I love credit cards so much!

[calypso726]

For those of you whose SPG Biz links died and/or you can't generate a "support" link for your SPG Biz, call Amex to complain that you're trying to refer someone but can't get a working link and they might credit you some courtesy SPG points to offset your loss.

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/8d4i1h/daily_discussion_thread_april_18_2018/dxl03pa

Thank you for that! One hour and 6 phone representatives later, I now have 10,000 more SPG points

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Oh, good to hear. I thought maybe I had done something wrong. I hope the acceptance email comes soon...I checked, and my application & approval emails came one minute apart from each other.
I don't know why I'm more nervous about this one because it wasn't part of my plan. And since it's in DH's name it's making me more on edge that things aren't happening they way the happened when I got my own. Plus, it's going to be tough to reach $5K.

I know many folks here aren't as experienced with numerous AMEX applications. Here's some things I've noticed (after checking my records we've gotten 21 AMEX cards in the past 3 years - 10 in the last year alone):

• Unlike Chase, AMEX doesn't have a predictable pattern of auto-approval, pending, emails after applying etc.
• You can check status of your application here: https://www262.americanexpress.com/eaol/welcome.do
• Sometimes you'll get an email that your application was received - sometimes you don't
• This email varies regardless of whether you were auto-approved or not
• Sometimes you'll get an email shortly after that one that you were approved, sometimes that can take days, sometimes that email never comes
• Again this email also varies regardless of whether you were auto-approved or not
• Sometimes the email says the card will arrive in 2-3 days and instead it takes a week to arrive
• Sometimes the email says the card will arrive in a week and it shows up in 2-3 days expedited
• If you aren't auto-approved, Sometimes you go pending for a few hours, sometimes a few days
• Sometimes you get your credit number for automatic use, sometimes you don't
• Normally you can add your card to your login immediately, but on rare occasions you can't and you have to wait for the card to arrive
• Sometimes they will do a hard pull, but a lot of times they won't
• You can apply for a card today and get a tiny credit limit and then apply for another card a month later and get a huge limit

I could probably go on - but the general theme here is that AMEX marches to the beat of their own drum. I can't figure them out but they hand out cards to me like they were candy on Halloween.

 

[wendow]

So, I am now 3/24. I'm holding one of my two remaining spots for the new Marriott Personal card, because if there is a 100K sign up bonus as has been reported I want to go for that. Then I will use my last slot to try for the CIC later this year.

Keep in mind that the CIC will not count against your */24, so even after that card, you will still be 4/24 (assuming you get the Marriott personal), and you could double dip that last 5/24, if you should choose to

Congrats on your new spg personal! Can't wait to break mine in

 

[wendow]

Thank you for that! One hour and 6 phone representatives later, I now have 10,000 more SPG points

Awesome!! Our spg biz is my dh's card...he isn't going to call and he's only had it for a month so pretty sure they wouldn't even consider him a worthy customer lol. But glad others are getting the courtesy points. It ticks me off that we cannot generate referrals right now when everyone is applying!

 

[wendow]

• Sometimes the email says the card will arrive in 2-3 days and instead it takes a week to arrive
• Sometimes the email says the card will arrive in a week and it shows up in 2-3 days expedited

YES! The spg biz said 2-3 days, took a week and the personal said 7-10 and it was overnighted

Ok, really dumb question, how do you know if they did a hard pull? Can you tell so soon after applying?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thank you for that! One hour and 6 phone representatives later, I now have 10,000 more SPG points

I am somewhat tempted to call and try this but I maxed out our referral earnings for the year and I feel like that's a bit abusive/crossing a line, lol. I enjoy taking advantage of the financial system but I also like to work within their rules haha.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

YES! The spg biz said 2-3 days, took a week and the personal said 7-10 and it was overnighted

Ok, really dumb question, how do you know if they did a hard pull? Can you tell so soon after applying?

The best part is if you call in and complain about the email saying 2-3 and it taking a week to arrive the reps are dumbfounded and can't help you at all, lol.

If you use a credit monitoring service it should show up there pretty quickly. I have an account on Experian.com and just monitor my experian report there - I only get a once a month update on that but it's good enough for me

 

[peel]

I know many folks here aren't as experienced with numerous AMEX applications. Here's some things I've noticed (after checking my records we've gotten 21 AMEX cards in the past 3 years - 10 in the last year alone):

• Unlike Chase, AMEX doesn't have a predictable pattern of auto-approval, pending, emails after applying etc.
• You can check status of your application here: https://www262.americanexpress.com/eaol/welcome.do
• Sometimes you'll get an email that your application was received - sometimes you don't
• This email varies regardless of whether you were auto-approved or not
• Sometimes you'll get an email shortly after that one that you were approved, sometimes that can take days, sometimes that email never comes
• Again this email also varies regardless of whether you were auto-approved or not
• Sometimes the email says the card will arrive in 2-3 days and instead it takes a week to arrive
• Sometimes the email says the card will arrive in a week and it shows up in 2-3 days expedited
• If you aren't auto-approved, Sometimes you go pending for a few hours, sometimes a few days
• Sometimes you get your credit number for automatic use, sometimes you don't
• Normally you can add your card to your login immediately, but on rare occasions you can't and you have to wait for the card to arrive
• Sometimes they will do a hard pull, but a lot of times they won't
• You can apply for a card today and get a tiny credit limit and then apply for another card a month later and get a huge limit

I could probably go on - but the general theme here is that AMEX marches to the beat of their own drum. I can't figure them out but they hand out cards to me like they were candy on Halloween.

Excellent summation, thank you! So basically, you'll get what you get when you get it.

 

[calypso726]

Better churner than I, I still can't make myself use a card at the dollar store if it's under $10. Unless I absolutely have no cash on me. Hubby has no problem, he's always been the type of guy to put gum on a CC. (and before CC's, he did actually write a check for some amount under a dollar)

I almost never have cash on me and feel nauseated when credit card payments aren't an option I have paid $1.00 plus tax at the dollar store with a credit card.

I am somewhat tempted to call and try this but I maxed out our referral earnings for the year and I feel like that's a bit abusive/crossing a line, lol. I enjoy taking advantage of the financial system but I also like to work within their rules haha.

I wasn't quite maxed out. 10,000 more points would have maxed me out. However, I did legitimately encourage friends to apply, one just yesterday, and they did but I had no link that I could generate for them.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Excellent summation, thank you! So basically, you'll get what you get when you get it.

HAHAHA yes! It would've been a much shorter post if I said that, lol! It's just absolutely wild how unpredictable they are.

 

[Calfan]

Just piling on to the group that is of the mind-set that no purchase amount is too small to charge to a cc. I charge a $0.50 oatmeal in my work cafeteria. Points are points. I detest using cash for anything and often have none on me anyway, lol. I will also admit to being dumbfounded when I see anyone use cash to pay for anything, and also annoyed with those ahead of me in line at the work cafe who pay in cash because it slows everything down. All that being said, I do understand that some people don’t trust themselves with credit cards, etc. But for anyone who can use ccs responsibly, I really don’t understand what reason there can be for using cash for any transaction that could be put on a cc.

 

[snugglebug]

@platamama I understand your feelings after talking to Amex. They were so weirdly enthusiastic and I wanted to say “I’m not stupid even if you do convince me to keep this card I am done putting everyday spend on it.” I’m glad you told her she was being disingenuous.

Thanks to everyone for the input on DVC. @wendow you are not too late. All input (and reality checks welcome). I am literally all over the map with DVC..consuming me like credit cards and bonus points usually do! Honestly I keep going back and forth on it at all and then how to do it. The fear of not liking Disney or not wanting to go isn’t going to happen but I have always put it off. Now totally kicking myself of how cheap it could have been if DH and I had bought in our first trip together in 2005! Realistically prices only going up. We have put down a bunch of concrete and a retaining wall in our backyard and to do that makes most sense to get a small homeowner loan. Which is why the impetus to do DVC now came from....get a little more on the loan and buy into DVC with the plan to pay off early. I feel vaguely guilty about doing it that way though as you get on the DVC board and everyone carries on about how it is a luxury purchase. Our only bill is our mortgage that only has about 10 years left. We have government jobs. I shouldn’t have to defend myself. But here I am even to you guys.

I shouldn’t say that DVC is consuming me at the expense of credit cards. Because now I am obsessing that DH needs to get the SPG Biz!

Mine is financed. No guilt. I look at it as my vacation budget. I just avoid the DVC board. I tend to do things my own way lately. I reached a point where I realized I had (near) adult kids and my one regret was lack of vacation, in our opinion DVC would force us to take that needed vacation so we made the jump. Family vacation has become priority to me at almost any cost.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Just piling on to the group that is of the mind-set that no purchase amount is too small to charge to a cc. I charge a $0.50 oatmeal in my work cafeteria. Points are points. I detest using cash for anything and often have none on me anyway, lol. I will also admit to being dumbfounded when I see anyone use cash to pay for anything, and also annoyed with those ahead of me in line at the work cafe who pay in cash because it slows everything down. All that being said, I do understand that some people don’t trust themselves with credit cards, etc. But for anyone who can use ccs responsibly, I really don’t understand what reason there can be for using cash for any transaction that could be put on a cc.

Debit cards at the grocery store...that's the one that gets me. I just want to scream that at a MINIMUM you're giving up 3%...and you're using a DEBIT CARD...gaaaaahhhh!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Ummmm...so some of my freedom points from the Q1 applepay thing have posted and I have combined all my UR points into one account...this includes points we already had and points from 3 of the 4 freedom cards including a little bit of random spend on top of the apple pay... My UR points balance is currently 66,666...WHAT IS THAT??? Super creepy coincidence folks, haha!

 

[Disneyonmymind]

I got the 60,000 mile offer and was seriously considering it for our October Universal trip. Not sure I would have been able to pass on the 75,000! Looks like a great deal. They pull from all three bureaus and it obviously takes up a 5/24 slot but depending where you are with Chase, could be worth it.

I got this same 60K offer for $3000 spend today in the mail. It looks super simple to utilize the "points." Because it expires on June 1, I will definitely put it in the consideration stack.

 

[Artygal90]

I've been getting some weird mail lately...or maybe I just never used to notice credit card offers....but in the past month my husband has received two different Capitol One promotional mailers (for starter cards, no points or anything). I just got a United MileagePlus rewards shopping catalog today. And at work I was sorting the mail and Amex had sent the (deceased!) former owner a promotional mailer for a card that came with 50k award miles! I'm not a monster so I put it in the "to be shredded" box then but thought "man, if I was *really* into churning, and fraud, and a host of other unethical things, I could put those 50k miles to use."

I wonder what odd offers will show up in my mailbox next?!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Debit cards at the grocery store...that's the one that gets me. I just want to scream that at a MINIMUM you're giving up 3%...and you're using a DEBIT CARD...gaaaaahhhh!

This is my sister. Debit everything. They are going to Greece for 2 weeks this summer. I suggested a no AF /no foreign tx fee card.
“No we’re taking cash”
“What if there is an emergency?”
“Well if there is an emergency, I’m not going to worry about fees. We’ll just pay them”

 

[Lain]

Hah! I just pulled the trigger on the SPG biz. Instant approval! And I set up my online account. I wonder how long the card will take to arrive! Now, I start mapping out my spend. Should be no problem. I wonder if they did a HP. How should I check on this?

@Disneyonmymind, earlier, I mentioned the higher $5k MSR on the Amex SPG Biz vs. the Chase Marriott cards with $3k MSRs. I forgot to point out that while you do have to put more spend on the SPG Biz to meet MSR, at least until 7/31/18, every dollar spent is worth 3x more on the SPG card than on a Chase Marriott card because everyday base spend on the SPG Biz is worth 1 Starpoint per $, which will convert to 3 Marriott points once the programs officially merge on 8/1/18. The Marriott cards have a base spend of only 1 Marriott point per $. When you meet the $5k MSR on the SPG Biz, that’ll eventually convert to at least 15k Marriott points. Good luck!

 

[miztressuz]

So I pulled my new CSR off the paper and realized I'm now part of the elite METAL group ! Don't know why I didn't think of it before. I like that they put the warning on the back now "Contains Metal DO NOT SHRED"
Where were they a couple months ago when the Amazon and Marriott cards just laughed at our shredder

 

[Lain]

Well, I applied for the SPG Personal with the 25K offer. I tried for about an hour but couldn't get the 30K to pull up, and its getting late here and I have other things I need to be doing. So, 75K Starriott points it is! At least I was auto approved, with a $16K CL. I am shocked that others here have only gotten $1K. My income is not that high, but apparently AMEX likes me for some reason. I have been a "card member" since 2001, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Congratulations on the new SPG card! But let me commiserate with you about not being able to pull up the 30k Starpoints offer again. I pulled a 100k MR Platinum offer for my wife last week, but haven’t been able to reproduce it since; best I’ve done is 75k and it’s kind of driving me nuts. As much as I love Amex, the one thing I really hate is all their targeted, incognito and otherwise hidden offers. It really doesn’t promote very much good will among their customers to find out they aren’t getting the best offer on a card. Still, 25k Starpoints > $200 statement credit, so I’m glad you were able to get in on it!