I love credit cards so much!

[wdwcindy]

i have 2 Amex business cards-Delta Platinum and SPG Biz. The recent Chase CIC and CIP info has me considering an application for one of those. As has been noted before, Amex is very easy about getting business cards. Is Chase much more difficult about it? I would use a "business". Thoughts?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

i have 2 Amex business cards-Delta Platinum and SPG Biz. The recent Chase CIC and CIP info has me considering an application for one of those. As has been noted before, Amex is very easy about getting business cards. Is Chase much more difficult about it? I would use a "business". Thoughts?

Chase is pretty easy too if you haven’t had a ton of recent apps/inquiries and if it’s your first biz card with them. Tons of us are running around with CIPs for our “businesses”.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Could you PC to freedom now and get the AF refunded, lol? Then do the double dip in a month?

What happens to all our URs that are there in the CSR account?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I was just doing some Marriott reading.... so a sweet spot might be my cat 8 hotel I'm wanting may be a 7 for a while.... I hope so!

Is it one of the maui ones?

 

[wdwcindy]

Chase is pretty easy too if you haven’t had a ton of recent apps/inquiries and if it’s your first biz card with them. Tons of us are running around with CIPs for our “businesses”.

Thanks for the quick reply. Next question-CIC OR CIP? I like the idea of the 5X on CIC and I will not be using Plastiq.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Thanks for the quick reply. Next question-CIC OR CIP? I like the idea of the 5X on CIC and I will not be using Plastiq.

Is there a reason you don't want to use plastiq? It is AWESOME! It took me a bit to wrap my head around it, now I just hate all the points I missed out on. Ha! If you won't do it, then I'd go for the CIP for the sign up bonus of 80k and PC it to a CIC later for the 5x.

 

[kmc8826]

DHs new CIP arrived today, all set up online now. Even made a purchase today. I’d like to get an employee card but they want SS#. Doesn’t count as an AU and 5/24 spot if I add myself, correct? Just freaks me out that they want my SS#

I know when I did the application for DH and the set up they wanted my social. Same way as you I didn’t get it. Now that you are set up online is it still requesting it? When I did it that way it just let me put the name and the number wasn’t required.

What happens to all our URs that are there in the CSR account?

Do either of you have the CIP? Could you transfer to it?

 

[kmc8826]

Thanks for the quick reply. Next question-CIC OR CIP? I like the idea of the 5X on CIC and I will not be using Plastiq.

I love the CIC. And it is no annual fee. With the rumor of it going away I might be inclined to get it now and put getting the CIP on hold for a bit.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thanks for the quick reply. Next question-CIC OR CIP? I like the idea of the 5X on CIC and I will not be using Plastiq.

CIP bonus is higher. But CIC isn’t bad either. CIP has the travel benefits of 1.25x and transfer partners (CIC doesn’t). Really more of a personal decision on which is best

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

What happens to all our URs that are there in the CSR account?

They’d be fine. You’re PCing to a Freedom so they just remain untouched

 

[StephPlum]

I officially think I have a problem. Just approved for CIC!! I applied because of the large signup and I was going crazy without a MSR. Also I called the status line like 6 times today, though one was I messed up the prompts and had to redial.

I've gone from no new cards in the last 5+ years to 4 in the last 4 months (CIP, SPG BIZ, IHG, CIC) plus I talked DH into a CIP. That makes 190k UR, 42k starpoint, and 68k IHG points. Can't compete with @SouthFayetteFan 's 1.3 million but it still makes me 1) happy at the thought of some free travel, 2)surprised at how easy it was to make all the MSR. Actually using the CC more has made it easier for me to keep track of the expenses and see what we are spending on.

Also add on the $700 on bank bonuses so far this year. So far very good year for free money.

After the CIC I will wait until end of June or July to apply for CSR&CSP. As long as Chase doesnt tempt me with some limited time higher bonuses that I can't bear to skip

Then I'll turn to MR through AMEX business cards. while I don't have an exact plan to use, it would be good to have some options. I love SW but just this year I will have taken two Delta flights due to the destinations being friendlier to Delta than SW. I could see this happening in the future.

Thanks to everyone here for all the advice and help. So glad I found this thread.

 

[wendow]

Thanks for the quick reply. Next question-CIC OR CIP? I like the idea of the 5X on CIC and I will not be using Plastiq.

Another plastiq/CIP fan here. However, with the CIC potentially going away, I'm in agreement with @kmc8826, I'd go for the CIC now. Can always go after the CIP later. The bonus is the same as it's always been and I highly doubt is going anywhere soon.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

correct, employee cards will not at towards your 5/24. Why they want SSN is weird, i dont recall having to do that on mine.

Yeah that’s what stops me. Both Chase and Amex biz cards ask for employee SS #

 

[afan]

Oh, I miss Fred Meyer. I can see it being more like a Target or Walmart for cc coding though. Have you tried QFC? (Does QFC have a gas station?) The Kroger in my region has some kind of relationship with Shell gas stations and I think I can use fuel points there too but TBH I haven’t tried.

Amex codes Fred's as a grocery store. I can't find what it codes as on my CFU since it's all 1.5 and my CSR I can't go back that far since I stopped using it there once I met spend. Barclay's also codes them as grocery, they ran extra miles if you used your card at grocery stores in the first quarter so after a test and seeing it posted that way I moved spend there. I would imagine if it codes as grocery for those two that it would for the others as well.

Fred's was really always a grocery store that had other stuff rather than Target or Walmart that have other stuff but have groceries. I go to Fred's most often for groceries, plus being owned by a grocery chain probably makes a difference. Though I do think they are the reason we don't have Super Target's here, but we're also a black hole for grocery stores in general and just don't have that many options.

 

[Lain]

What happens to all our URs that are there in the CSR account?

Do either of you have the CIP? Could you transfer to it?

They’d be fine. You’re PCing to a Freedom so they just remain untouched

@disneymagicgirl — @SouthFayetteFan is right. When you PC the CSR to a Freedom, the UR points will remain on the Freedom. Since the converted Freedom card is a UR-earning card, the UR points can remain there until DH gets his new CSR, then you can move all the points to the new CSR.

But, because of rumors that Chase may end points pooling, it might be prudent as @kmc8826 suggests, to transfer the points to your CIP before you PC the CSR, so if in the unlikelihood that you are caught by any sudden change, your points are at least on a 1.25x redemption card (the CIP) instead of the converted Freedom.

EDIT: Thinking about this more, an argument could be made to keep all your UR points on the Freedom instead of transferring them to the CIP while DH is trying for the double dip. If there’s any negative change, you could PC the Freedom back to a CSR to get the 1.5x redemption rate for all your points. You can’t PC the CIP to a CSR so if points pooling were to suddenly end, all your points would be stuck on the CIP and redeemable at only 1.25x.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I officially think I have a problem. Just approved for CIC!! I applied because of the large signup and I was going crazy without a MSR. Also I called the status line like 6 times today, though one was I messed up the prompts and had to redial.

I've gone from no new cards in the last 5+ years to 4 in the last 4 months (CIP, SPG BIZ, IHG, CIC) plus I talked DH into a CIP. That makes 190k UR, 42k starpoint, and 68k IHG points. Can't compete with @SouthFayetteFan 's 1.3 million but it still makes me 1) happy at the thought of some free travel, 2)surprised at how easy it was to make all the MSR. Actually using the CC more has made it easier for me to keep track of the expenses and see what we are spending on.

Also add on the $700 on bank bonuses so far this year. So far very good year for free money.

After the CIC I will wait until end of June or July to apply for CSR&CSP. As long as Chase doesnt tempt me with some limited time higher bonuses that I can't bear to skip

Then I'll turn to MR through AMEX business cards. while I don't have an exact plan to use, it would be good to have some options. I love SW but just this year I will have taken two Delta flights due to the destinations being friendlier to Delta than SW. I could see this happening in the future.

Thanks to everyone here for all the advice and help. So glad I found this thread.

Love that you’re strategizing our multiple cards. Everybody should try to think 12 months out and what all cards they’ll hit. It can be hugely beneficial.

 

[Lain]

i have 2 Amex business cards-Delta Platinum and SPG Biz. The recent Chase CIC and CIP info has me considering an application for one of those. As has been noted before, Amex is very easy about getting business cards. Is Chase much more difficult about it? I would use a "business". Thoughts?

Thanks for the quick reply. Next question-CIC OR CIP? I like the idea of the 5X on CIC and I will not be using Plastiq.

I love the CIC. And it is no annual fee. With the rumor of it going away I might be inclined to get it now and put getting the CIP on hold for a bit.

Another plastiq/CIP fan here. However, with the CIC potentially going away, I'm in agreement with @kmc8826, I'd go for the CIC now. Can always go after the CIP later. The bonus is the same as it's always been and I highly doubt is going anywhere soon.

Count me in as another who loves the CIP! However, I have to agree with @kmc8826 and @wendow that between the CIP and CIC, go for the CIC first.

The CIC’s highlight is its 5x UR categories for office supply stores and internet/phone/cable, which essentially earns you 5x UR on all kinds of gift cards. Rumors suggest the CIC’s enhanced 50,000 UR bonus offer will expire on 5/20 (the usual offer has been only 30k UR), and possibly the CIC may no longer be available to new applicants after 5/20/18.

The CIP’s highlight is its current ability to earn 3x UR on Plastiq, which allows you to pay most bills that don’t otherwise accept credit cards with a credit card that negates the 2.5% fee and actually puts you ahead in the value of the UR points that you get back. The CIP also earns 3x UR on a few gift card apps, your internet and cell phone bill and includes phone insurance. However, its standard 80,000 UR signup bonus has been around since the card launch and there aren’t any signs that’ll change. [eta: The CIP does give you the ability to make referrals to your spouse, family and friends worth 20,000 UR each, up to 5 times a year; the CIC has no referrals.]

I think the best tip I can offer for a Chase business card application with only a “business” is to keep it simple. Apply as a sole proprietor with only your “First Name Last Name” as the business name — don’t get fancy or Chase will ask for verification and/or deny you because they can’t verify your business information. Use your SSN as the EIN. A lot of us have eBay-style retail “businesses” so our revenue (not profit), and years in business, may be modest. It does seem people who have more legitimate businesses, like rentals, face more scrutiny from Chase. If you need help with the application, just ask and we can walk you through it.

 

[Albort]

Well my big reason is actually rather silly. My husband does all the grocery shopping and also has a hard time remembering which card to use where. You know how Discover lets you pick from a variety of designs? Easy for him to remember to use his American flag card at the grocery store. I’d rather do that then have him start confusing the Freedom and FU and have him use the Freedom at Costco. Plan is to max out the Freedom at the end of the quarter with Chase Pay at Best Buy with gift cards.

hmm... maybe i should max out my Freedom ASAP and start working on the Discover card... good idea. thanks!

 

[platamama]

Amex codes Fred's as a grocery store. I can't find what it codes as on my CFU since it's all 1.5 and my CSR I can't go back that far since I stopped using it there once I met spend. Barclay's also codes them as grocery, they ran extra miles if you used your card at grocery stores in the first quarter so after a test and seeing it posted that way I moved spend there. I would imagine if it codes as grocery for those two that it would for the others as well.

Fred's was really always a grocery store that had other stuff rather than Target or Walmart that have other stuff but have groceries. I go to Fred's most often for groceries, plus being owned by a grocery chain probably makes a difference. Though I do think they are the reason we don't have Super Target's here, but we're also a black hole for grocery stores in general and just don't have that many options.

That's weird. I wonder why @linzjane88 's BCP doesn't code Fred Meyer as groceries? Same store brand, same cc processor.

 

[Albort]

That's weird. I wonder why @linzjane88 's BCP doesn't code Fred Meyer as groceries? Same store brand, same cc processor.

different stores trigger differently. another example is my mastercard would code a certain walmart as grocery stores but another as a retail store. Weird... but next time u know to use another card!