me fair value on my executive membership combined with the credit card spend. I'm going to keep telling myself that anyway - with Costco and Amex I was paying for executive and for the SPG card annual fees - with Citi it's just the one annual fee for the executive membership. I never lost a penny with either so I'm not complaining. I'm lucky that I'm close to Costco and can easily get the gas benefit - lowest price and 4cents back on citi and 2cents back for executive per dollar, so when gas is $2.50 ish I'm buying at about $2.35.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I've not run into too many Amex problems. But it may be where I live. Amex has been doing its best to build up its local presence with its small business promos. My biggest Amex fail was when they switched to Citi at Costco because that's where I got many of my SPG points. That said, Citi has given me fair value on my executive membership combined with the credit card spend. I'm going to keep telling myself that anyway - with Costco and Amex I was paying for executive and for the SPG card annual fees - with Citi it's just the one annual fee for the executive membership. I never lost a penny with either so I'm not complaining. I'm lucky that I'm close to Costco and can easily get the gas benefit - lowest price and 4cents back on citi and 2cents back for executive per dollar, so when gas is $2.50 ish I'm buying at about $2.35.

My amex issues are not so much in stores but online...websites and stuff. I don't do much in store shopping except groceries. Well, even that I order online and pick up later.

 

[Calfan]

@Albort and I were talking about something like this with buying Starpoints through points .com, which does not code as travel on the CSR. However, interestingly, points .com does earn 3x UR on the CIP.

Good to know now that we have a CIP! I wouldn't have been surprised by a points purchase not coding as travel, but to me a points purchase is a purchase not in conjunction (and simultaneous) with making a room reservation, so I think this is where I went wrong. I just didn't understand until after the fact that I was actually buying points versus paying for my room partly with points and partly with cash. I definitely get it now and am happy that Chase made the adjustment to make up for my ignorance on how these transactions work.

When you are doing cash and points with IHG if you have time on your hands you can shop around for the points by doing dummy bookings to find 'cheaper' points at other locations. The lowest I've found lately is 5.75 a thousand. The best deal I found was when they were selling them a couple of weeks ago directly from points.com and I bought at $5 a thousand. You can use this method to get the higher cash rooms at a better price, which is what I will do with my summer booking. When you buy and cancel, the points are in your account instantly. If you can turn it into an all points booking, you also avoid the taxes.

Good to know for future reference if I end up doing another points and cash booking. And if I get really bored between now and October, I might shop around and see if I can do better.....

The AMEX thing is apparently a bigger issue than I realized. We have been almost exclusively with AMEX since Oct 2016. 15 of our 21 cards over the past 18 months have been AMEX... Somehow our expenses must just work better with AMEX, I feel bad for all of you trying to hit high spends with all the "no-amex" merchants out there. We cured some of it by buying Visa Gift Cards at our grocery store. We incurred some fees on those cards but luckily they were offset by the fuel perks we get.

My experience has been much more like yours. I don't think I had even one instance of wanting to use my SPG biz while meeting MSR and not being able to use an Amex. I guess I was just lucky that I was able to use it at my gym (for personal training and monthly dues), Orangetheory (monthly draft), dry cleaners, therapeutic massage place, etc. It's a bummer others are having such a hard time finding places that will accept Amex.

 

[speedyfishy]

Well, looking around and thinking a bit I'd guess anywhere we will go will have a Marriott/Sheraton brand hotel or a Holiday inn. Marriott/SPG can book the Swan and Dolphine which could come in handy and there is a Marriott in Detroit we would stay at occasionally. So, I think I'll get one of the Marriott or SPG cards and start collecting points. IHG is interesting as our "dream" trip is to return to French Polynesia where we stayed at the Intercontinental; but that's a few years off.

The cards that I need to get are:

- Marriott or SPG (probably SPG)
- CIP (but not in a real hurry for it as we still have plenty of URs)
- Delta as our airport is a Delta Hub.
- Maybe IHG, not sure it needs to be now.

Delta has a current increased offer. Does that offer come around often or should I jump on it?
Chase UR's can transfer to Marriott, right? Can I then use then for an SPG hotel given their new partnership? It seems the belief is SPG card is better then Marriott given the transfer rates?

FYI - I'm at like 3/24 and tWife is 2/24. All Chase cards so far.

Personally, I’d stick with Chase and Amex business cards until you are over 5/24.

Chase URs can transfer to Marriott but it is typically a bad value. You maybe better off booking a Marriott or SPG through the Chase travel portal instead of transferring URS. You can transfer Marriott points to SPG and SPG to Marriott. One SPG point is 3 Marriott points and three Marriott points is one SPG point.

The Amex Delta Business expires in May that won’t effect your 5/24 status and Amex business cards aren’t that hard to get even with a “business”

The SPG business card offer just went down, but the rumor is that these cards will be going away soon.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

That is a great idea. Wish I had read it before paying all that for 1x points. Still learning...



Only one camp had the option to mail a check for payment. Rest were pay on their site with the credit card...not to include amex. I could seriously cry b/c that $1800 would have put me so much closer to MSR.

The Visa Gift Card thing I think is still fairly safe at grocery stores since most don't pass through level 3 data. When I was working in the city my parking garage only accepted Visa/MC so I would buy a VGC then use that on their site, worked pretty well. The lease was actually $250 and my groc store only sold $200s so I had to partial pay with one pay the rest with the other. Luckily the parking garage website would accept split payments, if not I'd have had issues!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Personally, I’d stick with Chase and Amex business cards until you are over 5/24.

Chase URs can transfer to Marriott but it is typically a bad value. You maybe better off booking a Marriott or SPG through the Chase travel portal instead of transferring URS. You can transfer Marriott points to SPG and SPG to Marriott. One SPG point is 3 Marriott points and three Marriott points is one SPG point.

The Amex Delta Business expires in May that won’t effect your 5/24 status and Amex business cards aren’t that hard to get even with a “business”

The SPG business card offer just went down, but the rumor is that these cards will be going away soon.

@WDWRook - I'd agree about trying to max your slots with Chase before you move on. AMEX biz cards are obviously a safe option too!

FYI - The Delta offer seems to come around quite often, I applied for it back in Nov/Dec and it came back in March. Obviously no guarantees it'll be back but it seems like it comes back with regularity.

 

[Judique]

Personally, I’d stick with Chase and Amex business cards until you are over 5/24.

Chase URs can transfer to Marriott but it is typically a bad value. You maybe better off booking a Marriott or SPG through the Chase travel portal instead of transferring URS. You can transfer Marriott points to SPG and SPG to Marriott. One SPG point is 3 Marriott points and three Marriott points is one SPG point.

The Amex Delta Business expires in May that won’t effect your 5/24 status and Amex business cards aren’t that hard to get even with a “business”

The SPG business card offer just went down, but the rumor is that these cards will be going away soon.

Speedyfishy - thanks for typing all that out and saving me the key taps! I felt it also had to be said that using the UR's in this way is not a great value - and that's from someone who owns no UR cards yet!

 

[WDWRook]

What other chase cards should I target?

I have the CSR, CSP and CF. Wife has the CF (recently changed from the CSP) and the CIP. I'll get the CIP here shortly. When my one year comes up, I'll PC the CSP to a CFU.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

What other chase cards should I target?

I have the CSR, CSP and CF. Wife has the CF (recently changed from the CSP) and the CIP. I'll get the CIP here shortly. When my one year comes up, I'll PC the CSP to a CFU.

Any interest in Southwest?

Also if you like URs should definitely look at CIC.

 

[speedyfishy]

What other chase cards should I target?

I have the CSR, CSP and CF. Wife has the CF (recently changed from the CSP) and the CIP. I'll get the CIP here shortly. When my one year comes up, I'll PC the CSP to a CFU.

Any interest in Southwest?

Also if you like URs should definitely look at CIC.

Also, the Marriott! Maybe United???

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Also, the Marriott! Maybe United???

Yup, agree there too! And @WDWRook - you could consider referring each other back and forth to CF and CFU for some easy URs for low spend...

 

[WDWRook]

Can I get a CIC if I have a CIP? I know you cannot get a CSP/CSR if you have the other.

 

[Lain]

Can I get a CIC if I have a CIP? I know you cannot get a CSP/CSR if you have the other.

Yes, you can! But I'd space out your applications for business cards. Personally, I think 6 months in between CIP and CIC is good; others may be more aggressive.

 

[wendow]

Only one camp had the option to mail a check for payment. Rest were pay on their site with the credit card...not to include amex. I could seriously cry b/c that $1800 would have put me so much closer to MSR.

ETA: just remembered another camp I needed to pay...guess what no amex...sigh.

I'll cry with you. My last 4 cards have all been Amex. I am so over Amex!! Went to send a gift to a woman at church who needs a car and her missionary agency is collecting money. I'm thinking, 'This is great...help her out, meet some spend'...guess what?? Agency doesn't take Amex

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Question for those who have airline partner expertise. My sister and BIL recently decided to go to Athens Greece this summer. Not being planners, they started looking at airfare, noted it going up, freaked & booked ASAP. They spent 6k on 5 tickets on SwissAir. Is it worth joining the frequent flyer program for SwissAir? Are those miles easily used on United since they are both Star Alliance?

 

[speedyfishy]

Denied for the CIP match to 100k for being out of state already. I may try again or just call a branch and ask to speak to a BRM.

 

[Lain]

I'll cry with you. My last 4 cards have all been Amex. I am so over Amex!! Went to send a gift to a woman at church who needs a car and her missionary agency is collecting money. I'm thinking, 'This is great...help her out, meet some spend'...guess what?? Agency doesn't take Amex

You can’t PayPal or Venmo her with an Amex either without risking RATs treating it as a P2P payment and ineligible to earn points or bonuses!