I love credit cards so much!

[speedyfishy]

So I just booked a work trip to DC for next month. Unfortunately, my desired hotel is the W, but the government rate is too high. I booked myself at the JW Marriott instead, so I will plan to submit a hotel review for that next month.

I just passed by there today! It looked fancy and nice. Parking was like $59. I guess if you have a car work would pay so oh well.

 

[Judique]

Ack! Apparently they just stopped doing it for business cards. https://www.doctorofcredit.com/american-express-has-ended-physical-business-mailers/

Well...you know how it is. Amex stopped it this week, but next week it might be a good idea again.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

I just passed by there today! It looked fancy and nice. Parking was like $59. I guess if you have a car work would pay so oh well.

Flying in and taking Lyft to the hotel, then just walking to my meeting about 1/2 mile away each day.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Good news! I’ve been approved for the CIP I received last Thursday!!

View attachment 321830

I got the same email today. Got my card Monday, nearly 1/2 thru MSR

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thanks for the catch on that year. I am just wrapping up 2017 at work, so I keep getting 2019 dates wrong. Thanks for the input! What would you (or others) recommend in place of the Discover. I will admit that I am struggling a bit given that I don't want hotel points or a SW CP. I'd love ideas!

A Delta Gold Biz seems like a natural card for you (given the need for Delta points).

Marriott points can transfer to Delta too through their standard transfers = OR through nights and flights at some ok rates. AMEX MRs transfer to Delta too and there's a few AMEX MR BIZ cards that won't affect your 5/24.

I don't like the Discover because it's a weak return. But I will admit that I just move from MSR to MSR (perhaps quicker than some people would like to).

For an idea of EVERY card that's out there you could check out this survey I did awhile back: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F3HVYDH Some of the cards might not be accurate anymore but it basically listed every card worth getting, lol!

 

[Lain]

I plan to get a southwest card at the end of the year, so points hit in 2019. Should I go ahead and enroll in southwest rapids reward program now?
Also could some explain what they mean by “double dipping”?

Just starting out and finding this board to be very helpful. Thanks!

Are you trying for the Companion Pass?

As you may know, you need 110,000 Rapid Reward points to post to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account in the same year to earn the CP.

A lot of people achieve this by signing up for two Southwest credit cards for the bonuses to apply towards that 110,000 RR requirement. The signup bonus offers fluctuate based basically on marketing decisions. For example, around September and October 2017, the bonuses on the SW Plus and Premier cards each were at a high of 60,000 RR. Signing up for two of these cards and timing meeting the minimum spending requirement (“MSR”) to earn the combined 120,000 RR bonuses (plus whatever points from spend) to post in 2018 would have gotten you the CP for the rest of 2018 and all of 2019. Currently, the SW Plus and Premier cards are each offering only 40,000 RR. So even if you were to sign up for the two cards and get their bonuses, you’d be at about 82,000 RR (2x bonuses + points from meeting MSR) and short of the CP. Chase does offer a SW Business credit card that offers a 60,000 RR bonus if you’re open to signing up for a business card, but that’ll still leave you short of the points you need for the CP. There’s a rumor that Chase and SW will release a new “Premium” consumer credit card later this year with a higher signup bonus, that if paired with another SW card bonus could get you enough points for a CP.

So how would you get enough bonus points from two SW cards to get a CP? Right now, it’s hard because of the low 40,000 RR bonus on the consumer Plus/Premier. You should wait to see if the signup offers go up to maybe 50,000 or 60,000 RR, then pair a Plus/Premier together or one with the Business card. Then there’s the rumored Premium card that’s coming out with a bigger bonus. Basically, you’ll want to do some math and add up two card bonuses to get to 110,000 RR or more.

If you’ve got a business or even a side hustle “business” like selling stuff on eBay, Etsy, Facebook, Amazon, rentals, tutoring, dog walking/sitting, baby sitting, consulting, independent contracting, driving for Uber/Lyft, baking cookies, etc., you might qualify for a business card, and getting 1 SW consumer card + 1 SW business card will make getting the CP so much easier. If you don’t feel comfortable applying for business cards and want to do 2 SW consumer cards, Chase has made it harder.

Here’s the problem. In April, Chase added a new restriction to new SW consumer credit card signups that we call the “One SW Card” rule. You won’t get approved for a new SW consumer credit card if you (1) currently have an open SW (Plus/Premier) consumer credit card; or (2) received a signup bonus on a SW consumer credit card within the last 24 months. This One SW Card rule doesn’t apply to the SW business credit card, so if you don’t have an open SW consumer card and you didn’t get a SW bonus in the past 24 months, you can still do 1 SW consumer card + 1 SW business card = enough bonus points for CP.

If you’re not applying for a SW business card, how do we get around the One SW Card rule? Chase has imposed similar restrictions on other credit card “families” of products like their Sapphire line of cards and the Marriott co-branded cards. It’s possible to get around the One SW Card rule by “double dipping.” In churning, double dipping can have different meanings depending on context, but I think this is what you’re interested in.

Double dipping here would mean signing up and getting approved for two SW consumer cards on the same day before Chase’s system knows you’ve gotten two cards despite their restriction. You would apply for one of the Plus/Premier/rumored-Premium cards first, hopefully get automatic approval, but if not then call into Chase to get it approved. Once the first card is approved, put in a second application for a different card on another browser or incognito window (so Chase doesn’t get your cookies crossed and think you’re submitting a duplicate application), hope you get automatic approval, but if not then call into Chase to get that card approved on the same day as the first. You’re essentially trying to sneak a second card approval in before Chase’s systems are updated to recognize that it already approved you for your first card and ineligible for the second.

Welcome! And come on in. This is hard stuff, but we’re all here to help each other save a little (or a lot of) money on vacations. Let us know if you have any questions.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I love your story. And I still love my little Discover card, which was my first credit card

While not my first card, Discover was the first card DH & I got together (that is to say I made him AU when I signed up) It says member since 1988

DH wouldn't put post its on his cards, so he'd call me and ask, "I'm at such and such store buying x, y z. What card do I use?" every time he went to the store. We each had the same cards starting out, so I could look at the post its on my cards and then tell him.

For a more subtle approach I found clear labels for my label maker. Labeled both of our cards. Sometimes I decide which card I want to use for say gas, but then at the pump I forget. So I labeled mine too.

 

[Lain]

They did? I just got an Amex mailer for the Premier Rewards Gold. Or do you mean stopped for just that card?

Word is Amex stopped physical mailers for their business cards back in March. Personal mailers and targeted email offers for both personal and business are still going out.

ETA: iirc, Amex personal card offers are non-transferable, but business card mailer rsvp codes could be transferred.

 

[SBWB48]

Yeah I had no idea it’s called Horseshoe. I may take a trip since that’s not that far.

I work in downtown Baltimore and while not necessarily close to the Horseshoe, I know the area driving through sometimes. Be careful lol. Not quite scary since it's close enough to M&T Bank Stadium, but there's questionable surroundings...

On another note, will be trying for my third Chase business card (CIC) today or tomorrow. Got the CIP last July, Marriott Biz this past Feb, so hoping this won't be an issue...I'm 3/24. Will report back since I think there's DPs over on reddit, but no one here has 3, yet?

 

[speedyfishy]

I work in downtown Baltimore and while not necessarily close to the Horseshoe, I know the area driving through sometimes. Be careful lol. Not quite scary since it's close enough to M&T Bank Stadium, but there's questionable surroundings...

On another note, will be trying for my third Chase business card (CIC) today or tomorrow. Got the CIP last July, Marriott Biz this past Feb, so hoping this won't be an issue...I'm 3/24.

Oh, yikes really? I don’t know this area to well yet. lol

 

[amalone1013]

For a more subtle approach I found clear labels for my label maker. Labeled both of our cards. Sometimes I decide which card I want to use for say gas, but then at the pump I forget. So I labeled mine too.

DH just gets the 3/4" round labels that are handwritten on his I'm weird and mostly remember... I'm more likely to not have the card I want to use with me than I am to use the wrong one for that category.

 

[Lain]

I work in downtown Baltimore and while not necessarily close to the Horseshoe, I know the area driving through sometimes. Be careful lol. Not quite scary since it's close enough to M&T Bank Stadium, but there's questionable surroundings...

On another note, will be trying for my third Chase business card (CIC) today or tomorrow. Got the CIP last July, Marriott Biz this past Feb, so hoping this won't be an issue...I'm 3/24. Will report back since I think there's DPs over on reddit, but no one here has 3, yet?

Your Chase biz approval timeline looks like mine: CIP in 6/17, Marriott Biz in 2/18; currently at 2/24 until 2 Amex personal cards report. DPs like THIS give me hope. I'm planning to apply for the CIC next week. Good luck!

 

[miztressuz]

So I just booked a work trip to DC for next month. Unfortunately, my desired hotel is the W, but the government rate is too high. I booked myself at the JW Marriott instead, so I will plan to submit a hotel review for that next month.

I think you said you can use your own cards for work trips - Did you get the JW Marriott AmEx offer?
"Get a one-time $40 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to spend $200+ on room rate and room charges, when you pay for your stay with JW Marriott from 3/30/18 to 6/18/2018."

I didn't see any rate restrictions for this one.

 

[mhartman09]

Chase won't let you move personal CL to a biz card.

But Chase does look at total CL across all Chase personal and biz cards. So yeah, that CSR CL is going to weigh heavy on the total CL that Chase has already extended to you.

You could try to ask Chase to move CL from your CIP to open a CIC. DPs are mixed on that. Some reports say Chase will tell you no, can't do it; others have had more luck. The minimum CL on a CIP is $5k. I believe the minimum CL needed to open a CIC is $3k.

There are good reasons for a business to hold both CIP and CIC. CIP offers 3x on shipping and travel (don't mention 3x on Plastiq to Chase). CIC offers 5x on cable/internet/phone, and office supply stores (heh, don't mention gift cards either).

Thanks. This is what I thought. Guess I'll just sit back and wait for my letter, then decide whether or not I'll call in.

 

[mhartman09]

I sweat legit bizs have more hurdles than the fake ones!

Technically it is legit (my TA biz), but I still applied under my name since it's a sole prop and I'm a contract agent. I guess there's no way for them to tell the difference between that and my previous "business" to get the CIP.

 

[jhoannam]

Basically you have to go in and set your Prime to not auto-renew. So you can wait until your Prime is coming up for renewal, cancel it then, and then apply the gift. Or you can go full out and do it now like DoC says here:
"Cancel your existing Prime membership at this link. It’ll seem scary at first, as if you’re losing your Prime immediately, but as you click through they’ll make it clear that you’ll keep the full Prime membership until your year is up."
(Italics mine)

My plan is to just set a reminder to cancel it later this year before it renews and then apply the Gift. Seems simpler to me, and I don't think I'm missing anything.

I missed the gift part... are you buying the membership now?

 

[pillow]

I work in downtown Baltimore and while not necessarily close to the Horseshoe, I know the area driving through sometimes. Be careful lol. Not quite scary since it's close enough to M&T Bank Stadium, but there's questionable surroundings...

On another note, will be trying for my third Chase business card (CIC) today or tomorrow. Got the CIP last July, Marriott Biz this past Feb, so hoping this won't be an issue...I'm 3/24. Will report back since I think there's DPs over on reddit, but no one here has 3, yet?

Yes, I had 3 until just a couple months ago when I cancelled SW Busn. I had Marriott, CIC, and SW. Good luck!

 

[kmc8826]

Not sure if this was mentioned previously, but Amex has an offer for Delta. Spend $300, get $60 back. It was on two of my cards, so the next two work flights that I book will be making me $120.

I saw that this was out but do you think I had it on even one of my cards? Of course not! Between DH and myself 7 Amex cards and no nothing. I am not bitter at all...glad it worked out for you!

Thanks for the catch on that year. I am just wrapping up 2017 at work, so I keep getting 2019 dates wrong. Thanks for the input! What would you (or others) recommend in place of the Discover. I will admit that I am struggling a bit given that I don't want hotel points or a SW CP. I'd love ideas!

I have gained a lot of Delta miles with the Starwood Amex cards and my understanding is that with the Marriott conversion that part of the process will still be able to use the airline conversion. So you might want to think about your next slot being a Marriott card. Another option to gain Delta miles is with Amex and Membership Reward points. I have yet to delve into that realm but that is doable as well.

I think the Freedom Unlimited was also mentioned as an option. I really like my FU. It is just a good overall visa card. Visa is just easier to use than Amex!

 

[KPK02090]

I'm in the game! Just got instant approval on the Chase Ink Business Preferred. Super excited to start earning points for an epic family trip to WDW in 2020!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm in the game! Just got instant approval on the Chase Ink Business Preferred. Super excited to start earning points for an epic family trip to WDW in 2020!

Instant approval?! CONGRATS! CIP is a great card to start getting you guys there!